In April 1999, we marked a new beginning as a member of the newly founded Institute of Environmental Studies in the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences. Ten years have passed since then.
The comprehensive goal of our researches is to provide amenities on the life environment with least dissipation of the energy resources. Human beings has consumed enormous amounts of energy and resources to maintain their comfortable lifestyle. As a result, we now have serious environmental problems that affect us all, such as a diminishing ozone layer, increasingly widespread environmental endocrine disruptors, and global warming. These problems are approaching critical levels, and solutions must be presented. To solve these problems, our society that incorporates recycling and efficient use of energy and resources into its daily life, we can build a society that has sustainable development. However, while people understand the need for sustainable development, they are still pursuing a comfortable lifestyle that consumes much energy. Therefore, one goal in our research is to balance these seemingly contradictory paths.
Our research must now consider both the environmental impact and the maintenance of a comfortable lifestyle. Specifically, our main research topics include:
development of technology for decentralizing the energy suppiy to homes and office buildings, thus conserving energy,
development of energy-efficient technology for making comfortable room conditions.
development of technology for controlling the environmental conditions in rooms (wind speed, temperature, humidity, etc.) by using functional materials,
and development of a micro-energy-system, including a micro-freezer.
Another important goal of our laboratory is to turn out to the society the students with wide visions to solve the problems concerning the environment and the energy of the future. Therefore we anticipate in assembling students from various specialties.
Thank you all for your understand and support to our educational and research activities.
Eiji HIHARA, Professor
Laboratory staff
