- Author
- Rubin, A. I.
- Title
- Intelligent Building Technology in Japan.
- Coporate
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
- NISTIR 4546, April 1991, 68 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
- building systems | building technology | intelligent buildings | Japanese buildings | office automation | banks (buildings)
- Abstract
- In May 1990, the author of this report visited Japan at the request of the Department of Commerce's Japan Technology Program, to assess Japanese experiences with 'intelligent building' design, construction and use. The state-of-the-art was determined by visiting advanced buildings, building complexes, and interviewing architects, engineers, and researchers and academics. Discussions also were conducted with organizations engaged in promoting the use and design of intelligent buildings. In general, Japanese experiences have paralleled those in the United States. In both countries, advanced building technologies have been employed to advance organizational effectiveness and personal productivity. A major problem shared by the two countries has been the lack of standardization of hardware and software (protocols), resulting in major difficulties in integrating equipment from different manufacturers, and in some instances, diverse products from the same manufacturer. Intelligent building design in Japan differs from that in the United States in several ways. They incorporate new systems and products into their buildings as soon as they become available. They stress the need for a high quality environment - amenity - more than the United States. The commitment for developing improved intelligent buildings includes active governmental involvement by two major ministries and other institutions such as banks.