KEY POINTSUniversity of Tokyo, Tokyo University of Science, Shimizu and Sekisui House launch sustainable building materials study groupConsortium targets non-structural materials, CO2 evaluation methods and recycling pathways for decarbonization and circular economy goalsBimonthly meetings begin under the Building Research and Development Consortium, with recommendations due at a December 2026 symposium
A diagram illustrating the evaluation criteria for sustainable building materials. Note: Japanese text in the original image from press release has been translated into English by our editorial team.
Shimizu Corp.
The University of Tokyo, Tokyo University of Science, Shimizu Corp. and Sekisui House Ltd. have launched a joint industry-academia study group on sustainable building materials through the Building Research and Development Consortium, according to a release issued on July 22.
The group will focus on non-structural building materials, a category that includes a wide range of products used in buildings, and will examine assessment methods related to CO2 reduction as well as the direction and framework for materials recycling. The participants aim to build a cross-industry platform involving universities, construction companies, homebuilders, building materials manufacturers and industry groups to support research, development and adoption of sustainable materials.
Decarbonizing building materials and shifting toward a circular economy have become major issues for the construction sector amid climate change, resource depletion, higher resource prices and geopolitical instability, the release said. It added that the diversity of building materials and the large number of manufacturers and contractors involved have increased the need for an industry-wide forum to share knowledge and organize evaluation approaches and adoption challenges.
Professor Tsuyoshi Seike of the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Frontier Sciences is involved in the group, along with Professor Manabu Kanematsu of the Tokyo University of Science’s Faculty of Creative Engineering. Shimizu will serve as organizer for the non-residential field, while Sekisui House will take that role for the housing field.
The study group will meet every two months and plans to hold a symposium in December 2026 to present development policies and recommendations.
Tokyo University of Science and Shimizu are already promoting a research and development project focused on the environmental performance of non-structural components in buildings. Their work includes building a system to assess and visualize CO2 emissions across product life stages, and developing high-performance materials and construction methods that can reduce emissions during manufacturing and installation for exterior materials, interior materials, openings and fireproof covering materials.
Sekisui House has built up knowledge on waste building materials through 20 years of work on resource circulation and is advancing horizontal recycling initiatives for plastic products and water supply and drainage pipes. The homebuilder is also pursuing its “House to House” project, which reviews more than 30,000 housing components with the aim of creating homes made entirely from recycled materials. In addition, Sekisui House is conducting research with Seike on the transition to a circular economy in the housing sector, according to the release.
Japan’s construction sector has been under growing pressure to cut lifecycle emissions from buildings, which include not only operational energy use but also emissions embedded in materials production, transport and construction. The Building Research and Development Consortium is a Japanese collaborative platform for industry, academia and government that promotes research and development in architecture, housing and urban development.