Kyocera Receives Japan’s Environment Minister’s Award for Record 9th Consecutive Year

Award cites energy conservation efforts at Nagano Okaya manufacturing plant and community-based environmental awareness activities

14 December 2018

Kyoto/London – Kyocera today announced that its Nagano Okaya Plant has received Japan’s 2018 Environment Minister’s Award for Global Warming Prevention Activity in the “Implementation of Countermeasures / Dissemination” category. This represents a record ninth consecutive year that Kyocera has received the award starting in 2010, marking the most consecutive wins ever by a company in Japan. It also caps a trend of Kyocera receiving environment-related honors worldwide — including Mexico’s highest award for environmental excellence, the national “Recognition of Environmental Excellence” award, which has been won for three consecutive years.


Award ceremony on Dec. 3rd, 2018 (left) and forest restoration activities in Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture (right)

The Environment Minister’s Award, established in 1998 by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, is presented every December in observance of Global Warming Prevention Month to individuals and groups that have shown remarkable achievements in the prevention of climate change.

This year, Kyocera was nominated through recommendations from the local government of Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture. The company’s local plant was recognized for wide-ranging energy-saving environmental efforts and for contributing to the local community. Through energy saving activities including installation of the high-efficiency air-conditioning units, centralization of air compressors, and utilization of exhaust heat, the plant could achieve emissions reduction of approximately 584 tons CO2 annually. The solar power generating systems at the plant also generate 640,440 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, enough electricity to power approximately 197 typical households*. Additionally, the plant has promoted various community activities, such as providing “Eco-Lessons” to teach local schoolchildren about environmental and energy issues, and forest restoration activities with local residents which help local forests regain their rich greenery and help take action for environmental issues.

The company continues to provide environmentally friendly products that balance ecology with economy, while promoting environmental activities for sustainable development.

Highlights of Environment Activities at Nagano Okaya Plant

1. Energy saving activities

  • Energy creation using solar power generating systems
  • Installation of high-efficiency air-conditioning units
  • Replacement of conventional lighting with LED lamps that incorporate motion sensors
  • Application of heat shielding coating on the plant rooftop
  • Planting “green curtain” foliage near windows to provide shade for the rooms inside

Rooftop solar power generating system (left) and 140 meter long “green curtain” (right)

2. Community environmental activities

  • Providing hands-on “Eco-Lessons” for environmental preservation and energy conservation
  • Promoting Kyocera Forest Restoration Activities
  • Eco-event at the Nagano Okaya Plant’s summer festival
  • CSR report meetings held by the plant for local residents and business associates

Children learn about solar power during primary school “Eco-Lessons”

* Based on average annual use of 3,254.4kWh per household.

For more information on Kyocera: www.kyocera.eu

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