Japan 7 Days S2012E03 - Smart City Anticipates Going Global

Trust in nuclear power has been shaken as a result of the problems in Japan, and renewable energy is looking all the more attractive to many people. Smart houses that use only "green" energy fit within that framework.

Building houses, for the most part, has been the business of construction companies. But automakers are leveraging their eco-technology to get involved. At last month's Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan and Toyota displayed their approaches to residences, alongside long-time homebuilder Sekisui.

The city of Toyota, in Aichi Prefecture, has started a pilot project to assess the feasibility of the smart city concept Private and public entities are taking part. About 20 families already live in the model community. The homes get power from large batteries that store energy generated from the sun. Electricity can be shared among the households and facilities such as hospitals and schools. 

If the concept works well in actual practice, the building of smart cities may not only be good energy policy, it also may prove to be a smart approach to business in a global market for energy efficiency.

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