Facilities that support trust and creativity (Electrical section, Part 1)
Creating a head office building that is comfortable, safe and secure

"Creating a comfortable and flexible office space" was the theme of the Nikon Headquarters / Innovation Center from the beginning of its design. When we say "comfortable," we consider various perspectives from each of the stakeholders, including workers, visitors, local residents, and building managers, such as comfort that provides a sense of safety and security, comfort that comes from flexible working styles, comfort that takes into consideration the lighting, temperature, and humidity of the space, and comfort that comes from ease of maintenance.

Following on from Vol. 17, we will introduce our efforts from the perspective of facilities, which are essential to creating a space and environment that realizes the "comfort" unique to this building.

In recent years, the number of disasters such as earthquakes and torrential rains has increased dramatically. As designers, it is our important role to think about "safe and secure buildings," but it is also important that they can both "withstand disasters" and "continue business even after a disaster." In particular, in this project, there was a strong demand for improved functionality as the building was the company's headquarters.

In addition, the most important thing for "business continuity" after a disaster is to ensure the reliability of the power source. Here, a two-line power receiving system is used, consisting of a 22kV main line and a backup power line that supplies power from different substations, so that in the unlikely event of a power outage on the main line, power can be received from another substation via the backup power line, shortening the duration of the outage. Also, considering the risks of wide-area power outages and breakdowns in substation equipment, an emergency power source is configured with two 500kVA gas turbine generators, and 72 hours' worth of fuel is stored.

In addition to earthquakes and floods, in recent years, measures against the eruption of Mount Fuji have been attracting attention. In the event of a widespread power outage during an eruption, generators will not start due to clogging with volcanic ash... To prevent this, a chamber with a volcanic ash filter is planned on the outside air intake side to reduce the impact of falling ash.

The building is set back in accordance with shadow regulations, creating spacious rooftop spaces on each floor, and the building is actively engaged in energy conservation and creation.

First, the rooftop greenery. The lush rooftop terrace is large enough to stroll around, and not only improves the insulation of the room and increases energy efficiency, but also contributes to the heat island effect through evaporative evaporation. It would be nice to be able to work on a pleasant terrace like this on a sunny day. In response to such requests, Wi-Fi antennas and lighting and power outlets have been installed on the tables scattered around the building, supporting ABW (Activity Based Working, a working style in which workers choose the best place for efficient work depending on the nature of the work).

In addition, 134kW solar panels are installed at the highest point of the building. There are few office buildings in Tokyo that are equipped with solar panels of this scale. The monitors in the visitor zone display the amount of solar radiation and power generation in real time, demonstrating Nikon's commitment to environmental measures.

Considering the local characteristics of a residential area, this building is constructed with low-rise structure, and we planned to light up the facade eaves so that it would blend in and harmonize with the surroundings. By lighting up the horizontal eaves with soft indirect light, we created a line of "Nikon light" facing the street.

Here, we also put a lot of thought into the boxes that house the lighting. From the perspective of consideration for the neighbors, we adjusted the size of the slits in the lighting boxes to control the light distribution so that as little light as possible comes out from the eaves. We also took into consideration how to replace the lighting fixtures, for example by making the lid removable.

Before this building was constructed, the street was dotted with streetlights, but with this new construction, garden lights and lit-up trees have been installed to ensure brightness underfoot. Some of the garden lights are permanent lights, ensuring brightness for pedestrian paths at night, contributing to improving safety in the area.