INSIGHTS

2025.09.04

MEP Engineering Speak: Environment and Equipment Ideas Note Vol. 23

district heating and cooling initiatives supporting Osaka's gateway

district heating and cooling (DHC) system in the area around Osaka Station

MEP Engineering designers talk. Environment and Equipment Idea Note TOP

DHC supports the gateway to the international city of Osaka

Osaka Station, the most important transportation hub in the Kansai region, is undergoing redevelopment centered on Transit Oriented Development (TOD). With the aim of creating a world-class urban space, offices, commercial facilities, and hotels are being built one after another, and the station has evolved beyond being a simple transportation hub into a "gateway to an international city" that seamlessly connects residence, work, interaction, and staycation.

We have been involved in the planning, design, and operation support of the district heating and cooling (DHC) system for TOD at Osaka Station for many years, and have used our technology to support world-class urban development.

Osaka Station and the Osaka Station City North Gate Building

Stage 1: district heating and cooling in the North Gate Building, which achieved the highest efficiency in Japan

The DHC Plant No. 2, which we began designing in 2005, is located on the 13th floor, the top floor of the lower section of the Osaka Station City North Gate Building, as a flood prevention measure. At the time, awareness of BCP (Business Continuity Plan) was not as high as it is today, so it could be called a pioneering move to place the machine room on the middle floors of a building.

Additionally, by installing a cooling tower on the floor directly above, the power required for the cooling water pump was significantly reduced. Another distinctive feature of this project is that an energy-saving system was planned in conjunction with the architectural plan.

Left: "Plant 2" refrigeration machine room
Right: The relative positions of the chiller machine room and cooling tower on the top floor (13th floor) of the lower section. Because the cooling tower is directly above, the power required to transport cooling water has been significantly reduced.

After completion, we continued to work with the heat supply company and the contractor for three years to continuously study optimal operation based on data analysis, thereby improving energy efficiency, and at the time, we achieved the highest efficiency of any DHC in Japan. These achievements were also highly acclaimed academically, leading to the award of the Society of Heating, Air-Conditioning and Sanitary Engineers of Japan's Technology Award in 2014. Furthermore, last year, we were recognized for maintaining high-efficiency operation for 10 years, and received the Society's Special Award 10-Year Award (2024).

Left: The inverter turbo chiller can control operation according to the required cooling capacity, and the chiller is started and stopped optimally based on its characteristics. In the second year of operation, the system COP (Coefficient of Performance, an index of the efficiency of a heat source system that shows the ratio of heat supply to energy consumption) was improved compared to the first year.
Right: Changes in system COP over the past 10 years. Optimal operation has been investigated through ongoing data analysis, and highly efficient operation has been achieved.

Stage 2: Expanding the supply area and expanding overseas

A supply network that expands with the region's growth

The area around Osaka Station has been undergoing large-scale redevelopment since the 2010s, which has been described as a "once-in-a-century" project. From last year to this year, the area has seen the opening of JP Tower Osaka, Grand Green Osaka, and Innogate Osaka, as well as the expansion of Osaka Station.

In this redevelopment, we have utilized the design and operational improvement know-how we have cultivated through the "2nd Plant" to newly design the following three plants.

・Plant 3 (inside JP Tower Osaka)
・Fourth Plant (inside Grand Green Osaka North Block)
・Plant No. 5 (inside Grand Green Osaka South Block)

As a result, the area supplied by district heating and cooling system in this area has expanded significantly from the previous 300,000​ ​m² to over 1 million m², making it one of Japan's leading DHC supply areas. Heat exchange between plants (connecting plants with pipes to exchange heat such as chilled water and hot water) has been implemented, improving the energy efficiency of the entire town.

district heating and cooling plant and its supply area in and around Osaka Station (Photo: Osaka Energy Service)

The area energy plan for Grand Green Osaka, which is surrounded by a vast, lush green park, aims to improve energy efficiency and resilience by connecting the southern and northern blocks with local pipelines and providing heat accommodation.

Regional piping work at "Grand Green Osaka"
Plant No. 5 (inside Grand Green Osaka Minami Block)

Technology deployment to Overseas Project

Looking overseas, even in the ASEAN region of Southeast Asia, area energy development centered on district cooling systems (DCS: District Cooling Systems; only air conditioning is required in these areas) is being actively promoted as an urban energy-saving system.

We are involved in DCS projects overseas, such as in Singapore, leveraging our DHC track record and know-how in Japan. Our technical capabilities are highly regarded overseas, and we are often asked questions such as, "How do you achieve efficient energy supply in Japan's district heating and cooling systems?" There are also many situations in which we are expected to provide proposals based on Japanese technology to address local issues.

Furthermore, the experience of working on global issues while coming into contact with diverse cultures and values is a valuable opportunity for growth as an engineer. With the desire to "make cities around the world better with our technology," we are working on DCS projects overseas.

Stage 3: Addressing social issues with AI technology

​DHC has continued to expand in recent years, but its facilities are also being called upon to work toward global goals such as achieving carbon neutrality, while also facing social issues unique to modern Japan, such as labor shortages due to a declining population and rising energy costs.

To address these issues, we have begun testing the latest DX systems, including an AI automated optimal operation system and remote monitoring via smartphone. DHC facilities require operators to manage equipment 24 hours a day, and optimal operation requires skilled techniques. By utilizing these cutting-edge technologies, we can expect to reduce the number of operators and further increase efficiency.

Left: Optimal driving system using particle swarm optimization (PSO).
Calculations are performed using multiple "particles," and the particles that obtain the best values share information to arrive at the optimal solution overall.
Right: Smartphone monitoring screen. Current driving conditions can be viewed remotely in real time.

Here, we are using feedback from overseas business development to learn about the state of "global engineering," particularly methods for solving problems by actively utilizing digital technology, and are aiming to introduce this to DHC in Osaka. Starting with this initiative, we aim to spread it to various projects within Japan.

Designer's Voice

Designer

Urban Energy Planning Department/West Japan Urban Energy Planning Office Chief

Osamu Takada

Osamu Takada

For the past 20 years since 2005, I have been working on the energy planning for Osaka Station as my life's work. As a so-called "consultant engineer" who makes proposals based on technology, I always approach each and every task with sincerity in order to gain the trust of my clients.
Through these efforts, I have had the opportunity to meet university professors and engineers active overseas through valuable experiences such as winning academic awards and participating in Overseas Project. Drawing on these encounters, I continue to take on the challenge of creating new added value.
Engineers grow through the projects they work on, and I believe that Mitsubishi Jisho Design is a great field in which to gain top-level experience as an engineer in Japan.
*Affiliation at the time of project assignment

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Update : 2025.09.04

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