Press Releases(Archive)
FY2012 - FY2003

Making Stations Eco-friendly
Start of Construction Work on "ecoste" Model Station

East Japan Railway Company

February 8, 2011

East Japan Railway Company (JR East) has begun "ecoste" - Environment Earth Conscious Station of East Japan Railway Company - , an initiative to equip railway stations with a variety of "Eco-Menu" environmental conservation technologies (energy conservation, renewable energy, etc.) as guided by "JR East 2020 Vision - idomu -."


This is to announce that work will begin to improve Yotsuya Station (Chuo Line) in spring 2011 as the first model station under this initiative. (JR East aims to complete the work within FY2011.)

Yotsuya station
For details, please refer to the following attachment.
 
Attachment [PDF/162KB]

1. "ecoste" Initiatives

  "ecoste" will advance eco-friendly initiatives in four pillars.
     
  (1) Energy Conservation: Promoting more advanced energy conservation
    Initiatives that directly cut energy use, such as high-efficiency lighting and climate control
     
  (2) Energy Creation: Actively implementing renewable energy
    Initiatives to create energy without depending on fossil fuels (e.g., with solar energy)
     
  (3) Eco-Awareness: Preparing facilities that make users eco-aware
    Initiatives that give people eco-awareness, such as natural ventilation systems
     
  (4) Environmental Harmonization: Creating vitality by harmonizing people with their environment
    Initiatives that emphasize the relationship between nature and the local area, through green spaces on station buildings, etc.
     

2. Overview of first model station (Yotsuya Station)

  For our first "ecoste" model station, we aim to use the surrounding environment of Yotsuya Station, located by the remnants of Edo Castle’s outer moat, to create a station that gives users a broad feel for our "ecoste" initiatives.
     
  We aim to reduce Yotsuya Station’s CO2 emissions by 40% (compared to FY2008) by implementing energy-saving equipment and having station staff work proactively to save energy. (Annual savings: 189 tons)
    * A savings of 189 tons of CO2 is equivalent to the amount of CO2 absorbed each year by about 13,500 sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) trees.
    * It is also equivalent to the total amount of CO2 emitted by about 38 households each year.
     

(Equipment being implemented)

  Major content CO2 reduction effect
(1) Energy Conservation Rearranging the areas affected by light switches and installing watt-hour meters to help station employees in their proactive efforts to save energy. Annual savings:
27 tons
Installing LED lighting in platforms and concourses. Annual savings:
113 tons
Using LEDs for electric notice boards and conductor ITV monitors. Annual savings:
13 tons
Water conservation in lavatories, high-efficiency climate control, switching to high-efficiency transformers. Annual savings:
17 tons
Installing skylights so electric lights may be turned off in daytime, and installing residential fuel cells in station business facilities.
*Skylights: Ceiling windows that allow sunlight in.
Annual savings:
6 tons
(2) Energy Creation Installing solar energy facilities (50 kW) on roof of station building at Akasaka exit. Annual savings:
13 tons
(3) Eco-Awareness Installing eco-information display boards so customers can see our initiatives, using water-retaining pavement around station exits, and aiming to make environmental heat improvements in pedestrian areas.
(4) Environmental Harmonization Building "pocket park"* on station building roof and adding greenery to platform roofs and retaining walls.
*Pocket park: A small-scale park in an urban area.
Total Annual savings:
189 tons
  (Reference)
  Group companies will also take initiatives: atré Co. Ltd. will use LED lighting in its atré Yotsuya store and place solar panels on the store’s roof, while East Japan Marketing & Communications, Inc. will use LED signboard lighting. Shops within the station are additionally taking environmental initiatives such as using LEDs.
     

3. Future initiatives

  JR East will continue to advance a series of "ecoste" model station initiatives. We are presently examining such a project at Kaihin-Makuhari Station on the Keiyo Line.
     

4. Concerning selection of the "JR East environmental logo"

 
ecotrain
As an operator of a railroad, an environmentally friendly form of transportation, JR East takes "ecotrain" as our keyword to conduct a variety of environmental initiatives including "ecoste."
In February 2010, we held a design competition for an environmental logo that would energize JR East’s ecological activities and give them a face familiar to the public. This is to announce that we have decided the logo from among a total of 459 entries.
     
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