Take our user survey and make your voice heard.
As part of its ongoing environmental protection activities, and to help meet foreseeable 15% energy reduction targets around Japan due to the effects of the March 11 earthquake, the Kyocera group is planting "green curtains" which are grown on trellises to shade windows and outer walls of manufacturing and office buildings at 19 locations in Japan.
The foliage creates a screen, preventing direct sunlight and heat radiation from raising the internal temperature of buildings — thus reducing the load on energy-intensive air-conditioners during the hot summer months. Moreover, the company offers a special website with do-it-yourself instructions to help encourage people to take up the eco-friendly project at their own homes and businesses.
Green curtains mitigate temperature increases inside workplaces thus reducing the load on air conditioner units, and can also help reduce the overall operation time.
© Japan Today
9 Comments
Login to comment
goddog
Pretty cool. The land of cement is going to go green.
Adam J. Smith
Of course, it also depletes carbon from the air, and adds oxygen. This is innovation! I'd do it with no energy crisis, and consistently. In the U.S., we don't have the courage to grow a "green curtain(s) of foliage." They'd say it was ugly, and scary. --Just a shortcoming of our country, and strong point of yours, as always can be found internationally!
yildiray
Seems like a good idea - they should hopefully absorb some of the humidity as well which would be a great help to me personally haha!
saru_au
I'd like to see more photos on JT website. Do the photos cost too much to reuse ?
paulinusa
saru_au: I've seen photos of these "green curtains" and I can't comment on how effective they are but they're extremely interesting and pleasing to the eye.
wanderlust
Nothing special about this, we've done the same with our ground floor windows at home. Just hang some regular green netting at an angle outside the windows, and then allow the plants/ vines to grow up them, they may need a bit of manipulation to make a good thick curtain. It's cooling, stops a lot of the direct sunlight, is pleasant to look at, and prevents people seeing inside your rooms.
Nicky Washida
Excellent idea. But how long will it take to grow up the outside of office buildings? Will it be ready in time for....er....next week??!
presto345
The idea certainly isn't new. And I've seen this foliage grow up the walls of city hall in my city. And I've grown the bitter melons (reishi, goya) myself for years outside my windows. Lower temperatures, more oxygen plus fruit to pick.