Japanese developer bringing bright ideas to 'smart homes' in U.S.

Lots of American are busy working paying for homes,they are hardly homes

Im sorry, but this is not innovation.

Homma explained further that because American builders tend to be conservative in their thinking, he feels they avoid using new materials and equipment as much as possible, only focusing on the building itself while taking little interest in technology.

Is that true ?

Japanese builders do not focus on home energy isolation

Im sorry, but this is not innovation.

Japan thinks if theres is something new in Japan, the rest of the world haven't invented it yet.

Id take decent insulation over a few gadgets any day of the year

The last time I visited Aeon toilets about 2 years ago I noticed that the lights were also hooked to a motion detector.

Neighbor had a remodel about a decade ago and had motion lights installed inside in various places. I live in a very middle of the road neighborhood...

The Japanese are the last people I'd take "smart house" advice from. Daiwa built my modern Tokyo home about 4 years ago, and it's the dumbest place I've ever lived in. Whenever it rains, we must close all the windows lest water comes flooding in, as the roof lacks eves. Even a small opening lets in tons of water.

We have motion sensor lights, but they usually stay on when there's no one around. A object like a tennis racket or vacuum cleaner sets off the lights and keeps them on, so the system actually wastes energy. We only use the manual light switches.

The security system is so complicated to use, with a 50 page manual, that we are afraid to use it, lest it locks us out of our own house. Internet is built into the walls, but provides only around 16 gb/ps, barely enough for Netflix, and it can't be upgraded unless the landlord decides so. There are 3 ethernet wall sockets, only one of which works. That means my desktop must rely on a wireless adapter to pick up a signal on the far end of the apartment.

The list goes on. Give me a 70s American home any day.

I have motion sensor lights in several rooms. It been around for decades.

This is a Kyodo puff piece of the "here's a Japanese person doing great things in gaikoku" genre. It probably works in the Japanese regional newspapers that pick up the story, but sounds completely over the top when translated and placed on an international news site.

I'm quite into smart house stuff, but all of mine is wifi based. It's very cheap this way, and more futureproof. Hardwired systems like Lutron cost the earth and are hard to upgrade.

I'm sure this

If you leave the lights on in the first place, the electricity bill gets higher, but if they are automatically controlled, you can save," Homma said.

Is offset by the electricity used for this:

 Some 30 sensors throughout the house detect motion, and all lighting is controlled automatically.

I built my first smart home in the 1970s.

After moving back to the US from living 15 years or so in Japan, my parents had to do a big renovation of their house anyway, since renters had been living in their home.

My parents installed floor heating in the kitchen/breakfast area, and every bathroom. They also dramatically changed the master bathroom to make it Japanese style, having a shower area together with a deep bath for soaking, and removing the toilet to a separate room of it’s own. They also had instant on water heaters installed to provide endless hot water.

These were certainly innovations that they had to import and teach the contractors how to design and install at the time. Sensor lighting is nothing

As most of the posters basically wrote, I have to also ask: To whom is this innovative?

Smart homes ? Total Bollocks (sorry), but construction Companies do not consider the "wired" future very well, other than power outlets, and even then...

Japanese toilets work. Others get stuck.

It’s good someone can do what they love to do. Better if that makes him

or her a lot of money.

I find most Japanese houses that are built by the big housing companies, Misawa Home, Sekisui House, Panahome etc. they are all prefab, blocks that are put together using cranes etc. They might build quickly, but they are not insulated, do not use the highest quality building products, and don't last like the houses built in North America, so I'm not sure what innovation he is introducing unless he wants the houses to fall down in about 30 years!

I think Homma has the wrong idea.... what Japanese companies should be doing is marketing all the amazing exterior panels you see on new homes in Japan. All the interior stuff.... with the exception of modular kitchens for small homes, already exists in the USA. American's shouldn't have to paint their homes every 10 years or so, use Japanese quality panels that last 30 to 40 years.

"Homma explained further that because American builders tend to be conservative in their thinking, he feels they avoid using new materials and equipment as much as possible, only focusing on the building itself while taking little interest in technology."

Ummm... excuse me? Japan only changes when everyone else had done so ages before. They are still making prefab houses without insulation and which are worth ZERO in value after 20 years despite needing a 40-year home loan to pay for them. Floor heating has existed in Korea for generations, and lights that turn off automatically based on motion or what have you have also been around for quite some time. What Homma needs to Honma ni realize is that his ideas are not new, and what the people here already patting their backs for his work need to understand is the same. "American builders tend to be conservative and take little interest in technology..." haha. Pardon me while I ask my Japanese neighbor to use his fax machine to send the article to someone.

And all those people from US thinks their matchstick houses will last 100 years. Give me a break.

Prefabbing is used on million dollar houses now. German Huf Houses are extremely high end, near Passivhaus level and beautifully finished, but are all prefabbed and assembled on site. Most of the work is done in a week. It is old-fashioned/ignorant to assume prefabbing means "knocked up" or "low quality".

As Redstorm says, most newbuilds in Japan are pretty good. They can be extremely good depending on who builds them. Some use precut timber while others use prefabbed panels. The main downside with panels is design freedom, and has nothing to do with thermal performance (see Huf House above). Japan's second largest housemaker, Ichijo Komuten, makes houses that are as efficient as German/Scandi ones. The past was different, but high efficiency is mainstream now in Japan.

I'm not sure where everybody claiming JP homes are all pre-fab are living. But, in my area north of Osaka, every home I've seen built here, both with individual construction and entire communities, the homes are built from scratch.

Ditches dug, molds are laid, rebar is shaped, foundations are poured and cured, frames built from raw lumber (although our homes are steel-frame, which was popular at the time), roofing materials installed, interior drywall hung, insulation laid, exterior panels, and finally exterior surface attached, etc. All from the ground up.

Nothing is pre-fab, unless one considers the system kitchen and ofuro "pre-fab", as they are generally ordered and custom-built at the factory.

Our homes here are 20 and 30 years old. And, after minor "reform", they both look and feel new. I fully expect another 20-30 years out of them, without much issue.

I'm not saying that the pre-fab construction methods that people are mentioning does not exist. I'm only saying that, in my area, I have yet to see it being used in new construction I've witnessed during the more than 20 years I've been visiting and/or living here.

In some areas, such as tankless water heaters, split system air conditioning, bathtub/showers, bidet toilets, etc, JP home technology is quite cool. And, I will definitely be utilizing them, if and when I ever move back to the US. (I was already using washlets there.)

OTOH, when it comes to smart home technology, IoT, AI, etc, Japan, as it is with much tech, is way behind Western companies like Google, Apple, Amazon, etc.

And, JP home appliances in general, with the possible exception of refrigerators and microwave ovens, don't hold a candle to Western appliances. Dishwashers, Clothes washers and dryers, Ranges, Ovens, etc are often laughable compared to their Western counterparts. And, the few comparable ones are way more expensive.

Dishwashers, Clothes washers and dryers, Ranges, Ovens, etc are often laughable compared to their Western counterparts

I'm intrigued. My dishwasher, not top of the range by any means, washes the dishes just fine. I can choose a quick wash, deep wash, energy-saving wash, etc., etc. What else does a dishwasher need to do?

My kitchen range, again not top of the range, comes with safety shut-off, timers, thermostats, etc., and automatically switches the overhead extractor fan on and off when in use. Again, what more do you need?

My oven, while admittedly smallish by Western standards but perfectly adequate to our needs, includes a microwave, grill, steamer, self-cleaner, and a whole range of auto menus for both microwave and oven. What am I missing?

you probably have shared internet living in an apartment block. I live in a house with about 800GB ethernet and 200GB wifi. I have a booster on my 2nd floor but don't really need it. Works outside in the garden. There are alternatives for home wifi.

Even in a house my internet (docomo Hikari which uses regular ntt flets lines) suddenly got so slow in the evenings that Netflix would keep pausing to buffer. I had the provider enable ipv6 plus and haven't had a problem since. A bit off topic but possibly useful to someone...

Redstorm: "The life of Japanese appliances has changed over the years. There needs to be a law guaranteeing the life of the appliance for 10 years."

Yes yes yes!! On this, I agree 100% Japan used to produce top-of-the-line electronics which were very good for their price and had a relatively long life-span. My old refrigerator I bought from my landlady when moving, and it lasted a total of thirty-some years. The next refrigerator I bought lasted seven, and of course, when calling about the possibility of repairing it, any warranty was long gone, and I got the typical "We don't have the parts for that model anymore. It would be cheaper to buy a new one than to have yours repaired," which is I'm pretty sure how they stay in business. It's the same for cars now, too, but that's another topic. It's the reason why Samsung has surpassed domestic companies like Panasonic in quality and cost-efficiency.

As for the other stuff, I'm sorry, but house quality here is still garbage in the mid-range cost to low-cost, while perhaps some high-end houses are better built. And they may well use minuscule insulation in some cases, but turn off your air-conditioner in summer and tell me how long before the heat and humidity rise, or turn off the room heater (not central heating, of course, because the walls and buildings don't have the space for such a system in homes with the walls so thin) and tell me how long until the cold creeps in. Earthquake safety -- agreed. In my defense, I did mean to say that is one area where Japanese constructs is supposed to excel in (we all know many take shortcuts).

The trend in my area where new housing projects are going up is these literal cube houses with no windows at all (one or two have small balconies, but that's it). I thought at first it was the temporary cubicles they build as offices or for security guards while construction is underway. I was shocked to find out it was the actual house when the first one was completed. The owners already seem embarrassed when I see them going out and people chuckling at the house.

And as for houses still maintaining their worth. I've never seen that be the case. In fact, most people I know here get quite upset when they inherit a home from a dead relative.

Redstorm: "and every day I still use a pen which predates fax."

Yeah, as do I, but then, pens (pencils, and other writing implements) are still very useful, and even then saying you use one is not exactly condoning modern tech or describing the usefulness of modern tech in silicon valley.

New builds are insulated, maybe not to the standards of some other countries. Houses in Hokkaido are very insulated.

When ordering a new house you can request additional features, for more cost. More insulation, double glazing.

The very fact that you have to pay extra for what should be very basic requirements says a lot. The fact that you might need more installation or double glazing highlights that the initial offering is insufficient.

Japanese houses need to be built to a higher minimum standard and there should be building control standards to regulate this minimum.

Redstorm in America,you are required to pay property taxes to the city ,county and school and others tax district,this is a compulsive tax for people that own homes,if these taxes are not paid,your house can be sold to satisfy the tax ,they give exemption to certain people , because of age and disability,do Japanese pay property taxes Google US Property Taxes

Japanese developer bringing bright ideas to 'smart homes' in U.S.

I have a smart idea from the U.S. for Japanese homes--insulation.

Let's be honest, there is innovation in Japanese housing construction. For example, a light switch on the wall is innovation; it is a great improvement on a string hanging from the light in the middle of the room. More than one power socket per room is innovation.

Perhaps one reason Japan is so behind is regulation and monopolisation. Try to buy a wall light switch that is not manufactured by Panasonic. It is possible but difficult. If it is an imported smart switch that can be controlled by a phone, a licensed electrician will probably refuse to fit it because it isn't validated for use in Japan or because he does not know how to fit it.

In my home I can, for example, turn lights on and off or dim them with switches or my phone.

Kitchens certainly need innovation here. There is not just a shortage of sockets with the consequent excess of extension leads, there is a shortage of circuits going to the kitchen. Oven toaster, kettle, rice cooker and microwave all at the same time and breaker will probably go.

Redstorm, it seems you have little understanding of cabling. If everything in the kitchen is on the same 20 amp breaker, you will be limited to 2000 watts. You need more than one line going in to the kitchen. At a minimum you should have one outlet per wall. If you have ever looked at the cabling inside a wall or above the ceiling, you would understand some of the inadequacies of Japanese home electricity. Perhaps pushing 20 amps through VVF 2.0mm cable is a reason for not insulating walls, and many houses use VVF 1.6mm, which is thinner and even less able to handle 20 amps safely.

cleo

I'm intrigued. My dishwasher, not top of the range by any means, washes the dishes just fine. I can choose a quick wash, deep wash, energy-saving wash, etc., etc. What else does a dishwasher need to do?

Wash pots and pans, for one thing. How many pots and pans can you fit in yours?

My kitchen range, again not top of the range, comes with safety shut-off, timers, thermostats, etc., and automatically switches the overhead extractor fan on and off when in use. Again, what more do you need?

More than two full-size burners. Most stovetops here have only two. Sometimes a third one, but it's less powerful just for keeping stuff warm on the "back burner".

Also, actual full-size burners, with heavier-duty grids for holding the cookware.

My oven, while admittedly smallish by Western standards but perfectly adequate to our needs, includes a microwave, grill, steamer, self-cleaner, and a whole range of auto menus for both microwave and oven. What am I missing?

That certainly sounds like a higher-end oven, which was probably fairly expensive. How many homes have you seen here with actual built-in ovens, as opposed to countertop multi-purpose denshirenji-oven hybrids?

And how about your clothes washer and dryer? Does your washer have cold and hot water inlets? Of course not, because your washer location doesn't have a hot water supply, does it? Yeah, you can run the auxiliary hose to your tub, and get hot/warm water that way. But, this is 2022. That shouldn't even be a thing.

Do you even have a dryer? Another rarity here. Sure, they have those fully auto washing machines that advertise being able to dry your clothes. But, they are just terrible at it, and aren't worth the extra cost.

Just get some wifi electric plus for 20 dollars,and automate , yourself and save yourself 10 of thousands of Dollars

Wash pots and pans, for one thing. How many pots and pans can you fit in yours?

We opted for a smaller model since there are only the two of us. My pans are all non-stick, so I wouldn’t put them in the dishwasher anyway. My daughter has a huge family-size affair, she also washes her non-stick cookware by hand. Do Western dishwashers handle non-stick? Surely that would be a difference in detergent, not machine?

More than two full-size burners. Most stovetops here have only two. Sometimes a third one, but it's less powerful just for keeping stuff warm on the "back burner".

I find two full-size burners is more than enough. I usually only need to use one, perhaps with the smaller back burner for simmering.

That certainly sounds like a higher-end oven, which was probably fairly expensive. How many homes have you seen here with actual built-in ovens, as opposed to countertop multi-purpose denshirenji-oven hybrids? 

It’s an own-brand version of a high-end model, I think I paid around ¥80,000 for it, about two-thirds the cost of the main brand version. I use the oven a lot, which is one reason perhaps why I don’t need umpteen rings on the stove. Most Japanese families, it seems rarely if ever rely on an oven proper, many feel no need for one at all, all they need is a microwave for warming things up. A giant built-in oven is not a selling point here; I think most housewives would prefer to have extra storage space instead. Personally I need an oven big enough to hold two loaves of bread at a time, the bells and whistles are nice but not all that important.

And how about your clothes washer and dryer? Does your washer have cold and hot water inlets? Of course not, because your washer location doesn't have a hot water supply, does it? Yeah, you can run the auxiliary hose to your tub, and get hot/warm water that way. But, this is 2022. That shouldn't even be a thing.

My clothes washer is a pretty basic model, though it does come with a dozen or so automatic courses for normal wash, hand-wash, blankets, bleaching, drum cleaning, etc. I usually use only normal and hand wash, they get the clothes clean enough, even without hot water.

I would have thought reusing bath water instead of just letting it drain away was indeed very 2022?

Do you even have a dryer?

I did have one until I realized I hardly ever used it. Drying clothes outside in the fresh air is much nicer, the clothes don’t crease and there’s no wasteful use of electricity. If I have to wash on a rainy day, I can hang stuff in the bathroom and set the ventilator to dry mode.

Redstorm,do you know how much an electrican charge and hour,an that do not include , knocking out the wall for cabling

,do you know how much an electrican charge and hour,an that do not include , knocking out the wall for cabling

Walls.

Best leave it to the pros if you don’t have this kind of practical skill. You don’t want to screw around with the walls.

How much do they charge in Texas these days?

Is that true ?

To an extent, yes. When I built my home I wanted to incorporate fire safety features required for homes in high fire danger areas of LA County, which has particularly strict standards as well as a few of my own standards. Our rural community has very poor fire protection and I want a house that can buy me some time for out of the area fire crews to arrive if my neighbor's home goes up on a windy day. These are things like tempered windows in fiberglass frames (tempered glass doesn't shatter from direct flame, fiberglass window frames don't burn like vinyl frames and don't transfer heat to the wood frame like aluminum frames) , baffled attic vents to prevent embers from blowing into the attic and starting a fire (one of the major entry points for fires btw) and I wanted all my electrical in steel conduit with steel junction boxes instead of the Romex and plastic junction boxes typically used in new construction. I got most of what I wanted but there were some features the builders here just didn't do, didn't know how to do, like not putting a wood strip around the edge of the roof. Builders here just don't do that. They know what they know and that's that.

RedstormAug. 24  09:13 pm JST

It's hard to believe but 90% of existing American homes are under insulated. That means 90% of existing American homes are wasting money, energy and are not providing their owners with optimal comfort.

Compared with what, 90% of Japan homes that have no insulation.

The difference is, an under insulated home in the US, say, in the Northeast, still has an interior temperature where the occupants can walk around in shorts and t-shirts in the dead of winter.

A typical Japanese home, say, in the Tokyo area in February, has an interior temperature not significantly different from the outside temperature, and everyone's feet become numb unless they are sitting under an energy-draining kotatsu,

A typical Japanese home, say, in the Tokyo area in February, has an interior temperature not significantly different from the outside temperature, and everyone's feet become numb unless they are sitting under an energy-draining kotatsu,

Every year there is always an article about appliances you can buy to make up for the massively poor insulation in Japanese homes. I don't want heated socks or stick on heat pads, I want a properly insulted home!