NEWS

On Saturday, April 29, a symposium on wooden school buildings and sustainable use of forests was held to commemorate the completion* of the new academic building, "Green Commons". The symposium was held on the iconic wooden grand staircase in the center of the new building, and welcomed expert panelists involved in the revitalization of the forestry industry and environmental conservation. About 40 people, including students and members of the general public, gathered at the venue for the symposium, which was also streamed live on YouTube.
(Live stream archive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YChmwZpYoo)

At the beginning of the symposium, facilitator Professor SUDO Tomonori (College of Sustainability and Tourism) explained the role of forests on the earth and the significance of wooden architecture. This was followed by panelists presenting on a wide range of topics, including the contribution of forests and timber to carbon neutrality, forestry initiatives by business, power generation projects using woody biomass, and the history and technology of wooden architecture. In the latter half of the session, participants, including students, asked a variety of questions and exchanged opinions. Participants also had an opportunity to enjoy the smell of fresh wood, deepening their familiarity with trees and bringing nature and people closer together.

A website summarizing our concepts on and features of Green Commons will be released soon.