Support Services
1. Support Services for House Builders, Construction Companies and Architectural Design Studios
We provide ‘high-value-added architectural design support services’ using the building thermal environment analysis tool ‘ThermalOne’. A key feature of ThermalOne is its ability to analyse the combined movement of heat and moisture—including not only temperature but also humidity—with high precision, enabling a comprehensive evaluation of building performance, systems, materials and climatic conditions. This makes it possible to advance architectural design—which has traditionally relied on experience and qualitative judgements—to a level of ‘performance-based design’ grounded in scientific evidence.
1.1 Design Support Services for High-Performance Housing
We provide design support for ZEH (Net Zero Energy Houses) and next-generation energy-efficient housing. In recent years, the housing sector has been required to balance energy consumption reduction with comfort; this necessitates a design approach that integrates not only improvements in thermal insulation and airtightness but also the utilisation of solar radiation, natural ventilation, the introduction of renewable energy, and the use of high-efficiency equipment.
By utilising ThermalOne, it is possible to quantitatively evaluate the performance at the design stage for homes such as Real ZEH, which combine ‘reduction of energy load’, ‘utilisation of renewable energy’ and ‘effective use of energy’. Depending on the nature of your request, we can provide support for improving the performance and differentiation of off-the-shelf homes, as well as strengthening the ability to propose community-oriented high-performance homes. By presenting future projections of energy consumption and indoor environments to clients, you can make highly persuasive proposals.
1.2 Climate-Adaptive/Passive Design Support Service
We provide support for housing design adapted to the climatic characteristics of various regions across Japan, including bioclimatic and passive design.
As climatic conditions vary significantly from region to region in Japan, a one-size-fits-all housing specification cannot achieve optimal performance. Whilst thermal insulation and airtightness are crucial in cold regions, solar shading, ventilation and dehumidification performance are essential in hot and humid areas.
Through this service, we can conduct detailed analyses of a building’s thermal and moisture behaviour, taking into account regional temperature, humidity, solar radiation and wind conditions, and propose designs suited to each area. We are also able to verify the performance of passive houses utilising renewable energy. For example, we quantitatively evaluate the effects of ventilation, solar gain and shading, thermal storage, humidity control and night purging, providing technical support to realise ‘comfortable buildings that rely as little as possible on air conditioning’.
We can provide performance-based validation for designers’ creative design proposals, thereby enhancing the persuasiveness and added value of the design.
1.3 Development Support Services for Building Materials, Equipment and HVAC Systems
We support the development of building component technologies.
Housing performance depends heavily on individual elements such as interior and exterior finishes, insulation materials, window specifications, humidity-regulating building materials, HVAC and ventilation equipment, and HVAC systems; it is therefore crucial to combine these elements optimally.
For example, regarding whole-building air-conditioning systems and radiant air-conditioning, we can analyse temperature and humidity distributions as well as energy consumption to propose optimal designs and control methods.
Through ‘Evidence-Based Design’—environmental architectural design grounded in scientific evidence derived from building thermal environment simulations—we can also provide high-value-added consulting services to support new product development and the enhancement of existing systems.
1.4 Risk Assessment and Quality Assurance Services
As part of our services addressing building quality risks, we can carry out diagnostics for condensation and moisture damage.
Internal condensation is a serious issue that can lead to building deterioration and health hazards, yet it has traditionally not been sufficiently verified at the design stage. We can conduct detailed analyses of temperature and humidity within wall cavities, around windows, and in non-occupied spaces such as un-air-conditioned rooms and underfloor areas, enabling the pre-assessment of condensation risks. Furthermore, we can optimise building envelope configurations to account for climatic conditions across Japan, and conduct risk assessments for thermal insulation retrofits.
This service contributes to extending the lifespan of residential properties, significantly enhancing customer satisfaction and reducing complaints.
1.5 Sales Support and Visualisation Services
We provide services that ‘visualise’ building performance for use in sales activities.
By utilising ThermalOne’s analysis results to clearly visualise fluctuations in indoor temperature and humidity, indoor comfort levels, and energy consumption, and presenting this to clients, we enable them to intuitively understand the value of a home’s performance. This enhances the persuasiveness of design proposals, leading to an expected increase in order rates and a shift towards higher-priced products.
2. Support Services for Architectural Design Firms and General Contractors
Using the building thermal environment analysis tool ‘ThermalOne’, we provide advanced environmental design support services for architectural planning and mechanical and electrical (M&E) design. In recent years, there has been a strong demand for buildings that successfully balance ‘comfort’ and ‘energy efficiency’. However, there are many buildings—such as those featuring large-scale spaces, complex spatial configurations, the introduction of advanced systems, individual air conditioning units, and passive systems—where it is difficult to identify the optimal solution using conventional design methods. By analysing the complex movement of heat, moisture and air within buildings with high precision, ThermalOne enables the integrated evaluation of architecture, building services and renewable energy, allowing performance to be visualised and optimised from the design stage onwards.
This service delivers the following benefits: (1) Advanced design (shifting from experience-based to data-driven design), (2) Energy efficiency (performance optimisation from the initial stages), (3) Improved comfort (thermal environment design tailored to spatial characteristics), (4) Enhanced proposal capabilities (improved visualisation and explanatory power for clients), and (5) Strengthened competitiveness (improved ability to meet ZEB and environmentally conscious building requirements).
2.1 Design Support for ZEB and Environmentally Conscious Buildings
To realise Zero Energy Buildings (ZEB) and environmentally conscious buildings, it is essential to consider architectural planning and building services design as an integrated whole. From the early design stages, we provide design support aimed at achieving ZEB by conducting integrated analyses of building form and sectional planning, building envelope performance, HVAC and ventilation systems, and the use of renewable energy, thereby deriving optimal solutions. This enables the realisation of a rational building plan that balances performance, cost and constructability, whilst minimising the need for design revisions.
2.2 Integrated Design of Air Conditioning and Ventilation Systems
In building services, the selection of air conditioning systems and their coordination with ventilation significantly impact energy performance. For composite systems such as radiant air conditioning, underfloor air conditioning and outdoor air handling units, we precisely simulate heat transfer phenomena to analyse temperature and humidity fluctuations and distribution, and propose the optimal system configuration. This enables ‘Evidence-Based Design’ of the building environment, grounded in scientific evidence, including efficient air conditioning centred on occupied zones, improved energy efficiency through sensible and latent heat separation, and a comfortable and stable temperature and humidity environment through personal air conditioning.
2.3 Visualisation of the Thermal Environment in Large and Complex Spaces
In large spaces such as halls and atriums, vertical temperature differences and localised temperature variations are likely to occur, making it a challenging task to balance comfort with energy efficiency. Through architectural thermal environment analysis that precisely simulates building heat transfer phenomena—such as thermal conduction, convection, radiation, solar heat gain and advection—we can visualise the distribution of temperature, humidity and airflow within a space in detail. This supports optimal design tailored to the specific characteristics of the space, achieving a balance between ‘comfort’ and ‘energy efficiency’.
2.4 Support for Environmental Design Utilising Renewable Energy
To realise a built environment that does not rely excessively on mechanical systems, we also provide design support utilising renewable energy. In architectural spaces, by integrating elements such as the introduction of natural light (daylight utilisation), ventilation and airflow control, the use of untapped energy sources, and environmental regulation through water features and greenery, it is possible to create comfortable spaces whilst reducing environmental impact. For example, biophilic design—which actively incorporates natural elements into the building interior—is also possible.
3. Support Services for Manufacturers of Building Materials, Construction Products, and HVAC Equipment
As buildings become increasingly high-performance and energy-efficient, manufacturers of building materials and equipment are required to demonstrate not only the ‘individual performance’ of their products but also their ‘role and effectiveness within the building as a whole’.
The building thermal environment analysis tool ‘ThermalOne’ enables the evaluation not only of the performance of individual materials and products but also of their ‘actual effects when incorporated into a building’ by precisely analysing the combined movement of heat, moisture and air. Through this initiative, we provide product development and performance evaluation support services.
This service helps to ‘visualise’ the value of products and present clear evidence to designers and clients, thereby contributing to increased product adoption rates and enhanced market competitiveness. Through consistent technical support from the development stage through to practical application, we support the creation of products that will lead the next-generation construction market. This service delivers the following benefits: (1) quantification of product performance (evidence-based product development and sales); (2) improved development efficiency (shifting from prototype-dependent to simulation-led approaches); (3) enhanced market competitiveness (differentiated technical proposals); (4) strengthened collaboration with designers (demonstration of performance during building application); and (5) improved quality and reliability.
3.1 High-precision simulation evaluation of building materials and product performance
We conduct theoretical analyses of the thermal, moisture and air behaviour of building materials such as insulation, windows, window frames and humidity-regulating materials, and quantitatively evaluate their performance. Furthermore, as we can simultaneously assess the impact on the indoor environment and HVAC load when the developed materials are applied to a building, it becomes possible to examine ‘individual product performance’ and ‘overall building performance’ as an integrated whole.
3.2 Performance Evaluation and Optimisation of Air Conditioning and Ventilation Systems
It is essential to evaluate air conditioning and ventilation systems not only in terms of their individual performance but also in terms of their interaction with the building as a whole. In this service, for equipment such as total heat exchangers and humidity-controlled outdoor air handling units, we perform analyses from both temperature and humidity perspectives. By verifying the recovery efficiency of sensible and latent heat, as well as the effect of separating latent heat loads using humidity-controlled outdoor air handling units (sensible and latent heat separation air conditioning), we quantitatively evaluate the energy savings achieved and the impact on the indoor environment. This service supports the design of optimal equipment systems that achieve reduced air-conditioning loads, highly efficient operation of equipment, and improved indoor comfort.
3.3 Support for Accelerating New Product and Technology Development
Through preliminary simulation, this service goes beyond mere performance evaluation to contribute to the advancement of the product development process itself, including a reduction in the number of prototypes, shorter development times, and lower R&D costs. Furthermore, as the analysis results can be utilised in technical and sales materials, this leads to a stronger ability to promote the product’s performance.
4. Support Services for CAD/BIM Vendors and General Contractors
We provide OEM and embedded models utilising the building thermal environment analysis tool ‘ThermalOne’, thereby supporting CAD/BIM vendors and general contractors in enhancing their in-house design and analysis operations.
As building thermal environment simulation requires a high degree of specialisation, many companies have traditionally outsourced this work to external consultants. However, in today’s environment where energy-efficient design, ZEB compliance and enhanced environmental performance are required, ‘in-house capability’—enabling rapid analysis and verification from the early stages of the design process—has become a key competitive advantage. ThermalOne’s OEM/Embedded models are a solution that allows advanced thermal environment analysis to be utilised within day-to-day design work by seamlessly integrating the tool into existing design platforms and in-house systems.
This solution delivers the following benefits: (1) innovation in the design process (real-time integration of design and analysis), (2) improved operational efficiency (accelerated workflows through in-house analysis), (3) cost reduction (reducing reliance on external contractors), (4) enhanced technical capabilities (in-house accumulation of environmental design expertise), and (5) improved competitiveness (strengthened ability to deliver high-performance, environmentally conscious buildings).
4.1 Design-Integrated Analysis through BIM/CAD Integration
ThermalOne is a building environmental design tool that integrates an input UI, the ‘THERB’ calculation engine, and visualisation software for output results; however, it is also possible to provide THERB alone. By integrating with any BIM or CAD model, thermal environment assessments can be easily performed simultaneously with the design process, under any building shape, structural configuration, material properties, indoor conditions, and meteorological conditions.
This achieves the ‘integration of design and analysis’, enabling performance evaluation in the early design stages, the integrated optimisation of design, structure and services, and immediate feedback on design changes. It allows you to move away from the conventional workflow of performing external analysis after design completion, thereby enhancing the design process itself.
4.2 High-precision evaluation through integrated thermal, moisture and air analysis
A major feature of ThermalOne is its ability to precisely analyse the combined movement of heat, moisture and air within buildings in accordance with physical theory. As it can calculate temperature and humidity behaviour with high precision, it covers areas that could not be addressed by conventional simplified thermal calculations, such as detailed evaluation of indoor thermal environments, precise prediction of HVAC loads, and assessment of condensation and moisture damage risks. By incorporating this high-precision analysis into in-house systems, it is possible to simultaneously improve design quality and standardise processes.
4.3 Cost Reduction and Speed Improvement through In-House Analysis
By bringing analysis work previously reliant on external contractors in-house, benefits such as reduced outsourcing costs, shorter analysis lead times, an increase in the number of design iterations (accelerating the trial-and-error process), and the accumulation of in-house know-how can be expected. In particular, rapid decision-making during the design phase contributes significantly to improving the efficiency and quality of the entire project.
4.4 Customisation to Suit In-House Specifications
The OEM/Embedded model allows for flexible customisation to suit each company’s workflow and design standards. For example, it can be implemented in a practical and user-friendly manner whilst ensuring compatibility with existing systems, through measures such as: (1) integration with in-house standard specification databases, (2) incorporation of material and equipment libraries, and (3) optimisation of UI/UX. This enables the system to function not merely as a tool, but as the ‘foundation of design operations’.
4.5 Enhanced Support for ZEB and Decarbonisation Design
In the drive towards a decarbonised society, support for ZEB and carbon-neutral design has become essential. By integrating ThermalOne, it is possible to carry out the following from the design stage: (1) quantitative assessment of building energy performance, (2) evaluation of energy-saving measures, and (3) verification of the effectiveness of renewable energy utilisation. This strengthens the ability to handle projects that prioritise environmental performance.
Inquiry
Drawing on expertise cultivated through research in university laboratories and industry-academia collaboration, we provide analysis, evaluation and improvement proposals to address thermal environment challenges faced by companies involved in housing, buildings, building materials and facilities.
As we provide bespoke quotations, please use the enquiry form for further details.