Special feature

May 15, 2026 Initiative

AXS Satow's Initiatives for ZEB

At AXS Satoh Design, aiming to make buildings into ZEB (Net Zero Energy Buildings), we provide comprehensive environmental solutions—unifying design, structure, and building services as an integrated architectural firm—ranging from the effective use of natural energy to the development of environmental technologies utilizing ICT.

Our initiatives toward promoting ZEB conversion

What is ZEB?

ZEB stands for Net Zero Energy Building, which refers to a building defined by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as one that "aims to achieve a net-zero balance of annual primary energy consumption by maximizing energy self-sufficiency through the introduction of renewable energy, while maintaining a high quality of indoor environment through significant energy conservation achieved by curbing energy loads via advanced architectural design, actively utilizing natural energy through the adoption of passive technologies, and introducing high-efficiency equipment systems."
As a comprehensive architectural firm, we provide ZEB technology as a one-stop solution by combining advanced building equipment with the maximum utilization of architectural methods such as thermal insulation, solar shading, and natural ventilation.

Definition of ZEB

There are three types of ZEB:

ZEB

Net-zero
Energy Building

buildings with a net-zero or negative primary energy consumption per year

Nearly
ZEB

Net-zero
Zero Energy Building

A building that approaches ZEB by meeting the ZEB Ready requirements and reducing its annual primary energy consumption close to zero through renewable energy.

ZEB
Ready

Net Zero Energy
Bill Ready

As an advanced building designed with ZEB in mind, it is equipped with high-thermal-insulation building envelopes and highly efficient energy-saving facilities.

ZEB
Oriented

Net Zero Energy
Bill oriented

A building designed with ZEB Ready in mind, featuring a high-performance building envelope and highly efficient energy-saving equipment, along with additional measures to achieve even greater energy savings.

Definition of ZEB

ZEB aims to achieve energy independence by reducing a building's energy consumption—namely through energy conservation by adopting and introducing architectural passive methods such as thermal insulation and solar shading, as well as high-efficiency equipment systems—in addition to introducing renewable energy such as photovoltaic power generation systems and wind power.

Source: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry / Agency for Natural Resources and Energy
FY2018 ZEB Roadmap Follow-up Committee Summary, March 2019

AXS Satow's ZEB Planning Track Record

Certified building track record: 29 cases
Uncertified buildings: 4

certified building

Building name Location total floor area Scale Completion BEI ZEB rank
Kurate Town Hall Fukuoka Prefecture 5,392.10 m2 3rd floor above ground 2024 0.22 Nearly ZEB
Fire Department and Fukushima Fire Station Construction Project Fukushima Prefecture 5,524.49m2 3rd floor above ground 2028 0.22 Nearly ZEB
Susaki City Library Complex Kochi Prefecture 3725.66m2 2nd floor above ground 2026 0.49 ZEB Ready
(Tentative) Former Public Fujioka General Hospital Site Complex Facility Gunma Prefecture 5,811.98m2 1st floor 2024 0.39 ZEB Ready
Iwata City Fire Department Fire Station Shizuoka Prefecture 5,733.40m2 3rd floor above ground 2029 0.47 ZEB Ready
Morioka Gymnasium Iwate Prefecture 3,397.70 m2 2nd floor above ground 2026 0.36 ZEB Ready
Hachinohe Joint Government Building Construction Project Aomori Prefecture 9,623.64m2 6th floor above ground 2027 0.48 ZEB Ready
Nihonbashi Junior High School Reconstruction and Chiyoda Park Improvement Construction (Park Facilities) Tokyo Metropolis 897.29m2 2nd floor above ground 2029 0.47 ZEB Ready
Nihonbashi Junior High School Reconstruction and Chiyoda Park Improvement Work (School Building) Tokyo Metropolis 17,554.92m2 7 stories above ground / 1 story below ground 2028 0.46 ZEB Ready
Mirai-on Nagasaki Prefecture 13,325.87m2 6th floor above ground 2019 0.38 ZEB Ready
Tama City Central Library Tokyo Metropolis 5,439.26 m2 2 floors above ground / 2 floors below ground 2023 0.39 ZEB Ready
Sakuragawa City Hall Ibaraki Prefecture 9,355.81m2 4th floor above ground 2027 0.47 ZEB Ready
Fukuoka Municipal Motooka District New Junior High School Fukuoka Prefecture 10,293.18m2 4th floor above ground 2026 0.37 ZEB Ready
Shibata Regional Administrative Association New City Hall Niigata Prefecture 3,633.26m2 3rd floor above ground 2026 0.46 ZEB Ready
Suginami Ward Shinmei Junior High School Tokyo Metropolis 8,137.66m2 4 floors above ground / 1 floor below ground 2028 0.45 ZEB Ready
University of Tsukuba Sport Complex for Tomorrow Ibaraki Prefecture 5,465.00 m2 3rd floor above ground 2027 0.40 ZEB Ready
Ureshino City Hall Fukuoka Prefecture 5,776.39m2 4th floor above ground 2028 0.39 ZEB Ready
Ozu City Civic Cultural Hall Ehime Prefecture 5,602.70m2 4th floor above ground 2029 0.48 ZEB Ready
Amakusa Sengoku Museum and Kuratake Branch Office Kumamoto Prefecture 1,901.36m2 1st floor 2026 0.44 ZEB Ready
Kumamoto City Archives Kumamoto Prefecture 5,093.93m2 2nd floor above ground 2027 0.44 ZEB Ready
Inamachi Town Office New Building Construction Project Saitama Prefecture 7,734.15m2 4th floor above ground 2027 0.49 ZEB Ready
Ogori City Gymnasium Arena Building Fukuoka Prefecture 4,059.90m2 2nd floor above ground 2027 0.41 ZEB Ready
Tsuruga City Hall Fukui Prefecture 12,884.00 m2 6th floor above ground 2021 0.50 ZEB Ready
Tsuruga Mikata Fire Department Headquarters Fukui Prefecture 2,575.43m2 3rd floor above ground 2021 0.48 ZEB Ready
Setagaya City Hall East Building Tokyo Metropolis 36,484.51 m2 10 floors above ground / 2 floors below ground 2026 0.58 ZEB Oriented
Setagaya City Office West Building Tokyo Metropolis 36,478.35 m2 5 floors above ground / 2 floors underground 2027 0.54 ZEB Oriented
Minato Municipal Akasaka Junior High School Tokyo Metropolis 17,917.05 m2 6 floors above ground / 2 floors below ground 2022 0.58 ZEB Oriented
Ube City Hall Yamaguchi Prefecture 19,091.91m2 6th floor above ground 2024 0.57 ZEB Oriented
Osaki District (Eastern Block) Vocational Education Hub School Miyagi Prefecture 10,457.28m2 4th floor above ground 2026 0.50 ZEB Oriented

unauthorized building

Building name Location total floor area Scale Completion BEI ZEB rank
Tokyo Metropolitan Archives Tokyo Metropolis 10,259.59m2 3rd floor above ground 2020 0.09 Nearly ZEB
Iizuka City Hall Fukuoka Prefecture 18,284.28m2 8th floor above ground 2017 0.45 ZEB Ready
Hashima City Hall Gifu Prefecture 9,800.71m2 5th floor above ground 2021 0.50 ZEB Ready
Nagoya 4th Joint Government Building Aichi Prefecture 25,653.82 m2 11 stories above ground / 1 basement floor 2025 0.49 ZEB Ready