Environmentally-Conscious Products

It is concerned that environmental impact from households will grow due to an increase in the number and size of home appliances while environmental performance of each individual product has been improving. Panasonic has been assessing how much the improvement of individual products´ performance contributes to the reduction of overall environmental impact in an entire house.

Specifically, assuming a sample household comprising four members living in a detached house, we are visualizing overall GHG emissions throughout a life cycle of products including housing equipment and house structure, in addition to home appliances selected in consideration of the rate of diffusion to general households. As a result, we have been gradually reducing GHG emissions in an entire house since 1990, and endeavoring, in particular, to reduce an amount of GHG emissions in a use stage in terms of product´s life cycle and that of air-conditioners, hot water suppliers and refrigerators from a by-product point of view.

In the ‘eco ideas’ House opened in April 2009, the calculation is focusing on CO₂ emissions in the use stage based on this initiative.

In recognition of our contribution to the promotion of LCA thinking and proactive approach to consumers on this matter, we received the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau Award at the fifth Life Cycle Assessment Society of Japan Award.

• *1 Converted global warming influence of greenhouse gases to that of CO₂.
• *2 Kitchen and bath equipment, bathroom vanity, and storage spaces
• *3 Light and steel-frame large panel structures; and the basic parts, body, exterior and interior finish of an industrialized (prefabricated) house

• eco ideas HOUSE