Initiatives at the Tsukahara Sachiko Seminar

Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC) consumes approximately 4.6 million kWh of electricity annually (in 2022), placing a significant burden on both the environment and campus operations. Through posters using the "nudge" approach to encourage behavioral change, we prompted actions to avoid the use of lighting and air conditioning in empty classrooms.  

At SFC, lights and air conditioning were left on in 30 to 50 percent of unused classrooms, resulting in a significant waste of electricity. To address this, we posted posters and POP displays in each classroom to encourage people to turn off switches, thereby prompting behavioral change. A comparison before and after the posters were displayed showed a significant effect, with the percentage of rooms with utilities left on decreasing by about half. As this method is less costly than measures such as converting to energy-saving equipment, it is applicable to many other facilities.

The study also revealed that empty classrooms, other than designated study rooms, were being used by small numbers of people. We therefore posted posters explaining the rationale and encouraging the use of the library and designated study rooms to promote efficient use of air conditioning. We will continue to conduct research to establish energy-saving behaviors through various other initiatives.

At SFC, many students use restaurants, cafeterias, and convenience stores, leading to the disposal of a large number of PET bottle drinks and plastic containers. We have addressed this issue by introducing reusable products.  

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, water fountains were closed, and there were almost no free water stations available for students on campus. Therefore, we piloted the installation of water servers and collaborated with the University Co-op to sell official Keio reusable bottles. After the introduction of the water servers, the equivalent of 67 500-ml PET bottles of water was dispensed per day. (The water servers will be permanently installed starting in the 2024 academic year.)  

In addition, at the Cafeteria "Lady Bird," we introduced returnable containers that can be washed and reused for takeout orders.  

The selection rate for returnable containers is approximately 60%, making them a more popular choice than disposable ones. This has contributed to waste reduction. As the price of disposable plastic containers has been rising, this initiative has also reduced the financial burden on the cafeteria's operations.

Previously at SFC, only two types of trash cans were available—one for general waste and one for cans, glass bottles, and PET bottles—which meant that resources were not being properly collected for recycling. We are now promoting waste sorting by increasing the number and variety of trash cans.  

With few sorting options at SFC, both user awareness and the actual sorting rate were low, at less than 50%. 

Therefore, we surveyed the placement of trash cans and the state of waste sorting, and we are considering new trash can designs while increasing the number of sorting categories. We have promoted waste sorting through a multifaceted approach, combining hardware-level measures, such as changing to a design where the contents are visible, with software-level approaches, such as posting labels and guidance indicating the sorting categories. In the future, we will periodically measure the effects and develop additional measures to encourage sorting.

Focusing on the abundance of farmland around SFC, we surveyed leading sites for agrivoltaics (Agri-PV) and examined the feasibility of introducing it both on and off the SFC campus. We later presented our findings to officials from Fujisawa City.

In early August 2023, we conducted a Special Research Project on the theme of Agri-PV (instructors: Associate Professor Sachiko Tsukahara and Guest Associate Professor Yosuke Arino). The project included visits to power plants owned by Smart Blue Co., Ltd. (in Chigasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture; Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture; and Shizuoka City), training meetings with company employees, an examination by high school (Keio Shonan Fujisawa Junior and Senior High School) and university students of the ripple effects of Agri-PV for the future of the Endo area and Fujisawa City, and a research presentation at Fujisawa City Hall.

By starting Agri-PV demonstrations on and off the SFC campus, a hub function crucial for the circulation of people, knowledge, and resources can be created. This showed the potential to lead to a future where rich nature is preserved, the region and the entire city develop sustainably, and the community thrives with more people. The feasibility of developing this on the managed farmland of the Hasebe Seminar is under active consideration.