JRI's Yamato Center is first Megabank Datacenter to Receive Award for Excellence in Energy Management in Factories etc. with 2007 "Agency for Natural Resources and Energy Director-General's Award"

The Japan Research Institute, Limited's Yamato Center received the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy Director-General's Award in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's 2007 Awards for Excellence in Energy Management in Factories etc. The Yamato Center is a datacenter used by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and is the first megabank datacenter to win such an award.

The Japan Research Institute, Limited (JRI) has always considered environmental protection to be an important part of business management. The company has drawn up a basic policy on environmental activities on the basis of which it has implemented a variety of initiatives. JRI's environment-related businesses include promoting the creation of a recycling-oriented society through utilization of biomass fuels and recycling initiatives, and developing energy-saving technology. JRI also seeks to save energy, reduce waste and promote recycling in its ordinary business activities. The consumption of electric power, which accounts for approximately 95% of CO2 emissions, is a particular concern and JRI has been working to reduce its power consumption as a means of reducing the burden on the environment that will lead directly to the reduction of CO2 emissions and so help to prevent global warming.

As a result, the Yamato Center has already received awards in connection with efforts to reduce its consumption of electric power, winning the 2004 Kanto District Electricity Use Rationalization Committee Chairman's Award (highest award) and the 2005 Kanto Bureau of Economy Trade and Industry Director's Award. The Center has also participated, in partnership with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, in Japan’s Voluntary Emissions Trading Scheme (Phase 1) organized by the Ministry of the Environment, with some success. This latest award is a mark of the high esteem accorded to its comprehensive approach, which represents a progression on its past activities and has involved reducing electric power consumption through the adoption of highly efficient equipment, holding energy-saving study groups and seminars with a view to raising awareness, and ensuring that energy-saving programs are adhered to by means of energy-saving patrols, etc.

With the increasing computerization of business activities bringing heightened interest in energy savings for datacenters, JRI will take this award as an encouragement to renew its efforts to take an environmentally friendly approach to business management and will continue to contribute to the creation of sustainable society.

For more information on the content of this report, please contact Yoshiteru Muto, the Japan Research Institute, Limited.

Tel: 03-3288-5360
E-mail：muto.yoshiteru@jri.co.jp,