Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (Nissan) has opened its new global headquarters building in Yokohama, Japan, designed to specifically focus on low CO2 emissions and energy conservation. Environmentally, the new headquarters has already been awarded the highest S Rank rating by the Japanese Comprehensive Assessment System For Building Environmental Efficiency (CASBEE) organization. New building will reduce CO2 emissions by more than 27% compared to company's former headquarters in Ginza, Tokyo.

“The symbolism of our new headquarters is inescapable,” said Nissan President and Chief Executive Officer, Carlos Ghosn. “As we return to where Nissan was founded in 1933, we celebrate a new era for our company and a new era for mobility. This is a very significant day as we look with hope and confidence toward our future.”

Joining Ghosn for the opening ceremony were former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Kanagawa Prefecture Governor Shigefumi Matsuzawa and Yokohama City Mayor Hiroshi Nakada.

The new building will conserve energy by effectively harnessing natural resources. Designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, the new 80,000 square-meter building overlooking Yokohama Harbour, will house 2,800 employees in a building with 22 above-ground and 2 underground floors.

Dominating the ground floor is the 4,000 square-meter Nissan Gallery, with space to showcase more than 30 vehicles. A public walkway connects the mainline Yokohama Station to the Nissan Walk, a bridge that runs through the second floor of the gallery and which will be used daily by more than 130,000 people. In addition, the central area of the new headquarters features Nissan Hall, which is adjacent to the gallery and provides auditorium space for up to 600 people.

Workspaces throughout the building were designed to create greater opportunities for collaboration and teamwork among different work groups. With that in mind, pillars and walls have been eliminated as much as possible, which allowed the expansion of areas for informal networking and in-the-moment exchanges of ideas.

Environmental Focus:

In keeping with the company’s approach to corporate social responsibility known as Blue Citizenship, the new Nissan Global Headquarters was designed with a host of environmental features:

Utilization of natural light: Natural light is maximized with a curtain-wall exterior and active use of sunlight in the central channel of the building, which is collected by five sets of condensing lenses that track the sun automatically. One of the distinctive features of the exterior is the use of window louvers, which control the amount of sunlight contributing not only to natural lighting but also to air-conditioning energy savings.

Utilization of fresh air and an efficient air-conditioning system: Super-insulated glass and the louvres regulate interior temperatures. Air-conditioning energy consumption is controlled by external temperature with dampers installed in the exterior wall, which automatically detect wind speed and humidity and allow fresh air to flow into the building. An additional energy-saving feature is the use of ascending air current generated by the building’s central channel, which reduces energy required for ventilation systems.

Reuse of resources and greening: Rainwater and miscellaneous drainage, including that from the kitchen, are processed and used as sanitation water and for plant watering. With the green roof system on the gallery, the amount of green space in 11% of the total lot area is devoted to green space.

Building Energy Management System (BEMS): The building features BEMS, a management and control system that automates and unifies energy conservation monitoring and controlling in the overall energy facilities in a building.

CO2 emissions reduction: As a result of improvement in overall efficiency, the Nissan Global Headquarters will emit about 3,800 fewer tons of CO2 compared to the facility in Tokyo – (CO2 emitted in the former headquarters: 14,000 t/year, CO2 emitted in the new headquarters: 10,200 t/year).

“Nissan has come home to Yokohama after an absence of 41 years. Our new headquarters is a powerful symbol of our commitment to making a better world through innovations that focus on people and care for the planet,” said Ghosn.