Transforming Construction Sites into Places Welcomed by the Community.

Our company supports April Dream, which aims to make April 1st a day for announcing dreams. This press release is the dream of "Shinwa Kensetsu Kogyo Co., Ltd."

Our dream is to make construction sites places welcomed by the community.

Construction sites are inherently the starting point for building a town. However, in reality, they are often perceived as "noisy," "dangerous," and "unapproachable." The construction industry itself has long been called "3K" (Kitsui - tough, Kitanai - dirty, Kiken - dangerous), making it an industry that is not easily admired by younger generations.

Meanwhile, communities face various challenges such as a lack of playgrounds for children, isolation of elderly people living alone, insufficient places for local residents including single mothers, and anxieties about supervision and crime prevention.

We believe there is great potential here.

Could construction sites be more than just places for construction work? Could they become places that connect with the community, foster interaction, and create a sense of security and vibrancy? Could they become a presence that makes workers, local residents, and children alike think, "I'm glad this place exists"?

That is the future we envision.

Background of the Dream

Shinwa Kensetsu Kogyo has been working on the "Zoo Project," which likens construction sites to a fictional zoo, with the desire to change the image of the construction industry. This is a challenge to transform construction sites into places where people can "see," "touch," and "learn" through animal-themed temporary fences and heavy machinery, parent-child events, and community interaction. We have been continuously working on this since 2014, with over 1,000 event visitors in total, and have seen positive feedback such as children saying, "I want to be a carpenter," indicating a change in perception towards the construction industry.

Furthermore, at Zoo Project events held at sites in Hirakata and Sakai, we have implemented experiential content that likens construction sites to a zoo.

For example:

- "Animal Heavy Equipment Test Ride Experience" where participants can ride and operate actual heavy machinery, such as a giraffe-patterned excavator. - "Kenchikuiz" (Construction Quiz), a multiple-choice quiz combining architectural knowledge with animal elements. - "Animal Snack Stuffing" where participants can fill a bag with animal-themed sweets.

We have developed plans that can be enjoyed by both children and adults.

In addition, before the events, staff wearing animal masks conducted community clean-up activities, working to build communication with local residents.

As a result, over 160 people visited the Hirakata venue and 86 people visited the Sakai City Haji venue, creating new points of contact between construction sites and the community.

The Future We Want to Achieve

What we aim for is to make construction sites not just places for construction work, but "community hubs" open to the region.

For example:

- Becoming a safe playground where children can stop by. - Becoming a place where isolated people in the community, such as elderly people living alone and single mothers, can casually gather. - Contributing to supervision and crime prevention by attracting people's attention. - Contributing to local employment creation by setting up cafes and restaurants at construction sites. - Making construction sites a "welcomed presence in the community" rather than a "nuisance."

We believe that if more sites have these functions, the construction industry can become a presence that not only builds structures but also supports community connections and security.

Challenges Already Underway

This dream was not conceived from scratch.

At Shinwa Kensetsu Kogyo, to change the value of construction sites themselves, we have reviewed the way sites operate from five perspectives based on the concept of "site branding."

Specifically:

- **① Overwhelming Environmental Improvement (Thorough 5S)** We thoroughly implement Seiri (sort), Seiton (set in order), Seiso (shine), Seiketsu (standardize), and Shitsuke (sustain) within the site, arranging materials and tools, postings, and traffic lines to create a safe and pleasant site for everyone. - **② Unique Site Operations (Zoo Project)** By applying animal-themed designs to temporary fences, protective sheets, and heavy machinery, and likening construction sites to a "zoo," we create a space that is friendly to children and local residents. - **③ Enhanced Communication with Neighbors** In addition to community clean-ups and regular greetings, we work to build relationships with local residents through information dissemination utilizing temporary fences. - **④ Creating a Worker-Friendly Environment (DX and Workplace Environment)** By utilizing digital tools and promoting visualization of sites, we are reducing the workload of site supervisors and workers, and promoting an efficient and comfortable working environment. - **⑤ Environmental Consideration (Zero Waste, CO2 Reduction)** We are working on waste separation and recycling, and monitoring and reducing CO2 emissions, aiming for environmentally friendly and sustainable site operations.

Through these initiatives, we have transformed construction sites from mere construction areas into "points of contact with the community."

A Site to Be Proud of for Workers Too

Our dream is not just for the community. We also want to make sites a place that workers in the construction industry can be proud of.

As part of this, we are conducting study sessions for workers on life skills and money management, and training second-generation managers of partner companies who are preparing for business succession.

Furthermore, in the future, we envision creating comfortable workplace environments where workers can commute in suits by equipping sites with shower rooms, changing rooms, and lockers. We also plan to offer warm and healthy meals as a welfare benefit at cafes and restaurants set up at construction sites.

To achieve this, we will promote visualization and efficiency of sites by integrating 'BIM,' a technology that completes buildings in digital space beforehand, with AI technology, and by utilizing 'Cockpit,' a system that remotely manages all sites in real-time.

This will lead to labor savings for site supervisors and work style reforms, as well as the creation of an operational system where young people can easily thrive.

And we want to change the value of the construction industry itself, from "tough work" to "cool, socially essential work."

For both the community and the workers, construction sites becoming an "indispensable place." That is Shinwa Kensetsu Kogyo's April Dream.

We Want to Spread This to the Industry

This dream is not something that will be completed by our company alone. We want to spread this way of operating sites throughout the entire industry.

To end the era where the construction industry is called "3K." To make construction sites places welcomed by the community, not avoided. To make construction companies entities that build not just buildings, but the future of towns.

We are seriously aiming for such a future.

*"April Dream" is a project by PR TIMES where companies announce dreams they hope to achieve someday on April 1st. Shinwa Kensetsu Kogyo is seriously aiming for the realization of this dream.