Nippon Life Insurance's Wooden Office Designed and Constructed by Sumitomo Forestry Begins Operation ~A Space Full of Wood Texture While Reducing CO2 Emissions~

Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd. (President: Toshiro Mitsuyoshi, Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) announces that the "Gifu Kaizu Hirata Office" (Kaizu City, Gifu Prefecture) of Nippon Life Insurance Company (President: Satoshi Asahi, Head Office: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture), which it designed and constructed, commenced operations in March. This property is the first building designed and constructed by our company as part of Nippon Life Insurance's plan to build 100 wooden sales bases nationwide.

Utilizing our proprietary Big Frame Construction (BF Construction) method, the exterior and interior feature abundant wood textures, including exposed domestic cedar exterior members and structural frames.

Wooden construction can reduce "CO₂ emissions during construction (embodied carbon)" compared to steel-frame or reinforced concrete (RC) structures. According to simulations using "One Click LCA" software, which visualizes the CO₂ emissions throughout a building's lifecycle, the embodied carbon of this building was reduced by approximately 26% compared to steel-frame structures and approximately 15% compared to RC structures. It possesses ZEB Ready-equivalent energy-saving performance, reducing CO₂ emissions generated during building operation (operational carbon).

The amount of wood used for structural members and interior materials is approximately 81m³, and the amount of carbon fixed is approximately 68 tons CO₂e bio. Trees absorb CO₂, and even after logging, the wood continues to fix carbon for a long period. We will continue to promote environmentally friendly and comfortable wooden commercial buildings for offices, stores, and welfare facilities, contributing to the realization of a decarbonized society.

Office Exterior

Building Features - The lounge area features exposed ceilings and wooden walls and floors, creating a calm space. 60% of the wood used is domestically sourced. Together with the domestic cedar exterior members, the entire building offers a warm wooden feel. - The BF Construction method achieved a long span of approximately 9m, creating a large, open office area. The spacious workspace with fewer walls allows for comfortable work. - "360° TRIPLE Insulation," which combines high-performance insulation, windows, and wood structural members that are poor heat conductors, along with energy-efficient equipment, achieved excellent energy-saving performance equivalent to ZEB Ready.

Background and History - Nippon Life Insurance concluded an "Agreement on Wood Utilization in Buildings" with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of the Environment in 2023, aiming to construct 100 wooden sales bases nationwide by the end of FY2030. Our company's track record in providing wooden commercial buildings on a national scale was evaluated, leading to this order.

Future Outlook - Following the "Gifu Kaizu Hirata Office," Sumitomo Forestry plans to construct several more wooden offices for Nippon Life Insurance in the future.

Building Outline Location: 861 Imao, Hirata-cho, Kaizu City, Gifu Prefecture Purpose: Office (sales base) Structure/Floors: Wooden, single-story Site Area: 1503.15㎡ (454.70 tsubo) Total Floor Area: 434.75㎡ (131.51 tsubo) Construction Management: Nikken Sekkei Construction Management Inc. Design/Construction: Sumitomo Forestry Start of Construction: June 2025 Completion: February 2026 Start of Use: March 2026

Nippon Life Insurance Company Overview Head Office: 3-5-12 Imabashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Representative: Satoshi Asahi Established: July 4, 1889 Business Overview: Life insurance business, incidental services, and other businesses