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Japanese innovator promotes green air-conditioning in Asia (with photo)
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     Eco Factory (Asia) Ltd, a radiant ventilation system designer and manufacturer in Japan, said today (July 11) that it is in active negotiations with Hong Kong and regional industry leaders to use its eco-ventilation system in major projects.

     Japanese architect Mr Takanobu Murakami is the founder of the Kumamoto-based Eco Factory & Co Ltd in Kyushu. He invented and patented the commercial use of the radiant heat and cooling Ecowin system in Japan in 2007. To date, there are five manufacturers of the system in Japan, including Eco Factory.

     Put simply, the system works by pumping cooled water through aluminium pipes, absorbing heat and humidity. In winter, the system can be reversed, with heated water being pumped through the pipes to keep the indoors warm. Heating and cooling takes place in an outdoor unit, and water is reused. Because it does not require powered fans to blow out chilled air, the system is quiet and generates no air current; it also uses about 30 per cent less power than regular air-conditioners - offering users big savings.

     The Managing Director of Eco Factory (Asia) Ltd, Lin Wai-ming, said that the system is widely used in offices, kindergartens, homes for the aged, stadiums and other indoor areas in Japan.

     He said, "Mr Murakami created the system in the hope of helping the environment. He also believes in going beyond Japan and expanding the concept to other parts of Asia if we are to achieve our environmental goal.

     "Hong Kong is a very good place for us to do so. We are already being approached by the local building industry and talking to industries in Singapore and Malaysia. We are confident that consumers in the region in the long run will accept our system given the growing environmental awareness in Asia,"

     Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion, Mr Charles Ng, said that Hong Kong has a dynamic construction industry that provides a solid base for Eco Factory to expand its concept throughout Hong Kong and Asia. He said, "Hong Kong construction industries are leaders in the region. They are quick to see a niche that can improve the quality of their building projects. So I think Eco Factory has a very good chance of success in starting out in Hong Kong and then expanding its eco-concept to other Asian markets from Hong Kong."

About Eco Factory

     Mr Takanobu Murakami founded LOCUS Inc as well as the architecture design company Eco Factory & Co Ltd and the Ecowin designing and manufacturing company in 1996. He started working in eco-building design in 2005. Ecowin is one of Mr Murakami's green initiatives and has won numerous accolades. For more information, please visit www.ecofactory.jp.

About Invest Hong Kong

     Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) is the department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government established in July 2000 to attract Foreign Direct Investment and support overseas and Mainland businesses to set up or expand in Hong Kong. It provides free advice and customised services to help businesses succeed in Hong Kong's vibrant economy. As at June 2014, InvestHK had completed over 3 300 investment projects creating more than 36 400 new jobs in the first year of operation or expansion and over HK$88 billion of investment. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk.

     For event photo, please visit: www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/sets/72157645649692203/.

Ends/Friday, July 11, 2014
Issued at HKT 11:00

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