Energy Security in Cold Climate Region

Participation motive

I am conducting research on energy efficiency and conservation in Greenland housing. Many of the houses in Greenland are old and have low performance. In my research, I have used computer simulations and field surveys to understand the indoor environment and heating energy consumption. I have also studied energy saving renovations. On the other hand, since Greenland is a remote area and depends on external energy sources, it is useful to reduce energy consumption from the perspective of energy security. I believe that I will be able to improve my future research by participating in this program on “Energy Security in Cold Regions” and deepening my understanding of the contents related to my own research. I would like to participate for the above reasons.

What you learned from practical training

I have learned two things from participating in this program. The first is the importance of ventilation for COVID-19 control. Prof. Ivo gave us a lecture on COVID-19 control. He showed us how to prevent COVID-19 infection by using masks, washing hands, and keeping our distance, but I learned that ventilation is more effective than any other method. Specific measures were also presented, such as increasing ventilation, starting to arouse the room at least two hours before use, and keeping ventilation on low speed even at night. Some of these measures can be implemented immediately, so I felt it was important to put them into practice. He also explained the mechanism of droplet spread from a physical perspective, which helped me visualize how coronary infections spread.

The second was about evacuation centers during disasters. We played a simulation game on how to run an evacuation center, and then discussed how to renovate the elementary school that would be used as an evacuation center and what functions should be added to make it a better evacuation center. In the simulation game, we first secured the flow line of the users. Next, we considered the evacuation site according to the family structure, age, and situation of the evacuees. I found it difficult to think about how to accommodate more people in a limited space and how to arrange the space in a way that would make it easier for more people to spend time there. Also, in our proposal for the renovation of the elementary school, we proposed the addition of functions that would improve its usability as an evacuation center. Since the evacuation center is usually used as an elementary school, we were conscious of the need to make improvements that would also be effective in school management. Our group proposed using the holes used to build volleyball nets as partitions for evacuation shelters, installing solar panels on top of the gymnasium to generate electricity, adding insulation in the envelopes, and expanding the restrooms.

About future course and relations with Russia In the future, I would like to participate in local programs, attend classes at local universities in Russia, and interact with local students. I would like to learn about the differences in thinking between Japan and Russia by participating in such programs. Also, since I am majoring in the building environment, I would like to learn about the indoor environment and performance of Russian houses. I believe that by learning about both culture and architecture, I will be able to get a clearer picture of what people are thinking and living. By learning how people live in colder regions than Hokkaido, Sapporo, I can use this information as a reference for my own research on Greenland housing. I will study English hard and communicate with Russian students to have good relationship and discuss the difference of Japanese building environment and Russian one.