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TEMPIO: A home that saves lives

What are the fundamental elements required for a house?
Is it warm?
Is it durable?
Of course, those are very important. But the most important thing is,

it is,,,

“Protecting lives.”

Since ancient times, humans have used their homes as a shield to fight against many disasters.

Earthquakes, typhoons, tornadoes, tsunamis, landslides, fires, lightning strikes, heavy snow, termites, rot fungi, extreme cold, extreme heat

Many different disasters have taken people’s lives.
To deal with such disasters, we humans need to prepare for them at home.
Homes exist to protect the irreplaceable lives of our families.

Although modern houses are built stronger than in the past, many lives are still lost every day to the fury of nature.
Natural disasters are becoming more and more ferocious due to global warming.
We even live in a world where we feel the threat of missiles.

There is an extremely high probability that a capital earthquake or a Nankai Trough earthquake will occur in the near future.

In this uncertain world, it is necessary to provide homes where people can feel safe.

The house we offer, “TEMPIO,” was built with that strong determination.


What is TEMPIO?

TEMPIO means “temple” in Italian.
The temple, which has been loved by many people for a long time and is the symbol of the city,
had to remain unchanging.

Early temples were made of wood, which is easy to work with, but gradually the more easily rotten parts were replaced with stone, and so the temples evolved into mixed structures of wood and stone.

The durability of the mixed-structure temple was increased because the parts that were easily damaged were made of stone. However, the temple required even greater durability. Also, since using wood inevitably made it vulnerable to fire, from the standpoint of durability and fire resistance, the entire building was eventually made of stone.

A building that burns down or deteriorates quickly every time a fire breaks out is not suitable as a symbol of the city. In Europe, by eliminating the wooden parts of temples, they were able to elevate them to architecture that would not rot or burn.

Concrete is a material that can be considered artificial stone. It is extremely durable and fire-resistant, and can be shaped freely, making the building into a modern temple.


TEMPIO: Reinforced concrete architecture to be preserved for future generations

In 118 AD, the Pantheon in Rome was rebuilt.
The original Pantheon, built in 27 BC, was destroyed by fire.
This led to the realization that a temple, being the symbol of the city, should be a fire-resistant structure.

Therefore, concrete construction, which is resistant to fire, was chosen as the construction method.
The Pantheon was rebuilt using concrete and has continued to show its majestic appearance to the city for 1,900 years since then.

The Pantheon has a column-free circular dome space with a diameter of 43 meters, with a concrete roof and walls.

Looking at this huge concrete building that is over 1,900 years old, I honestly feel that concrete construction is the most suitable construction method for buildings that should be handed down to the future.

TEMPIO uses a font called “Trajan”, which was also used in Rome 2000 years ago.

This font, which is also used on the exterior roof of the Pantheon, is still favored by many designers even after 2000 years. A building that will stand for 2000 years, a font that can continue to be used for 2000 years. TEMPIO aims to have such an unchanging presence.


 

TEMPIO [200 Year Old Concrete]

The durability of concrete buildings is mainly determined by the strength of the concrete.
The concrete strength of TEMPIO is 33 or 36 N/mm2 (design strength: 30 N/mm2). This is significantly stronger than the 21 N/mm2 commonly used for concrete buildings.

Why does TEMPIO use high-strength concrete? Of course, it is to create highly earthquake-resistant concrete buildings, but that is not the only reason.

High-strength concrete has less water. “Concrete with less water” is also “concrete with less deformation due to drying shrinkage.” Concrete with a nominal strength of 33 is mixed with only the amount of water necessary for hardening. Therefore, less water is released and drying shrinkage is less likely to occur.

In addition, concrete with less moisture has high durability because the glassy components crystallize on the surface, making it difficult for water to seep in. TEMPIO concrete is of extremely high quality compared to “concrete that is not temperature-compensated or inspected upon receipt, has low strength, and has no quality assurance,” which is mainly used in wooden construction.

The maximum service life(*) of concrete with a design strength of 30N/mm2 is approximately 200 years. This is the kind of long-term durability that is appropriate for architecture that should be passed on to future generations.

*The maximum service life is the maximum period that the building can be used without major renovations. If major renovations are carried out after 200 years, it can be used for a longer period.

Durability TEMPIO◎ General RC○ Wooden× Light steel △ Heavy steel △ PC △

Concrete buildings are generally durable, but TEMPIO, with a nominal strength of 36 (33), is an excellent choice. PC panels are durable, but if the caulking breaks, they will leak, so they are fair. Wood structures are bad because wood rots easily, and steel frames are fair because the steel rusts.

General RC: RC rigid frame construction Wood: Long-lasting quality housing level PC: Wall-type precast concrete construction


 

What is reinforced concrete construction (RC construction)?

 

Reinforced concrete is “reinforced concrete” in English. In other words, it means “reinforced concrete.” “Concrete construction reinforced with steel bars” is called reinforced concrete construction (RC construction). The characteristics of concrete and steel are as follows.

Advantages of concrete: high compressive strength, high fire resistance, high durability
Disadvantages of concrete: low tensile strength, difficult to deform

Advantages of iron: high tensile strength, high toughness (easily deformed)
Disadvantages of iron: vulnerable to fire, rusts (low durability)

By combining these two materials, the advantages of each can cover the disadvantages of the other. By covering “iron, which is vulnerable to fire and rusts,” with “fire-resistant, highly durable concrete,” it becomes a “material that is fire-resistant and does not rust.”

By inserting steel bars into “concrete, which is weak in tension and has poor toughness,” it becomes “reinforced concrete, which is strong in tension and has toughness.”

And it is very important to note that “steel and concrete have the same thermal expansion coefficient (linear expansion coefficient).” All materials shrink when there is a change in temperature, but steel and concrete have the same “amount of deformation relative to temperature.”

Steel and concrete are a perfect match. Reinforced concrete is an ideal material with few weak points.

Reinforced concrete construction is a construction method that takes full advantage of the material properties of reinforced concrete, making it fire-resistant and highly durable.


 

TEMPIO Wall-type reinforced concrete construction (wall-type RC construction)

 

The biggest feature of TEMPIO is that it uses wall-type RC construction. Wall-type RC construction is a box-shaped building made up of walls. For example, you can imagine the high earthquake resistance of box-type wall-type RC construction by thinking that “thin cardboard made into a box shape increases its strength.” This “box-shaped integrated structure” is called the monocoque construction method.

Because RC wall construction is tightly connected with rebar, it has high surface rigidity and joint strength compared to PC construction, 2×4 construction, conventional panel construction, etc., making it ideal as a monocoque structure. Because it is a monocoque structure, it has high surface rigidity and is resistant to shaking compared to the rigid frame construction method that is composed of columns and beams, making it a safe house.

In addition, because the wall-type RC structure is made of walls, the interior space is neater than that of a frame structure made of pillars and beams. Pillars sticking out at the corners of a room can be a nuisance.

Furthermore, the pillars and beams of the frame construction get in the way when it comes to staircase space, UB area, and PS (space through which piping passes). It doesn’t get in the way that much in a large building, but in residential scale, it can get in the way a lot. However, in the case of wall-type RC construction, the pillars and beams are integrated with the wall and neatly stored, so it is a construction method suitable for homes with many small spatial configurations.

However, compared to frame structures, the structural planning of wall-type RC construction depends entirely on the skill of the engineer. In the case of frame structures, the pillars are simply placed in the same way on each floor, so the engineer’s ability does not have much of an impact. However, in wall-type RC construction, the walls must be shifted to a reasonable position according to the house plan, so the skill of the engineer is important. And in wall-type RC construction, the concrete walls become the structure, so it is possible to reduce the size of the beams. Therefore, if the structural planning is done properly, costs can be reduced despite the structure having stronger earthquake resistance than frame structures. It can be said that wall-type RC construction is more likely to reflect the structural planning know-how of the engineer.


 

TEMPIO [Cast-in-place concrete construction] Being one piece

There are two main construction methods for wall-type RC construction. One is “cast-in-place concrete construction,” which is the standard wall-type PC construction. The other is “PC construction (precast concrete construction),” which was developed to build wall-type PC construction at a reduced cost.

Cast-in-place concrete construction has the advantage of being a one-piece structure that allows for relatively free shaping. However, because the concrete is poured on-site, it also has the disadvantage that the quality of the concrete is not consistent and junk may occur.

In the case of PC construction, the concrete and panels are made in a factory, so the quality is stable and it is possible to make them thin. However, because each concrete panel needs to be joined on-site, there are disadvantages such as the inability to accommodate distorted shapes, the joints being a weak point in terms of strength, and water leaking from the joints if the seal breaks.

TEMPIO uses cast-in-place concrete construction because it is highly valued for its lack of earthquake-resistant weaknesses, resistance to water leakage, and the ability to create sculpted shapes. In order to minimize the disadvantages of cast-in-place concrete construction, the exterior walls are painted with Landex paint, maintaining the durability, quality, and beauty of the concrete.


 

TEMPIO [Earthquake resistance] The importance of peace of mind in the event of an earthquake

 

Japan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, and the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake caused the greatest damage. In 1995, an earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of 7 occurred between the Hanshin and Awaji regions. The
damage was enormous, with 6,400 deaths, 43,000 injuries, 105,000 houses completely destroyed, 144,000 houses partially destroyed, and 7,000 houses completely burned down.

Many buildings collapsed especially in areas with a seismic intensity of 7. Even highly earthquake-resistant SRC (steel-reinforced concrete) buildings collapsed at a rate of over 50%. However, what was surprising was that wall-type RC structures suffered almost no damage, even in areas with a seismic intensity of 7.

At the time of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, about 1,000 wall-type RC buildings were built in areas with a seismic intensity of 6 or higher. All of these buildings suffered little or no damage, which is a level of damage that other construction methods cannot match.

TEMPIO has adopted this wall-type RC construction as its construction method. The main reason is that past earthquakes have proven that wall-type RC construction is less likely to shake and break than rigid frame construction, which is made up of pillars and beams.

“Seismic testing using a full-scale building” cannot prove “earthquake resistance against real earthquakes.” Compared to the “buildings used in the test,” “real buildings” have complicated plans, are structurally irrational, have loose ground, and are old and damaged. In other words, unless we can confirm the phenomenon of “an old building surviving a major earthquake,” we cannot judge that a building is truly earthquake-resistant. And wall-type reinforced concrete construction is the only construction method whose robust structure has been proven by past major earthquakes.

There is an 80% chance of a major earthquake occurring in the Nankai Trough in the next 30 years, and a 70% chance of an earthquake directly hitting the capital. Even in areas where these massive earthquakes are likely to occur, TEMPIO homes can be lived in safely thanks to their proven earthquake resistance.

Earthquake resistance TEMPIO◎ General RC△ Wooden × Light steel × Heavy steel △ PC○

The earthquake resistance of TEMPIO, which is wall-type reinforced concrete construction, is overwhelmingly superior to wooden construction, which has a seismic resistance grade of 3 and little seismic performance. Although a certain level of earthquake resistance can be secured for wooden construction when it is newly built, it is difficult to guarantee long-term earthquake resistance due to the low durability of the materials. The steel frame of the rigid frame construction is rated △ because it can be said that a certain percentage of buildings collapse based on their seismic performance. PC, which is wall-type reinforced concrete construction, has suffered damage from destruction of the joints, but has an extremely excellent seismic performance record, so it is rated ○.


Damage to wall-type reinforced concrete structures
Awaji Great Earthquake Investigation Committee Interim Report (Excerpt)

Reliability against earthquakes Damage to wall-type reinforced concrete structures is generally small, with most of them either undamaged or minor. This also applies to areas with a seismic intensity of 7, and there are many cases where nearby buildings are severely damaged or collapsed, but wall-type reinforced concrete structures are barely damaged. Here, we will outline the wall-type reinforced concrete structures that suffered the most damage during the survey. In addition, damage to wall-type structures is rare, as no damage beyond minor damage has been reported in past earthquakes, so we will describe it in a little more detail.

The buildings are built on a gentle slope, and are two five-story houses built on ground surrounded by a 1-2m high retaining wall, and were completed in 1973. The foundation is a pile foundation, but there is a crack in the ground running directly under the buildings, and the retaining wall has moved (about 15 cm), the surrounding ground has subsided, and the buildings have moved. Meanwhile, the damage to the building itself is not that great, with shear cracks (approximately 5 mm wide) connecting the opening corners on the north side of the building concentrated on the first and second floors. There are almost no shear cracks on the exterior walls in the longitudinal direction of the building. There are two seven-story apartment buildings (different in shape) with bearing walls and rigid frame structures with similar cracks running across the ground nearby, but both have suffered extensive structural damage and have been uninhabited since the disaster.

The extent of damage to the wall-type reinforced concrete structure cannot be determined because only an exterior inspection was conducted, but it is thought to be only minor damage. Meanwhile, rigid frame structures in roughly the same locations suffered extensive damage, with clear differences in the degree of damage depending on the structural type.

As structural experts (high level experts who can summarize earthquake damage) have stated, wall-type reinforced concrete construction is a construction method that causes extremely little damage, even in areas with a seismic intensity of 7. It is a construction method with even higher earthquake resistance than rigid frame structures with load-bearing walls, which already have excellent earthquake resistance. That is wall-type reinforced concrete construction.

There is no more suitable construction method for living in peace of mind.


TEMPIO [Fire resistance] Peace of mind living in a fireproof building

 

Approximately 20,000 building fires occur annually, of which approximately 10,000 are residential fires. Residential fires kill approximately 1,000 people and injure approximately 5,000 people, so fires are not something that only happen to other people. You often see wooden buildings that have been burned down in the news.

Wooden houses are easily burned because the structure is made of wood, and the wood generates a large amount of flammable gas, leading to a flashover (fire explosion). However, concrete houses, which use less wood, can significantly reduce the spread of fire.

Of course, concrete houses also use wood in parts (such as floors and underfloor). Since fire spreads upwards, the impact of the floor on the spread of fire is small. Even when legal interior restrictions are imposed, the floor is excluded.

Concrete houses are safe even when built in a densely populated area. Wooden houses cannot prevent fires in neighboring houses. For example, in London, wooden buildings have been banned since the city was burned down in the Great Fire of London in 1666. In Japan, a large-scale fire in Itoigawa City in 2016 burned down approximately 40,000 square meters, including 147 buildings.

Although fires can cause large-scale damage like this, the risk is extremely small if the building is made of concrete. Concrete buildings not only protect your life, but also have the effect of a fire stop (fire breakwater) that prevents the spread of fire to the city. Therefore, building a concrete house can be said to be a contribution to society.
Wouldn’t you feel more secure if your neighbor lived in a reinforced concrete house?

Fire resistance TEMPIO ◎ General RC ○ Wood × Light steel △ Heavy steel △ PC ○

TEMPIO has a concrete wall thickness of 180 mm or more, so it is fireproof ◎. PC is made of concrete, although the wall thickness is somewhat thin at about 50 to 140 mm, so it is ○. Wood is × because wood burns. Steel frame construction is △ because its strength decreases due to fire. General RC construction is also ○ because the wall thickness is about 100 to 120 mm.


TEMPIO – No shaking even in a three-story building (story deformation angle 1/2000)

 

Shaking is a very important issue for homes. When working in an office building, a little shaking doesn’t bother you, but when you’re sleeping, even a little shaking is very bothersome. One of the reasons why RC construction is often used in apartments is this “shaking while sleeping”. Of course, even steel-framed buildings can be fitted with vibration dampers to reduce shaking. However, this only reduces the shaking, and does not provide a fundamental solution.

On the other hand, wall-type RC construction is overwhelmingly less likely to shake. One indicator of resistance to shaking is the building’s “story deformation angle”. This is an indicator of “how much shaking a building can tolerate”, and is about 1/120 for wood and steel-framed construction, about 1/200 for RC construction, and about 1/2000 for wall-type RC construction. In other words, wall-type RC construction is 10 times less likely to shake than concrete-framed rigid frame construction (of course, it is much less likely to shake than wood and steel-framed construction).

This characteristic of not shaking brings a sense of security to everyday life in the home. Buildings along major roads shake every time a car passes by, and buildings that are exposed to the elements shake in strong winds. In the case of wooden houses, they shake every time the foreign-made drum washing machine on the second floor spins (by the way, foreign-made drum washing machines cannot be installed on the second floor or higher of wooden houses). In addition, in a three-story wooden building, if it is a pencil-type washing machine, the building shakes every time you go up or down the stairs.

Buildings are basically prone to shaking. Three-story steel-framed or wooden buildings shake so much that even a simple strong wind can cause problems in your life. And because they shake on a daily basis, you start to worry about what will happen if an earthquake occurs.

The shaking of buildings is closely linked to your life. Therefore, we strongly recommend TEMPIO for three-story buildings with plans and locations where shaking is likely to be a problem.

Shaking TEMPIO◎ General RC△ Wooden × Light steel × Heavy steel × PC○

Wood and steel frame constructions are extremely susceptible to shaking, so they get an “X”. PC is a wall-type construction that is less likely to shake, but stress is concentrated in the joint metal fittings, so it gets an “O”. General RC construction is a rigid frame construction that is more susceptible to shaking than wall-type construction, so it gets an “O”. TEMPIO is less likely to shake and is integrated overall, so it gets an “◎”.


TEMPIO – Windproof enough to sleep even during a typhoon

 

As the temperature of the earth rises, typhoons are becoming more powerful and numerous every year, and it is said that tornadoes will become more likely to occur in Japan in the future.

The fury of typhoons will only get stronger in the future. However, with TEMPIO, you can live in peace thanks to the non-shaking properties of the wall-type RC construction. Many people spend sleepless nights every time a typhoon hits, but you can sleep in a much safer house than in a wooden house.

Wall-type RC construction is 10 times less likely to shake than an apartment building with a RC frame structure, which is said to not shake. Therefore, you can feel safe even on typhoon days (although you cannot prevent noise from the windows, there are measures such as double-glazing the windows). The damage caused by typhoons varies greatly depending on the surrounding environment of the site. If you are in a residential area, the surrounding buildings will act as a breakwater, so you are likely to not be affected by the typhoon as much. On the other hand, if there are no buildings around, the building will receive the strong winds as they are, so it will shake a lot. Therefore, we strongly recommend TEMPIO for sites with open surroundings.

Thorough wind protection is also necessary for three-story buildings. A three-story building will sway in a strong wind to a degree that is incomparable to a two-story building. If you have a three-story building with no other buildings around, the building will sway considerably in a strong wind, so we strongly recommend TEMPIO, which is less likely to shake, for a safer place to live.

Wind resistance TEMPIO◎ General RC△ Wooden × Light steel × Heavy steel × PC○

In terms of wind resistance, the keys are “resistance to shaking” and “soundproofing performance.” Wood and steel structures are prone to shaking and have poor soundproofing, so they get a bad rating. PC structures are resistant to shaking, but have somewhat thin walls, so they get a good rating. Regular RC structures are somewhat prone to shaking and have somewhat thin walls, so they get a fair rating. TEMPIO is resistant to shaking and has high soundproofing, so it gets a good rating.


 

TEMPIO Tsunami resistance

 

On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred. It was a massive earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of 7. 667 people died when buildings collapsed due to the earthquake. In addition, 14,308 more people were killed by the tsunami. Images of wooden houses being swept away by the tsunami were unreal, but the Tohoku coastline is still deserted.

Since the earthquake, people living near the sea or rivers have been suppressing anxiety deep in their hearts, but TEMPIO, which is a wall-type reinforced concrete structure, can ease that anxiety.

Wall-type reinforced concrete structures are extremely resistant to horizontal stress (tsunamis and sediment). TEMPIO has a standard wall thickness of 10 mm deformed steel bars, 250 mm pitch, double reinforcement, and 180 mm concrete thickness (200 mm exposed concrete), so it has overwhelmingly higher resistance to tsunamis and sediment than “wooden construction with only 14 mm ceramic siding on the exterior walls” and even “unreinforced cement boards, about 100 mm ALC”.

Why is the horizontal strength of wall-type RC construction so strong? It is because the “building load” of wall-type RC construction is heavy. If the building is heavy, it is easier to withstand lateral forces. Furthermore, if the building load is heavy, the earthquake energy will increase. Wall-type RC has the “ability to withstand large earthquake energy”, so it inevitably has a higher “resistance to horizontal forces of the building” than wood, steel, and RC rigid frame construction, which release earthquake forces by shaking.

Theoretically, this means that “because the building is heavy, it is strong against horizontal forces,” but seeing is believing. During the Great East Japan Earthquake, there was a wall-type RC structure that remained even though all the surrounding buildings were washed away by the tsunami. The windows of this building were also broken, but the structure was still intact. If you choose TEMPIO, you will be protected by a building with such a strong structure, and if you plan to have access to the roof, you can achieve a minimum sense of security even at the seaside.

Tsunami prevention TEMPIO◎ General RC○ Wood construction× Lightweight steel frame× Heavyweight steel frame× PC○

Needless to say, light wooden construction is a no-no. Steel frame construction is a no-no as the strength of the exterior walls is the same as wooden construction. PC is a wall-type construction but the walls are somewhat thin, so it’s OK. Regular reinforced concrete construction is also somewhat thin, so it’s OK. TEMPIO is a wall-type reinforced concrete construction, and the walls are thicker than PC, making the building heavier, so it’s OK.


 

TEMPIO – Strength against landslides

 

On July 3, 2021, a mudslide occurred in Izuyama, Atami City. It engulfed buildings all around, turning most of them into pieces. There was also an apartment building made of lightweight steel, but it was easily washed away, just like the wooden buildings.

However, there were four buildings that were still standing when hit directly by this landslide. Surprisingly, all four were reinforced concrete buildings. This incident proved that “the strength of reinforced concrete buildings against landslides is incomparable to other construction methods.”

It is a well-known fact in the construction industry that reinforced concrete is the only construction method that can resist landslides, and the government also acknowledges this. In the cliff ordinances of each local government, in principle, only reinforced concrete is permitted in “places where soil and sand flow from neighboring land.” If a building is not made of reinforced concrete, it is mandatory to protect it from landslides with a reinforced concrete retaining wall, and building a building made of reinforced concrete is recognized as a basic measure against landslides. However, this debris flow proved that “RC retaining walls alone cannot resist landslides.”

The fact is that RC retaining walls are not capable of withstanding the force of landslides. The Atami landslide proved that “the only way to withstand the force is with the entire RC building.” And among RC structures, the strongest horizontal strength is RC wall construction.

TEMPIO is a building that takes advantage of the horizontal resistance of RC wall construction to protect the lives of residents from landslides and provide peace of mind to their residents.

Earth and sand prevention TEMPIO◎ General RC○ Wooden ×× Lightweight steel × Heavyweight steel × PC○

Wooden construction is light and lacks strength, so it’s ××. Steel frame construction has almost no resistance to soil and sand, so it’s ×. PC construction is made of concrete, but the walls are thin, so it’s ○. Standard reinforced concrete construction has slightly thin walls, so it’s ○. TEMPIO has thick walls that are integrated and very rigid, so it’s ◎.


TEMPIO Termite-resistant

 

There is data that 30% of houses that have not been repainted with anti-termite paint (paint that gives off an odor that termites dislike) will have termites infestation, and 87% of wooden houses that have been infested with termites will be damaged by termites again (from the termite damage fact-finding survey report). In other words, the risk of termite infestation in wooden houses is very high. On the other hand, there is no need to fear termites in reinforced concrete houses. This is because concrete is not food for termites.

Of course, reinforced concrete houses also use some wood (such as flooring and floor underlayment). However, the most important structural parts are all concrete, so there is no risk of termites.

In addition, reinforced concrete houses are superior for health reasons. In the case of wooden structures, anti-termite paint is basically required. However, anti-termite paint can also have an effect on the human body. Although it has become safer than before, its effectiveness has decreased, and the frequency of repainting has been shortened from 10 years to about 5 years. There are anti-termite paints that are non-volatile (odorless), but because they are odorless, they are less effective at preventing termite intrusion than regular anti-termite paints.

As such, anti-termite paints have disadvantages such as the need to repaint and having effects on the human body. However, RC homes are free from these problems. RC homes are the only homes where you can live without the fear of termites.

Furthermore, at TEMPIO, the piping is exposed to the outside as a termite prevention measure. Most termites enter buildings from the soil, so once the piping is exposed to the outside, the risk of termite intrusion is reduced.

Weather-resistant TEMPIO ◎ General RC 〇 Wooden ×× Light steel △ Heavy steel △ PC 〇

Wood is weak against moisture and is food for termites, so it’s ××. Although iron cannot be eaten by termites, steel-framed construction has many gaps and is more susceptible to termite infestation than reinforced concrete construction, so it’s △. Standard reinforced concrete and precast concrete are both made of concrete, and while termites cannot eat the structure, the joints in precast concrete and the structural slits in reinforced concrete are weak points, so it’s 〇. TEMPIO’s piping route can be changed to an exposed type, so it’s 〇.


TEMPIO Preservative fungus

 

Decay fungi are very troublesome and reduce the durability of wooden buildings. Wood is the food of decay fungi, and wood that contains a lot of moisture is an ideal prey for decay fungi. Therefore, it is very important to eliminate moisture in wooden houses. However, since the structural surface material is on the exterior wall side where condensation is likely to occur, the moisture that cannot penetrate cools and condenses.

Also, if the waterproofing layer of the balcony or roof deteriorates, or if water leaks due to the shaking or deformation of the building, the wood will be eaten by the decay fungi.

In other words, this construction method drastically reduces the durability of wooden houses due to condensation caused by moisture and water leakage from the outside. Therefore, in the case of wooden houses, it is necessary to pay more attention than anything to carefully construct underfloor ventilation, attic ventilation, and ventilation layers to expel moisture to the outside.

On the other hand, TEMPIO, which is made of concrete, is resistant to decay fungi. This is because concrete is not food for decay fungi. Of course, TEMPIO also uses wood in some parts (such as floors and underfloor), but these are not structurally important. In the case of TEMPIO, the inside of the concrete where condensation may occur is sprayed with urethane to eliminate gaps and make it less likely to condense.

Therefore, with TEMPIO, there is no need to worry about decay fungi, which are a threat when maintaining the building.

In other words, to protect the house from decay fungi, the structural members should be made of concrete.

Anti-decay fungi TEMPIO ◎ General RC ○ Wood ×× Light steel △ Heavy steel △ PC ○

Wood is food for decay fungi, so ××. Although iron is not food for decay fungi, steel construction has many gaps, so it has low insulation and is prone to condensation, so it is △. PC and RC construction are made of concrete, but they have low insulation and are prone to condensation, so it is ○. TEMPIO eliminates condensation by spraying urethane, so it is ◎.


 

TEMPIO: Peace of mind from lightning strikes

 

On average, lightning strikes occur about 20 days a year nationwide, and in some areas, more than 40 days a year. However, the number of deaths from lightning strikes is only about 13 people per year, which is very low compared to the 1,100 people who die from building fires each year. Moreover, there are almost no cases of people dying from lightning inside a building, and the majority of deaths occur outdoors. However, there are also cases where lightning indirectly leads to death even if you are inside a building. This is “a fire caused by lightning strikes in a building,” and in Tokyo, there are about 15 fires caused by lightning strikes per year.

Looking at the numbers alone, it is not that threatening, but it is still scary. If you hear the sound of thunder, your child may start crying and you will not be able to sleep at night. Since this situation occurs 20 days a year, lightning strikes cannot be ignored in order to live safely.

During our annual inspections, we often receive comments such as “I can now sleep peacefully even on thunder days.” Because our construction method is highly soundproof and does not shake, the sound of thunder is small and the vibration caused by thunder is not felt very much. Protected by the thick concrete walls, you can sleep peacefully without feeling the “fear of thunder.” That’s TEMPIO.

The area where I live also experiences a lot of thunder. But our home is TEMPIO. We have the time to watch the thunder from the window with our children and talk about how beautiful thunder is.

The sense of security that comes from being surrounded by concrete enriches our daily lives. When I see my children sleeping soundly on nights when thunder roars and strong winds blow, I truly feel glad that we chose the TEMPIO wall-type reinforced concrete home.

Lightning resistance TEMPIO◎ General RC○ Wooden construction× Lightweight steel frame△ Heavyweight steel frame△ PC○

Wooden structures have low sound insulation and are vulnerable to fires caused by lightning strikes, so they are poor. Steel-framed structures do not burn, but have somewhat poor sound insulation, so they are poor. RC and PC structures have high sound insulation and are non-flammable, so they are good. TEMPIO has concrete walls that are 180-220 thick, so they have high sound insulation and you can sleep peacefully even when lightning strikes, so they are good.


TEMPIO Soundproofing for a peaceful sleep

 

TEMPIO’s soundproofing surpasses other construction methods. There are two reasons for this. One is that the building is surrounded by concrete walls with a thickness of 180 mm or more without any gaps. The other is our company’s high design capabilities for soundproofing. I live along a prefectural road where noise is a problem, so I am very familiar with soundproofing measures for reinforced concrete houses.

TEMPIO achieves high soundproofing with 180 mm thick concrete walls. However, of course, that alone does not complete the soundproofing of a building. TEMPIO’s soundproofing is achieved through knowledge and experience.

There are three main factors that determine soundproofing. One is the “weight of the object,” and it is most important to increase the weight of the walls and roof to block sound. The other is “suppressing the transmission of vibrations,” which is achieved by separating objects or putting cushions between them. The last one is “eliminating gaps as much as possible,” which prevents sound from entering.

The wall-type RC structure is a 180 mm concrete wall, which is overwhelmingly heavier than a 50 mm PC structure (and of course heavier than a wooden house or a steel frame house). Also, because TEMPIO is made of cast-in-place concrete, there are no gaps in the wall. This is because it is “one piece of concrete poured on-site.” It is fundamentally different from “exterior walls or PC structures made of panels assembled together,” where the panel joints are weak points in terms of soundproofing.

A soundproof home provides a calm and secure life. It is comfortable even if you live along a main road or a train line, and you can sleep peacefully even on days of strong winds or lightning.

Soundproofing TEMPIO ◎ General RC ○ Wooden × Light steel △ Heavy steel △ PC ○

Wooden construction is × because of low sound insulation. Steel construction is △ if it is ALC and has a thickness of about 50mm. PC and RC construction are 〇 depending on the thickness of the concrete wall. TEMPIO has high sound insulation because the concrete wall thickness is 180-220. TEMPIO can handle soundproofing measures such as double-glazed windows, soundproofing hoods, soundproofing planning, and soundproofing rooms, so it is ◎.


TEMPIO [Thermal insulation] Stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter

 

Some people may have the image that reinforced concrete houses are hot in the summer and cold in the winter, but TEMPIO is different. Uncomfortable reinforced concrete houses are generally not insulated, and the windows are single-glazed, so there is little consideration given to comfort. However, if a reinforced concrete house is properly insulated, it can create a more comfortable interior space than a wooden or steel frame house.

The key to TEMPIO’s comfort is insulation + airtightness + heat storage.
If any one of these is missing, it will not be a comfortable living environment.
Steel frame construction is a construction method that makes it easy to create large spaces, but it is difficult to achieve comfort. Although it is easy to increase insulation with wood construction, it is difficult to achieve long-term airtightness and it does not have heat storage.
Only reinforced concrete construction can achieve all of the following: insulation, airtightness, and heat storage, and people living in RC-construction apartments experience the comfort of insulation + airtightness + heat storage.

Many people believe that reinforced concrete apartments are more comfortable than detached houses because there are fewer areas exposed to the outside air. However, you cannot get the same level of comfort in steel-framed apartments or wooden apartments. The real reason why reinforced concrete apartments, which only have thin insulation, are comfortable is because they have a good balance of insulation, airtightness, and heat storage.

At TEMPIO, we use “highly insulating, closed-cell urethane with a thermal conductivity of 0.026” continuously to form a gap-free insulation layer (wooden structures cannot ensure the continuity of insulation due to beams, pillars, and studs). We set the standard as G2 standard (UA value 0.46), which is quite high insulation for reinforced concrete housing. It is absolutely impossible to achieve the comfort created by reinforced concrete construction with only “open-cell urethane that is easy to pass moisture and air” used in general wooden houses.

In addition, by using a heat storage body in concrete, stable air conditioning that is less affected by changes in external temperature is possible. Only people who live in RC houses know how comfortable RC construction is.

Insulation TEMPIO 〇 General RC △ Wooden ◎ Light steel × Heavy steel × PC △

Wooden construction is easy to fill with insulation. Although the pillars and beams act as thermal bridges, they are made of wood, so they are not that weak, so ◎. RC and PC are △ because the insulation is continuous. Steel construction is × because there is a lot of heat loss from the iron parts. TEMPIO is quite well insulated for a concrete house, so 〇.


TEMPIO [Airtightness] Permanent high performance

 

Cast-in-place concrete construction is also an excellent method in terms of “ensuring permanent high airtightness.” Since the concrete is poured and hardened on-site, there are zero gaps in the walls, roof, and floors. This zero-gaps state will continue forever. Concrete also shrinks slightly due to heat, but not enough to create gaps. Although cracks are a weakness of concrete, it is very rare for cracks to form large enough to create gaps.

In the case of wooden houses, even if panels are attached with nails and sealed with tape, airtight performance cannot be maintained for a long time. This is because it is inevitable that the tape will peel off, gaps will occur due to wood shrinkage, fiber insulation will sink, and gaps will occur around nails and structural materials due to earthquakes.

Airtightness is very important for managing the air conditioning of buildings. If the airtightness is low, drafts will enter and cold air will flow through the floor of the building, resulting in a poor indoor environment. In addition, it is difficult to plan air conditioning in houses with many drafts, making it difficult to air condition the entire building. For example, if the wind blows and only the room on the windward side is draughted, not only will the room temperature on the windward side drop, but the air conditioning balance of the entire building will be disrupted.

Airtightness is very important to achieve a comfortable indoor environment. If the airtightness is low, air conditioning planning is not possible. Glass buildings generally have very low insulation, but if the airtightness is high, the inside will be warm. On the other hand, if the insulation is high but the airtightness is low, it is almost impossible to create a uniform temperature environment even if the air conditioning is used for a long time. Of course, insulation and airtightness are necessary, but insulation can be covered by the air conditioning plan. However, air conditioning planning is not possible without airtightness.

In order to achieve a comfortable indoor environment, it is essential to increase airtightness.

Airtightness TEMPIO ◎ General RC 〇 Wood × Light steel frame △ Heavy steel frame △ PC △

Wood shrinks, so it is difficult to maintain airtightness, so it is ×. In the case of steel-framed construction, ALC is more airtight, but there is a problem with the caulking coming off, so it is △. PC is also △ because there is a problem with the caulking. RC has no gaps in the walls, so it is 〇. TEMPIO has no gaps in the walls or roof, and can achieve a higher level of airtightness than RC through the installation of airtight shutters, central air conditioning, and careful planning, so it is ◎.


TEMPIO [Heat storage] Comfortable warmth created by radiant heat

 

It is not possible to achieve a comfortable and stable thermal environment like that of a reinforced concrete house with a wooden or steel frame structure. This is because there is no “heat storage” inside the building in the case of wooden or steel frame structures. The role of the heat storage is to adjust the temperature unevenness of the air conditioning and to heat up the material itself and radiate it.

“The heat storage in a reinforced concrete house = the structural part of the concrete”. In other words, the entire structure of a reinforced concrete house is a heat storage, and all of the “uninsulated structural parts of the concrete” have the effect of stabilizing the air conditioning.

When I asked my wife, who has lived in a reinforced concrete house for 10 years, what she likes most about this house, she said, “It’s warm.” When I replied, “Oh, I see, but even my parents’ house (a wooden house) is warm when you turn on the heater,” she told me, “That’s true, but the temperature of a reinforced concrete house is somehow stable, and it feels like the warmth is mellow.”

This “mellow warmth” leads to the comfort that is unique to reinforced concrete buildings. This type of warmth cannot be achieved without a heat storage material. In reinforced concrete apartments, the effect of this heat storage material allows people to live comfortably.

Even today, many people live in stone houses in the extremely cold Cappadocia (Turkey). Although soft stone provides some insulation, the comfortable living environment is basically created by airtightness and heat storage. I went to Cappadocia on my honeymoon and was surprised at how comfortable the traditional stone houses were. Now I understand that much of that comfort is due to the heat storage properties of stone. In the case of TEMPIO, a comfortable living space is achieved by using concrete, which is an artificial “stone.”

Heat storage TEMPIO Outside ◎ Inside 〇 General RC △ Wood × Light steel × Heavy steel × PC △

Wood is light and does not store heat, so it is ×. Steel cannot store heat, so it is ×. PC has thin concrete walls, so it is △. RC with a ram structure has less concrete parts, so it is △. The external insulation of TEMPIO is excellent because all of the concrete structural materials are heat storage materials. The internal insulation of TEMPIO is excellent because the external walls are insulated and cannot store heat, but the internal walls and floors have a certain amount of heat storage material.


TEMPIO [Design] Useful, strong, beautiful + individual

 

At the heart of architecture is the phrase “use, strength, and beauty.”

This is a phrase left by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius, and was written in his book on architecture (around 25 BC). It is an extremely famous phrase in the architectural industry.

That’s because “use, strength, and beauty” are the essence of architecture.

“Use” is excellent functionality and comfort. “Strength” is excellent durability and disaster resistance. “Beauty” is excellent artistry and design. A building that meets all three of these is considered to be of high quality.

TEMPIO is an architecture that meets all of these “use, strength, and beauty.” Even if it’s a cool house that everyone envies, it’s meaningless if it’s cold. Even if the interior is stylish, it’s a problem if it’s difficult to use. However, even if it’s easy to use and comfortable, it’s not interesting if it’s an ordinary house that you can find anywhere. That’s why “beauty” is also important. TEMPIO meets the balance of “use, strength, and beauty” while incorporating the individuality of the person who lives in it. We also value fun and openness, and we are rethinking “use, strength, and beauty” from a broader perspective than the framework of old architecture.

TEMPIO aims to create a form that blends (beauty and individuality) with (use and strength). The forms of living things look strange from a human perspective, but there is a reason for every “shape”. That “reason” is what allows the living thing to have an advantage in the natural world. Basically, animals only have (use and strength), but we are fascinated by the rational “shape” created for that (use and strength). There are many tools created by humans that place emphasis on use and strength. For example, scissors and knives are often beautiful in their functionality as a result of pursuing usability. In other words, it is “functional beauty”.

If it is used by an unspecified number of people, it will have a monotonous shape to suit everyone. On the other hand, if you make a tool for a specific person, it will probably not be a shape that suits an unspecified number of people.

The basic functions required for a house are “useful, strong, and beautiful,” but the personalities of the people who live there are diverse. We believe that the key to designing a house is to design it to suit those diverse personalities.

TEMPIO’s design concept is to “accept each person’s thoughts about building a house and create a shape that effectively combines those thoughts (individuality) with (useful, strong, and beautiful).”

Design TEMPIO ◎ General RC 〇 Wooden △ Light steel △ Heavy steel 〇 PC △

Design depends largely on personal preference, but TEMPIO can create larger spaces than wooden structures and can also adopt unique designs that make use of the appeal of concrete. In addition, concrete is easy to create any shape, and TEMPIO can provide custom-made designs that house manufacturers cannot create, so it is ◎. Heavy steel allows for large spans, so it is 〇.

Y Chair Hans J. Wegner 1950: The Y-shaped backrest that wraps around the spine is a distinctive feature. The angle of the armrests and the seat made of woven rope that prevents your buttocks from hurting even when sitting for long periods of time are the form and design of the chair, which is designed to pursue all the necessary functions for a chair. It is truly practical, strong and beautiful.


Sites that TEMPIO excels at (sloping land, irregularly shaped land, basements, under elevated railways)

 

TEMPIO allows you to freely adjust the dimensions and shape of each building. Therefore, we create shapes according to the client’s requests.

TEMPIO is a cast-in-place concrete construction method in which the formwork and rebar are used to create the shape on-site, concrete is poured into the formwork, and the concrete hardens after a curing period. This method has a range of conditions for structural calculations, but it allows you to create buildings in shapes that are incomparable to other construction methods.

By taking advantage of this ability to freely create shapes, we can create buildings that cannot be realized by house manufacturers.

For example, we can create stepped foundations to suit sloping ground, make the walls of a building slanted in a plane to suit irregularly shaped land, and create partial basements. These are shapes that house manufacturers who can only build buildings according to standards cannot handle, but TEMPIO can handle them relatively easily.

TEMPIO is also good at building under elevated railways. In the case of steel-framed or precast concrete construction, it is often difficult to build because the structural materials need to be pulled up by a tow truck, but in the case of reinforced concrete construction, both the formwork and the rebar can be carried by hand, so it can be built without having to raise the tow truck too high.

In many cases, it is impossible to transport steel columns or precast concrete panels if the road is narrow, but with reinforced concrete construction, it is possible to build with a road width similar to that of a wooden construction. The only problem is that heavy equipment for ground improvement and piles needs to be able to enter the site, and in this regard, we first investigate whether construction is possible based on nearby ground survey data.

Diversity of building shapes TEMPIO ◎ General RC 〇 Wooden △ Light steel × Heavy steel 〇 PC ×

Rahmen construction is easy to create shapes freely, but for small houses, the size does not match and there are restrictions, so 〇. Wooden construction can create complex shapes in some cases, but there are few engineers who can handle it, so △. Light steel and precast concrete can only be created within the range of the standards, so ×. TEMPIO is great because you can create any shape you want.


TEMPIO’s ease of renovation

 

TEMPIO is an easy building to remodel. Many people believe that the interior walls of a wall-type reinforced concrete structure are all made of concrete, but in fact, the walls and ceiling base are made of a lightweight steel frame called LGS, except for the minimum number of walls required for the structure.

This LGS material can be easily dismantled during renovation, so it is easy to connect rooms and change the position of partitions.

So, what is the minimum number of walls required for the structure? In the case of a 20 tsubo (66.6 square meters) first floor and 20 tsubo (66.6 square meters) second floor, which are common in residential areas, one wall inside is enough for the structure to be valid. In the case of wooden houses, there are many pillars inside that cannot be moved, so when it comes to remodeling the interior space, TEMPIO is easier to remodel than wooden houses.

On the other hand, if you want to expand TEMPIO, you need to take into consideration the expansion in advance, such as attaching doors to the connecting parts. TEMPIO’s exterior walls are important for the structure, so they cannot be easily removed. Therefore, TEMPIO is not suitable for unplanned expansion.

However, if you plan to expand, there is no problem, so if there is a possibility of expanding, please consult us in advance and we will be able to propose a solution.

Ease of renovation TEMPIO 〇 General RC 〇 Wooden △ Light steel × Heavy steel ◎ PC ×

Heavy steel allows the columns to be thrown over a long span, so you can freely renovate the interior walls without any restrictions, so it is ◎ (however, there are large restrictions if there are braces). PC and light steel require many load-bearing walls inside, which often get in the way when renovating, so it is ×. Wooden structures have load-bearing walls and columns that get in the way, but carpenters can easily renovate them, so it is △. TEMPIO is easy to renovate inside, but if you are going to expand, you need to think about it in advance, so it is 〇. However, the exterior walls need to be thought about in advance, just like wooden and steel structures.


TEMPIO Ground Survey [Boring Test]

 

The most important thing to build a highly earthquake-resistant building is to understand the condition of the land. Even if the building is strong, if it is not properly supported by the ground, the building will tilt due to liquefaction of the ground, and if the building is placed on soft ground, it will be more likely to shake and break. Therefore, construction begins with properly determining what kind of ground it is.

The most popular method in the housing market is the Swedish sounding test, which estimates the strength of the ground by the resistance of a thin rod inserted into the ground. However, this test method is merely a simple survey and cannot estimate the exact strength of the land.

Generally, the survey method that is widely used in the construction industry as an appropriate method of surveying the ground is the boring test (standard penetration test). The key point of this survey method is that it can survey the exact strength of the ground and also collect samples of the ground. Since the strength of the ground cannot be calculated without knowing the soil quality, collecting samples of this soil is the most important part of the ground survey, which forms the backbone of the ground survey.

These samples are used to understand the condition of the ground, and for layers of the ground that are important for the load of the building on the ground, soil samples are used to test for liquefaction and to measure the amount of subsidence when the load of the building is transferred to the ground.

In other words, without soil samples, we cannot get any accurate information, but the Swedish sounding test is a simple investigation method because it is not possible to collect samples in the first place.

In general, for simple wooden buildings, the judgment of the earthquake resistance of the building is left to the architect. Architects choose the simple Swedish sounding test at their own discretion, but for steel and reinforced concrete structures, which are also used for large-scale buildings, boring surveys are recommended.

At TEMPIO, we use boring surveys to build buildings that are highly earthquake-resistant and worth leaving for the next generation.

Soil Survey TEMPIO ◎ General RC ◎ Wooden △ Light Steel △ Heavy Steel ◎ PC △

TEMPIO, general RC, and heavy steel are ◎ because boring surveys are conducted. Judgments for other construction methods vary from company to company, but the simple Swedish sounding test is used, so it is rated △.

Boring Survey


 

TEMPIO ground improvement work

Structural calculations are used to determine how to distribute the building load to the supporting ground identified by the boring survey. At TEMPIO, ground improvement is broadly divided into surface improvement, where cement-based solidification material is mixed with the soil, columnar improvement, and steel pipe piles.

When the depth of the supporting ground (hard ground) is 10m or less, columnar improvement is used, and when it is deeper than 10m, steel pipe piles are often used. However, we make a comprehensive judgment and select the appropriate ground improvement work case by case.

In order to properly determine this ground improvement work, it is necessary to conduct an appropriate ground survey. Ground improvement work and ground survey are very closely related, and if either is inappropriate, the building will have low earthquake resistance.

I am often asked, “Is it okay because the ground is soft around here?” However, in most cases, only the strength of the surface part of the ground is looked at. Even if the surface is weak, if there is strong supporting ground deeper down, the building can be supported on it. Of course, the deeper the supporting ground, the more expensive the ground improvement work will be, but that doesn’t mean the building will be less earthquake-resistant.

Our company has a track record of many ground improvement works, so we will propose appropriate ground improvement work while keeping an eye on the cost.

Ground Improvement TEMPIO ◎ General RC ◎ Wood × Light Steel △ Heavy Steel ◎ PC △

TEMPIO, general RC, and heavy steel have been properly improved based on boring surveys, so ◎. Wood is improved at the discretion of the insurance agency, not the structural design office, so ×. Light steel and PC are judged differently by each company, so let’s say △.

Piling work


 

TEMPIO foundation work

TEMPIO’s foundations are made with appropriate structural calculations. The foundations that support the load of the building are the most important part of the building structure.

TEMPIO’s foundation shape is determined by the method of ground improvement. For wooden houses, it is said that “a slab foundation is better” or “in some cases, a strip foundation is more appropriate,” but this is because buildings are built based on imagination without proper ground investigation.

Once the depth and strength of the supporting ground and the presence or absence of liquefaction are clearly determined by a boring survey, the method of ground improvement work is inevitably selected, and once the method of ground improvement work is selected, the foundation shape is inevitably determined. Of course, there are some sites where it is difficult to decide, but for most sites, the foundation shape and ground improvement method will be decided naturally.

TEMPIO’s foundation work is to create an “appropriate foundation” as a matter of course through “appropriate investigation” and “appropriate structural calculation”.

In addition, we do not only draw appropriate foundation drawings, but also supervise on-site to ensure that appropriate reinforcement work is being carried out, check the quality of the concrete, and inspect not only the foundation but also the structural frame.

Foundation work TEMPIO ◎ General RC 〇 Wood × Light steel 〇 Heavy steel 〇 PC 〇

General RC, light steel, heavy steel, and PC are 〇 because the foundation shape is determined by structural calculation. Wooden houses are not only not calculated, but the site supervisor decides the foundation shape on site based on ease of construction and inspection, so it is ×. TEMPIO has a system in place to maintain quality through proper structural calculations and proper on-site management, so it is ◎.

Pile foundation


 

TEMPIO [Price] Transparent pricing achieved through competitive quotations

 

The most expensive purchase in life is a house. It is probably much more expensive than the second-best car, and is purchased with a loan or cash that has been saved over a long period of time. You exchange a lot of the time you have worked in your life for a house to get your own home.

We believe that price transparency is important because it is such an expensive item. In the case of TEMPIO, we make the price transparent by creating a quote drawing after you agree to the plan and getting comparative quotes from multiple companies.

Some people say, “Wouldn’t it be better to work with one reliable company to create it?” However, from our experience, we know that comparative quotes result in a more transparent price, and ultimately, customers are more satisfied with the price when they get a quote. Imagine this: if we gave you a quote from just one company and said, “This is the best place,” would you believe that the price was legitimate?

Many of our customers know me on YouTube and trust me before asking me to do work, so a quote from only one company may not be a problem. However, I myself cannot actually prove the legitimacy of the quote that was given to me. If the price is stable, it is possible to prove the legitimacy to some extent by comparing it with past cases. However, because prices have fluctuated drastically in recent years, it is difficult to prove that the increased amount at the estimate stage is the appropriate amount.

Frankly speaking, comparative bids are a lot of work and difficult. If you specify only one company, get a rough estimate along the way, and adjust the amount, the work will be significantly shortened. However, we insist on comparative bids for the sake of our customers. If it were my own house, I would definitely get comparative bids. If that is the case, I think it is natural to provide the comparative bids to the customer.

You may be worried about whether the contractors who came up with comparative bids will do the work properly, but from experience, there has not been a single company that did sloppy work. This is because construction companies (general contractors) also know that they will not be able to do business well unless they continue to do high-quality work and be recognized in the community. If bad rumors spread, they may receive fewer orders. General contractors are basically community-based, so compared to house manufacturers, “continuing to do high-quality work” is directly linked to their business. TEMPIO works in partnership with general contractors who are committed to the quality of such construction.

Price TEMPIO 〇 General RC × Wooden 〇 Light steel △ Heavy steel △ PC △

TEMPIO is priced at the same level as wooden houses from major house manufacturers, so it is 〇, just like wooden houses, which are easy to reduce in price. It is also 〇 in that price transparency can be provided through bidding. Also, TEMPIO, which is wall-type RC construction, can be offered at a lower price than rigid-frame RC construction if the structure is taken into consideration. PC construction and heavy steel construction tend to be more expensive than wooden construction, so it is △.

Quotations from each company


TEMPIO design fee

 

At TEMPIO, we specialize in RC construction to keep design fees down. Specializing in RC construction makes design work much more efficient than if you didn’t.

I want you to think about it. Imagine a restaurant that serves Italian, Chinese, and Japanese food. Naturally, the work becomes more complicated and the quality of each dish decreases. The situation at many design offices is that they create diversity in their designs by handling multiple genres (wood, steel, and RC), but at the same time, their productivity is low and the quality does not improve.

Under our brand name TEMPIO, we not only limit our construction method to wall-type RC construction, but also limit our construction method to specifications that we can provide with confidence. By limiting the specifications of our homes, we can provide our customers with high-quality homes quickly.

General design offices do not have brands or products, so it is not clear what they are making and how they are thinking about it. It sounds good to say that they will provide food freely according to the customer’s requests after entering the store, but the food at a restaurant where you can order freely cannot be delicious. Would you like to go to a restaurant that doesn’t have a menu?

We believe that this confusing custom in the construction industry is not good, so we have created a brand, created products, and created a company philosophy, which we have published in advance on our website and YouTube. We provide a clear menu of what is available. In addition, we also publish the amount (design fee) on our website and show the price of the food. (Most design offices do not show the price.)

We present our products in an easy-to-understand manner and ask people who want to buy our products to contact us, so we inevitably have a high success rate and the time from order to delivery is short. This ingenuity allows us to reduce the cost of service and set the design fee lower than the construction cost (10-20%) of a typical house design fee (less than 10% of the construction cost, about 7-8% as a guideline).

Of course, we don’t think we are cheaper than anywhere else, but at least in order to provide the maximum benefit to those who want our products, we are making an effort to keep the price of the design fee down along with reducing the construction cost through competitive bids.


Let’s compare TEMPIO’s designs with those of a house manufacturer.

 

It is said that TEMPIO’s design fees are higher than those of house manufacturers. House manufacturers reduce the number of meetings and labor-saving design by commercializing their products. We also follow the example of house manufacturers’ commercialization, but at the same time, we also place importance on the benefits of free design that only an architectural design office can provide.

House manufacturers that do not have the freedom to commercialize their products generally cannot handle sloping or irregular ground, and cannot build houses to meet the diverse needs of customers. TEMPIO presents basic construction methods through commercialization, but since TEMPIO is a design office, it responds to customer needs on a case-by-case basis and builds versatile and unique houses.

In other words, TEMPIO is a brand that combines the best of both design offices and house manufacturers.

On the other hand, by tying up with products, house manufacturers can reduce design fees, but sales expenses (sales expenses, development expenses, showroom expenses, commercial expenses, expenses) are not comparable to those of houses provided by design offices. In addition, major house manufacturers have high salaries, and this is naturally reflected in the price of the house. Furthermore, house manufacturers do not perform the construction work themselves, but instead have subcontractors do the work and then sell the house at a price that includes the house manufacturer’s profit. Compared to our company, which directly connects construction companies and customers, TEMPIO is able to offer houses at a lower price because of the house manufacturer’s profit.

Furthermore, TEMPIO efficiently conducts sales activities on its own, and provides homes to customers while reducing construction costs by obtaining competitive bids without incurring extra costs.

In fact, our TEMPIO, including our design fees, is priced at about the same as a wooden house from a major house manufacturer (based on a comparison of past competing properties), and considering that reinforced concrete houses are usually about 50% more expensive than wooden houses, we can say that we have achieved price reductions.


TEMPIO [Proposal method]

 

TEMPIO does not push its sensibility as an architect. It listens to the customer’s requests and proposes the best design for the customer. If the customer’s requests are not taken into consideration, it would be fine to build a house pre-built. So why is pre-built not so popular? It is because each person has different requests, lifestyles, family structures, ages, occupations, annual incomes, preferences, regions, experiences, etc. Despite this “diversity”, it is difficult to standardize.

That is why it is the mission of an architect to listen to the voice of the customer and give shape to their thoughts. However, if you leave everything to the customer, you will not be able to realize high-quality construction that meets the customer’s wishes.

Therefore, we launched the TEMPIO brand. This allows us to improve the quality of the house by determining the direction of the house, and to accumulate technology by limiting the construction method. By building houses one by one for customers who have similar directions in house building, the company’s technical capabilities will improve. We are growing the company and the brand so that everyone will recognize “TEMPIO is the name for reinforced concrete houses.”

At TEMPIO, we often create two different plans to draw out the customer’s thoughts. By comparing the plans, it becomes easier to clarify what the customer wants from the house by comparing the advantages and disadvantages of each.

We also provide an estimate from the early stages and proceed while taking the amount into consideration. Furthermore, by creating a 1/50 scale model, we are able to visualize the house in three dimensions and make it easier for the customer to think about how they will live in the future.

We create drawings using 3D CAD called BIM. The app allows us to propose easy-to-understand, three-dimensional drawings. This makes it easier to receive feedback from customers, and based on that feedback, we can create an excellent home plan for the “person who will actually live there.” These are the strengths of TEMPIO’s proposal method.


TEMPIO [Supervision] Supervision work creates a sense of security

 

At our company, the designer supervises the building. This is a big difference from house manufacturers. In the case of house manufacturers, the sales person is basically the main person in the meetings. The thoughts about the house are conveyed to the sales person, and the house manufacturer’s designer creates the blueprints from there, and the house is built according to the blueprints without any meetings on site. This method of building with few meetings by house manufacturers cannot accommodate those who have strong feelings about building a house at all.

In our case, we hold another meeting on site to discuss the details. We hold another meeting focusing on things that were not considered at the estimate stage, which tends to move quickly (detailed plans, materials, electrical equipment, kitchen, etc.). Rethinking things on site leads to building a house that is satisfactory. It can be said that reflecting the client’s thoughts deeply in the construction of the house is also an important supervision task.

In addition, the supervisor also checks, responds to, and adjusts on site, such as “checking on site whether the construction is being done according to the blueprints” and “the relationship between the site and the height of the building, which cannot be determined by just meeting the blueprints”. It is impossible for general customers to fully understand with just the blueprints. Therefore, we check the progress on site, respond as much as possible to things that are not noticed at the drawing stage, and strive to make the home satisfying for the client.

Building a home is a very difficult job, as it involves building a unique building on a unique site. However, house manufacturers do not provide a leader who oversees the design and the site in its entirety. However, many of the problems in home building are caused by the absence of this leader. Therefore, at our company, the designer becomes the supervisor (leader). And while checking the quality of the building, we also work to understand the client’s thoughts and reflect them in the building, so we can provide a home that is highly satisfying.

There is a clear difference between the method of reviewing all the details on site and constructing, and the method of simply building on site according to the drawing.

When you look at each process on site, you can see that it is a house made with a lot of thought.


Disadvantages of TEMPIO

 

TEMPIO has many advantages when it comes to building a house, but of course it also has disadvantages. Just like everything else in the world, there are also disadvantages where there are advantages. I will be honest and introduce the disadvantages of TEMPIO.

Disadvantage 1: Long construction period

TEMPIO uses a competitive bid system, so it takes time to create estimate drawings and hold meetings with multiple construction companies to submit estimates. In addition, confirmation applications (legal inspections of the building) and actual construction take longer than wooden structures, and the overall construction period is about three months longer than wooden properties of the same size.
*Unlike house manufacturers, you will not have to wait a long time from the time of signing the contract to the start of construction.

Disadvantage 2: High price

TEMPIO has ingenious structural planning and the know-how to keep prices down. In addition, we are making efforts to keep prices down by competitive bids, but since the price of the structure is higher than that of wooden structures, the total amount is higher than that of general wooden manufacturers. Compared to other companies selling reinforced concrete houses, we believe that we are able to keep prices down by adopting competitive bids and using our know-how.
*Compared to wooden houses built by major house manufacturers, it can be built at almost the same price range.

Disadvantage 3: Heavy building

Having a heavy building is advantageous in terms of earthquake resistance, wind resistance, and soundproofing, but the building load increases, so ground improvement work becomes more expensive. Also, in the case of wooden buildings where the building load is light and ground improvement can be omitted at the discretion of the architect, even if the site is judged not to require ground improvement, ground improvement may be necessary in the case of TEMPIO, where the building load is heavy.

Disadvantage 4: No long-term building warranty

In the case of major house manufacturers, there is a system in place that allows you to extend the building warranty if you carry out the work recommended by the house manufacturer when the 10-year building warranty under the Quality Assurance Act ends. However, this is a complaint countermeasure by the house manufacturer for choosing a construction method with low durability, and we use a highly durable roof specification that is less likely to leak, and the structure is made of concrete, which does not require a termite warranty, so there is no need to extend the warranty in the first place. Generally, if roof waterproofing is done through renovation work, the renovation company will provide a leak guarantee, so TEMPIO believes that there is no need to extend the building guarantee.

Disadvantage 5: High property tax

Property tax on reinforced concrete houses is more expensive than that on wooden houses and steel-framed houses. In many cases, you can find out how much more expensive it is by asking the property tax department of each city or town. For reference, the construction costs as determined by the National Tax Agency are 173,000/㎡ for wooden houses, 256,000/㎡ for steel-framed houses, and 265,000/㎡ for reinforced concrete houses on average nationwide. In the case of reinforced concrete houses, the government has determined that the construction costs are 1.53 times that of wooden houses and 1.03 times that of steel-framed houses, which means that the property tax (assessed value) will increase at a similar rate (in reality, property tax is determined by investigation on a case-by-case basis).

In many cases, fire insurance is cheaper for reinforced concrete houses, but it is not enough to offset the cost, and you will end up paying more tax on reinforced concrete houses than on wooden houses.

Disadvantage 6: Property tax is hard to reduce

Property tax is a tax levied on the actual value of the property you own. In other words, for wooden buildings, the useful life is judged to be 22 years because the building is easily damaged by termites and rot fungi. For light steel construction, it is 19 (27) years, for heavy steel construction, 34 years, for concrete block construction, 38 years, and for reinforced concrete construction, 47 years. Reinforced concrete construction is more than twice as durable and maintains its asset value as wooden construction, so for the same reason, you will have to pay property tax for more than twice as long.

This is an advantage for apartment management. Since it is possible to earn the same amount or more of profit for a small decrease in assets, reinforced concrete apartments can be said to be very cost-effective compared to wooden apartments. If you consider selling a house midway or passing it on to the next generation, it is actually an advantage that property tax is hard to reduce, but if you only think about the immediate future, it is easy to feel that the property tax paid in the early stages is hard to reduce.

Disadvantage 7: It is difficult to install additional outlets and air conditioners.

In the case of wooden houses that require maintenance for termites and rot fungi, there are often spaces under the floor or in the attic that can be accessed for maintenance, and these spaces can be used to add wiring later. Expansion is also possible in reinforced concrete houses if an inspection hatch is installed midway, but adding wiring takes more effort in comparison. It is not impossible to add an air conditioner in reinforced concrete houses, but since it is not as easy to drill holes in the exterior wall as with wooden houses, it takes more effort and the installation costs are higher. *If you want to install an air conditioner later, you will need to drill a core out of the concrete. It can be installed in the wall area.


Reconsider what type of home is right for you

 

It is very important to think about what kind of house suits you and your family. If you just go to a housing exhibition and decide based on the sales guidance, you will not be satisfied with your home. Many of our customers come to consult with us after browsing various information online and thinking thoroughly about how to build their home.

Of course, there is no absolute right answer for how to approach building a house. However, many people who regret building a house regret the fact that they left it to the contractor without doing much research themselves. So, first of all, try to research various things yourself. From there, building a house begins.

Our company has published a lot of information about reinforced concrete houses on the Internet. There is almost no information about reinforced concrete houses in books. There are many people who are considering living in a reinforced concrete house, but do not know the actual situation. We hope that such people will make use of the information we provide on YouTube and our website. By providing information, we strive to help customers think for themselves about whether they will regret choosing a reinforced concrete house.

If you have decided that a reinforced concrete house is right for you, please feel free to consult with us. We can hold meetings over ZOOM or meet in person. We will then answer your question about whether we are the right company to work for you.

Because we specialize in reinforced concrete houses, we can determine with high accuracy whether your requests can be realized, whether there are any financial issues, and whether a reinforced concrete house is truly appropriate. Once we have made the final decision that TEMPIO reinforced concrete houses are appropriate through our meetings, we will use our accumulated know-how to provide you with the construction of a house that will satisfy you to the greatest extent possible.

There is no right answer for a house that is not built with thought. It is important to first think about it for yourself.


About RC design studio

 

RC design studio was established in July 2016. Its predecessor, studio Sora Architectural Design Office, was established in September 2005. This year marks the 18th year, including the time of studio Sora. In October 2011, the company built a house that served as both a home and an office, which was a turning point for the company.

When I was building my own home, I spent days thinking about what kind of house would suit me. My hobby is visiting buildings, so I looked back at the photos of buildings I had taken and visited buildings that I liked or sympathized with. The answer I came to was,

“I want to build my own home out of reinforced concrete after all.”

For me, reinforced concrete structures were attractive in terms of design. In wood and steel structures, panels are attached to create spaces. In contrast, in the case of reinforced concrete structures, the concrete mass itself is the structure, and it becomes the walls and roof that divide the space. The concrete had an overwhelming presence, and I was fascinated and thought, “I have no choice but to build it this way!”

After the policy was decided, I combined the few books on reinforced concrete houses, my experience with reinforced concrete apartment buildings while I was working, and information on reinforced concrete construction from building material manufacturers to come up with my own answer to the next generation of concrete houses. And, to commemorate the occasion, I was able to build the company’s first reinforced concrete house as my own home.

When I actually lived in it, I was able to see the true essence of reinforced concrete houses that I had not noticed before. The sense of security due to the high sound insulation and earthquake resistance, the house does not shake even in strong winds, there is no need to worry about termites, it is surprisingly warm, the air conditioning works well, there is no mold. I was able to feel the appeal of the performance of reinforced concrete construction on a daily basis.

I chose a reinforced concrete house from the perspective of “emphasis on design” and “differentiation from other houses”, but when I actually lived in it, I fell in love with reinforced concrete houses even more because of their high performance.

Having become a believer in reinforced concrete housing, I started a company specializing in reinforced concrete housing, RC design studio, with the desire to “deliver this type of housing to those who truly desire it.” Operating as an architectural design firm allows us to be agile and respond to construction projects throughout Japan.

Home and office


self-introduction

 

Nice to meet you, I’m Tomonori Sawada, CEO of RC design studio. I was born on November 11, 1977. After graduating from Chiba Institute of Technology, I didn’t do much job hunting and didn’t have a job. With no options, I returned to my parents’ home in Toyama and somehow got a job at an architectural firm that was recruiting at Hello Work. After training there for five years, I started my own architectural firm called “studio Sora”.

I’ve loved making things and drawing since I was a child. I also practiced calligraphy for eight years until I was in the third year of junior high school, and I’ve loved making things into shapes since I was a child. When I was in high school, my parents’ house was rebuilt, and at the time I was living in an apartment directly opposite my parents’ house, so I watched the house being gradually built almost every day. I remember being excited every day, thinking that the moment a house was being built was very exciting.

That experience had a big influence on me, and I started thinking, “I want to be an architect in the future” while I was a student. However, I didn’t know how to become an architect, so it was just a vague goal.

However, a turning point came in my second year of university. It was when I visited the architecture of Le Corbusier and Gaudi in France and Spain. The first Le Corbusier building I saw was like a sundial, with light streaming in through the cracks in the rough concrete walls. The direct sunlight allowed you to feel the change in time, meaning the flow of time throughout the day. The simple concrete walls clearly expressed the concept of the building, while blending into the surrounding environment. It was a wonderful piece of architecture. I was so impressed that I had a strong desire to create architecture like this, and decided to become an architect. I still didn’t know how to become an architect.

Having decided to become an architect, I went to see a lot of architecture. I went to see architecture all over Japan and overseas. I experienced different cultures and came into contact with many different architectures, including all over Japan, Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, India, Thailand, Bali, Hong Kong, Korea, Guam, Mexico, and New York. I think I was able to create diversity within myself by coming into contact with a variety of things, and think about architecture from a broader perspective.

There is no doubt that “experience” creates architecture. We will continue to work hard, drawing on the experiences we have gained from coming into contact with many different things, interacting with many customers, building our own home, living in our own home, and living at home with our family, to create something that is just a little better.


Reinforced concrete housing specialty store

 

RC design studio is a company that specializes in reinforced concrete houses. It’s not that we can’t do wood or steel frame construction. However, as a company policy, we have decided to only design buildings made of reinforced concrete. So why do we need to become a specialist? It’s to provide high-quality reinforced concrete houses.

The work of architecture is complex and deep. No matter how much you research, you will find more and more things you don’t know. In this situation, I believe that it is essential to become a specialist in order to provide high-quality products. First of all, I live in a reinforced concrete house, so I am very familiar with the characteristics of reinforced concrete houses. Reinforced concrete houses are comfortable and easy to live in if you make use of the characteristics of concrete. However, if you do not make use of the characteristics of concrete, it will be difficult to live in. In order to design a concrete house, you need to experience it yourself.

If you have never eaten ramen, you cannot make delicious ramen. However, if you (someone who has eaten ramen) make ramen many times, you will be able to make delicious ramen in a short amount of time. By specializing, you can improve the quality.

Besides, working on wooden, steel-framed, and reinforced concrete structures is like cooking Chinese, Italian, or French cuisine. This makes it difficult to serve delicious food. Also, while you can cook and eat in restaurants, you can’t easily eat a house. The only way to “eat and check the taste of a house to the end” is to live in the house you designed. People who don’t live in the house they designed are like chefs who don’t eat the food they make. This makes it impossible to serve food with confidence. I don’t have the confidence to serve high-quality wooden houses either.

I serve it because I tried it myself and found it delicious. Because I tried it, I know what kind of people like it. Because I know what kind of people like it, I can have many people try it and hear their requests and impressions of the taste. Then I can improve the taste. This is the kind of virtuous cycle that is created when you become a specialty store.


What I learned from building my own home

 

私の建築家人生の最大の分岐点は、間違いなく自邸の建設です。自邸を建設して、自分の設計した家に住むことには、非常に多くの学びがありました。「自邸を設計した事のある人にしか、家は設計できない」といっても過言ではないくらいに、たくさんの経験を得ました。子育てをした事がない人に子育ての相談をする人はまずいません。それと同じ理屈で、RC 住宅を設計して住んだ事がない人に、RC 住宅の相談をするのは無謀です。そう断言できるほどに、RC 住宅には「住んでみないとわからないメリットやデメリット」があるのです。メリットを最大化させ、デメリットをなくす事ができるのは、自分が設計したRC 住宅に住んだ事がある建築家だけです。

私が壁式 RC 住宅に住んだ感想は、「安心して暮らせる」です。この安心して暮らせるという感覚は、壁式RC 造の多くの特徴がもたらします。建物の前を大きなトラックが通っても、ほとんど建物は揺れません。強風が吹いても建物は、ほとんど揺れません。落雷が轟いていてもそれほど怖くありません。こうした事の積み上げにより、日常的に建物の丈夫さを感じているからこそ、災害に対する安心感を得られるのです。加えて、壁式RC 造の驚異的な耐震実績。これだけの要素がそろって初めて、本当の意味で安心できるのです。

さらに、隣地の家が火事になったらどうしよう、洪水になったらどうしよう、白蟻に食べられたらどうしよう、竜巻が発生したらどうしよう、ミサイルが飛んできたらどうしようなど。それほど強く思うわけではないものの、私たちは、心のどこかにこのような不安を抱えながら生きています。ですがそうした不安も、「壁式RC 造に住んでいる」という事実により和らげる事ができています。

木造住宅や鉄骨住宅に住んでいたら、間違いなくこれほどの安心感はありませんでした。強風やトラックの交通で家が揺れ、地震、白蟻、火災、洪水、落雷を恐れ、そうした不安を心の奥に押し込めながら、恐怖を忘れたふりをして生きていたと思います。出張の時に鉄骨造のホテルに泊まるのですが、「早く家に帰りたい」とほんのわずかですが思います。ホテルよりも自分の家の方が災害に強いと信じているからです。

もちろん木造住宅や鉄骨住宅を信じることができるのであれば、心の安心は手に入ると思います。しかし木造や鉄骨造は基本的に揺れやすいです。強風で揺れる自宅を信じる事は難しいのではないでしょうか。壁式RC 住宅に住んでいる私は、自信を持って、安心できる家を求めている方には壁式RC 住宅をおすすめします。


RC  design  studio 企業理念

高品質な鉄筋コンクリート建築の普及

安心感ある暮らしの創造

環境に配慮したデザインの追及

 


Popularization of high-quality reinforced concrete housing

 

The spread of high-quality reinforced concrete housing. This is the central philosophy of RC design studio. All of our architectural specifications are constructed after determining whether they fit this term. And what we consider to be “high quality” is not only the appropriate setting of each architectural element (for example, the strength of concrete), but also a well-balanced combination of various elements that meet the customer’s needs in total and satisfy the customer.

In the architectural design office industry, for some reason, the values ​​of the architect are often prioritized. In a sense, the architect’s brand is established. However, our company focuses on “what kind of reinforced concrete housing should be popular in the world.” What kind of reinforced concrete housing is appropriate in Japan, which is one of the world’s leading earthquake-prone countries, a typhoon route, and has many termites due to its humid climate? Our brand, TEMPIO, takes this perspective and mitigates the disadvantages of concrete housing as much as possible and maximizes the advantages of concrete.

At this point, a question may have arisen: “Why are such excellent reinforced concrete housing not popular in Japan, a disaster-prone country?” Reinforced concrete houses should be popular in Japan. However, there are two main reasons why they are not popular. One is that they are more expensive than wooden houses. The other is that there are few designers who can provide reinforced concrete houses.

The main reasons for the high price are that “the cost of the structure is higher than wooden houses,” “the load of the building is heavier than wooden houses, so the cost of ground improvement is higher than wooden houses,” “there is more work for the site supervisor than for wooden houses, so the site supervisor is always on-site,” and “the construction period is 1 to 2 months longer than wooden houses, so extra site expenses are required.” Due to the recent rise in lumber prices, the price difference between buildings has become smaller, but the construction cost of reinforced concrete structures is still higher.

On the other hand, it is not that there are few engineers who can handle reinforced concrete buildings. Most of the apartments in the world are made of reinforced concrete, and there are engineers who can build box-like structures (buildings and apartments). However, there are few designers who can design reinforced concrete structures who understand housing.

Our company is working to address these two issues and provide high-quality reinforced concrete houses to society. In addition, since it is necessary to provide information to popularize reinforced concrete houses, we are providing a wide range of information on reinforced concrete houses on YouTube. We will continue to work toward a future in which reinforced concrete houses are widespread.


Creating a safe and secure life

 

The essence of a house is to protect lives. This is a truth that has not changed since humans first started building houses. To protect from ferocious wild animals, to prevent body heat from being taken away by rain, and to prevent freezing to death from the cold. Houses have been built to secure nests for these purposes. As time has passed, the way houses are built has evolved, but the risk of losing one’s life inside the house has not been reduced to zero. This is because of disasters. Humans still build houses while facing the threats of nature.

To build houses where people can live safely against such threats of nature. This is the corporate philosophy of RC design studio and the concept of our brand, TEMPIO. There are people in the world who live facing various threats.

Areas where the capital is likely to experience an earthquake or a Nankai Trough earthquake.
Sites with open areas where strong winds blow against the building.
Areas with many old houses nearby and where fire damage is a concern.
Areas with severe noise and vibrations along train lines and major roads.
Sloping land where landslides are a concern.
Sites close to the sea where tsunamis are expected. Areas where river flooding is expected.
Sites close to active faults where strong earthquakes are expected.

The greater the risk of disaster damage in such areas, the more valuable wall-type reinforced concrete construction becomes. Of course, there is no safe area to live in in Japan, a disaster-prone country, but we still recommend TEMPIO wall-type reinforced concrete construction to those who live in areas with a high risk of disaster. We provide reliable homes that ease your daily anxiety about disasters and allow you to live with peace of mind.


 

Pursuing environmentally friendly design

 

The lifespan of a wooden house in Japan is about 30 years, which is extremely short compared to the “about 100 years” in Europe. First of all, there is a difference in construction method between Japanese houses, which are mostly made of wood, and European houses, which are relatively often made of masonry and concrete. In addition, Japan is humid, has many termites, and has many earthquakes and typhoons. In other words, the climate also tends to shorten the lifespan of a house.

Even if durability cannot be maintained with wooden construction, you may think, “If it is masonry construction using stones and bricks, it will not be eaten by termites or rot fungi, and the durability of the house will not deteriorate.” It is true that masonry houses are highly durable. However, in Japan, there is a history of masonry buildings collapsing in earthquakes. Then, over time, they were replaced by reinforced concrete buildings. High durability and strength against earthquakes. The only construction method that can achieve both of these is reinforced concrete construction.

There are also historical factors that make it difficult to extend the lifespan of a house. That is high airtightness and high insulation. In order to extend the lifespan of wooden buildings, the longevity of Horyuji Temple has been achieved by exposing the wood to remove moisture and keep out termites, which love humidity. Maintenance is also required to replace “parts that have been damaged by termites due to the exposed wood”. However, modern wooden houses are highly airtight and highly insulated, so moisture tends to remain in the wood, and since the pillars are inside the walls, maintenance is not possible. This only shortens the lifespan of wooden houses.

In such a situation, there is a construction method that can maintain the durability of a house while achieving high airtightness and high insulation. This is wall-type RC construction. Moisture and termites do not reduce the durability of concrete. Of course, it is necessary to install insulation material without gaps between the concrete and the building to prevent mold from growing due to moisture. However, TEMPIO, which is a wall-type RC construction, is the only construction method in Japan where durability is difficult to maintain due to high humidity, that can maintain durability while achieving high airtightness and high insulation.

RC design studio pursues environmentally conscious design by creating “100-year homes that are highly airtight, highly insulated, and durable, and can be lived in for three or more generations.”


 

What is concrete made of?

 

Concrete is made of water, stone, and cement. In other words, it is made of 100% natural ingredients. The property of hardening when mixed with water is called “hydraulic”. Concrete hardens due to the hydraulic properties of cement. The stone and cement do not stick together with adhesives.

So what is cement made of? The most common Portland cement is made by adding gypsum to “baked limestone or clay” and powdering it.

And limestone is calcium carbonate, which is produced as a mineral from natural limestone. Limestone is made from the remains of ancient organisms and coral deposits that have combined with carbon dioxide in the sea.

Gypsum is a mineral whose main component is calcium sulfate. In other words, concrete is an artificial stone made by mixing various stones and hardening them. Moreover, since it hardens due to the hydraulic properties of cement, it will not peel off like adhesives.

Concrete can be shaped as desired on site by pouring it into a formwork. Concrete structures are made with the durability of artificial stone and the ability to be shaped into any shape.

TEMPIO uses a low water-cement ratio (varies depending on the mix, but is in the high 40s) and a concrete mix that releases less water and is less likely to crack.

Limestone quarry. Limestone is mined all over Japan.


Japan’s oldest reinforced concrete building

 

The oldest all-reinforced concrete building in Japan (a building that is not partially but entirely made of concrete) is the former Yokohama Mitsui & Co. Building (completed in 1911). In the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, Yokohama was reduced to a pile of rubble, but this building survived the disaster. This building survived even when all wooden buildings were burned down during the Great Yokohama Air Raid of 1945. It is still in use as the KN Nihon Odori Building (office building) in Yokohama today. It is a slightly retro building.

This building teaches us that “reinforced concrete buildings are the buildings that will remain in history in the future.” Most of the buildings in Yokohama were destroyed twice, by a major earthquake and a massive fire. However, only reinforced concrete structures, which are resistant to both earthquakes and fires, can survive to the next generation.

Endo Oto, the designer of this building, was dispatched from the current University of Tokyo as a field investigator during the 1891 Nobi earthquake, a massive earthquake that struck the area directly beneath the ground. At that time, he witnessed the sight of the roof of the Owari Spinning Factory, a modern Western-style brick building, falling down to the floor and the walls almost collapsing. Having witnessed the low earthquake resistance of masonry construction and the low fire resistance of 142,177 wooden buildings that had been destroyed by fires caused by the earthquake, he became absorbed in researching reinforced concrete construction as a construction method that could withstand both earthquakes and fires.

At the time, wooden houses were the norm. Although the low fire resistance of wooden construction had been pointed out, brick masonry construction became widespread as a solution. However, brick masonry construction collapsed every time an earthquake occurred. In this historical context, Endo Oto’s realization of reinforced concrete construction was a turning point in the Japanese construction industry. The Former Yokohama Bussan Building, which has survived wars and earthquakes, teaches us that “reinforced concrete is the most suitable structure for buildings that should be preserved for future generations.”

Former Yokohama Mitsui & Co. Building (completed in 1911)


 

 

 

TEMPIO PIETRA (Pietara) Stone Temple (interior insulation)

PIETRA means “stone” in Italian. PIETRA is an architecture that maximizes the appeal of concrete, an artificial stone, in terms of design. By adopting internal insulation, the exterior is left exposed concrete, realizing a design with the presence that only concrete architecture can provide.


TEMPIO PIETRA specifications

 

Concrete: 200-year concrete
Concrete with a service life of 200 years. Design standard strength 30N + temperature correction

Earthquake resistance: Wall-type reinforced concrete construction

Flat roof: Asphalt waterproofing + external insulation: Extruded polystyrene t50 + holding concrete
Interior insulation: High-performance closed-cell urethane spray t50
The most durable asphalt waterproofing + external insulation prevents temperature rise, while the holding concrete protects the waterproof layer. The most trusted waterproofing method in the construction industry

Sloped roof: Galvanized steel plate color coating, vertical seam roofing + asphalt roofing

External insulation: Neoma Form t30, Internal insulation: High-performance independent bubble type urethane spray t50
We use vertical seam roofing, which is the most durable and leak-resistant roofing method

Internal insulation: High-performance independent bubble type urethane spray t50, UA value approx. 0.46 (HEAT20 G2)
Unprecedented insulation performance for reinforced concrete, which is already highly heat-retaining

Airtight: Zero gap structure made with cast-in-place concrete
Since the concrete is poured and hardened on-site, there are naturally no gaps

Heat storage: Concrete heat storage body
By eliminating temperature unevenness in the room, a comfortable space is created through radiant heat. This cannot be achieved with wood or steel construction

Exterior: Exposed concrete + Landex coating
Painting is essential to maintain the beauty of the exposed concrete

Windows: Aluminum-resin composite windows (partially internal windows)
As this is a building that places importance on durability, the durability of the windows is also important. Exterior aluminum ensures durability

Air conditioning: Individual air conditioning or whole-house air conditioning
As this is a highly airtight house, any type of air conditioning can be controlled as desired


Structural planning

 

Compared to the general wall-type RC structure, TEMPIO has a structural plan tailored to the house. Wall-type RC structure uses concrete walls as load-bearing walls, and can withstand earthquake forces more firmly than a frame structure composed of columns and beams. However, while a highly earthquake-resistant building can be created using box-shaped concrete, it is difficult to ensure consistency between the plan and the structure when using wall-type RC structure for a house.

With a frame structure, it is not much difference who does the structural planning, since all that is required is to place the columns at the appropriate span. However, with wall-type RC structure, the ability to understand the structure directly affects the completeness of the building. If the structural plan for wall-type RC structure is inappropriate, the cost will increase and the house will be more expensive than a RC frame structure.

However, the key to structural planning is simple. It is to “place concrete load-bearing walls only in positions that are structurally necessary.” Concrete walls that are not structurally necessary are nothing more than a nuisance and heavy object, and they also lead to increased costs. Of course, concrete walls will be installed if necessary from a design perspective, but it is important to make a structural plan as rational as possible and to match that structural plan with the house plan, both in terms of price and earthquake resistance.

However, experience and sense are required to execute an appropriate structural plan. At our company, we are always studying how to think about the structure optimally based on past examples. Only a group of highly conscious concrete engineers who specialize in wall-type RC construction can reach our level, and we believe that it is impossible to reach a level where construction methods are selected on a case-by-case basis.

Furthermore, at TEMPIO, in some cases, we can realize large spaces that are impossible to achieve with general wall-type RC construction by adopting horizontal bearing capacity calculations (route 3) instead of allowable stress calculations (route 1).

TEMPIO’s structural plans provide a good balance of earthquake resistance, rationality, cost, technology, and know-how. In addition, all of our structural design offices, which are our cooperating companies, are companies that specialize in reinforced concrete buildings selected from all over the country. Based on the structural plan that we came up with, they carried out a structural design that is highly earthquake-resistant while keeping costs down.


Waterproofing the roof (colorful living on balconies)

 

TEMPIO attaches great importance to the durability of roof waterproofing. Especially in the case of flat roofs (horizontal roofs), water accumulates on the roof during heavy rain, so waterproofing is more important than for sloped roofs.

For general buildings, urethane waterproofing is often used, and even manufacturers that are concerned about waterproofing mostly choose sheet waterproofing. Asphalt waterproofing, which is expensive, is not often used due to cost issues. Waterproofers all say “asphalt waterproofing is the best,” but in reality, urethane waterproofing and sheet waterproofing, which are cost-effective, are often used.

However, TEMPIO values ​​the durability of roof waterproofing and uses asphalt waterproofing. In addition, by applying insulation to the outside of the waterproofing layer, the “expansion and contraction of the waterproofing layer due to heat” is mitigated, increasing durability. In addition, because the concrete is applied to hold down the water, most of the water is drained before it reaches the waterproofing layer. These measures minimize the risk of water leakage. The service life of sheet waterproofing is 10 years, but “asphalt waterproofing + external insulation + earthen floor support” is actually 35 years. (Depending on the construction method, the service life can be as long as 90 years)

The concrete floor increases the durability of the waterproofing and also greatly increases the ease of use of the roof. Normally, when moving on the waterproof layer, you need to walk gently so as not to damage the waterproof layer. However, if the concrete floor is installed, you can play on the roof without worrying about the waterproof layer at all. There are endless options for how to use the roof, such as camping with your children on the roof, having a barbecue with your family, playing in the water, blowing bubbles, watching the stars and the moon, and lying down in a hammock.

In my case, at first I only did blowing bubbles with my children and watching the moon, but after my children started elementary school, I started using the roof more frequently, such as camping, barbecuing, and watching the stars with my family. When I asked my children if they were happy to have a rooftop, they said, “It’s really good.” I’m really glad we have a rooftop.


Sloped roof (water-resistant roof made possible by RC roof slabs)

 

Many people think that the only option for reinforced concrete roofs is a flat roof. It is true that reinforced concrete structures are often used in buildings and apartments, so flat roofs are common. However, in fact, there are many cases where sloped roofs are used.

At TEMPIO, we use “galvanized steel sheets coated with resin” for our sloped roofs. Galvanized steel sheets are “steel sheets plated with a mixture of aluminum and zinc” and are highly durable. Furthermore, thanks to the resin coating, they are significantly more durable than slate tiles.

In addition, TEMPIO uses vertical seam roofing for its roof shape. Vertical seam roofing is the least likely to leak of all roofing methods. This is because the joints of the metal sheets rise up against the water gradient. This makes the risk of water leaking from the metal sheet joints extremely low. TEMPIO uses reliable materials and builds roofs with reliable shapes.

And even if water does eventually leak, it won’t happen right away because there is a concrete slab (unlike wooden or steel-framed construction). TEMPIO is surrounded by a concrete slab that doesn’t leak, even if the roof or waterproofing is not installed. Waterproofing and roofing are installed on top of that, so it has a double waterproof structure, so to speak. This gives you a very high level of security against leaks.

Also, even if water leaks, the concrete will not rot. With wooden construction, water leaks cause the wood to rot, and with steel-framed construction, the iron will rust. However, with concrete construction, even if water leaks, the material is not damaged by water, so the durability of the structure is not affected.

By adopting a gently sloping roof, the roof shape creates a stylish building.


Solar panels (safety material in case of power outages)

 

If you have solar panels, you can rest assured that you will have a minimum amount of electricity when the power supply is cut off due to an earthquake or typhoon. Although solar panels can only be used during the day, if you have a storage battery, you can use them at night and they can also be powered from a regular outlet (if you only have solar panels, you can only use them from the outlet attached to the power conditioner). If you are using them at home in the event of a power outage, it is convenient to attach solar panels and a storage battery.

However, if the solar panels are installed poorly, it increases the risk of water leakage and shortens the lifespan of the building. What we recommend is a combination of a vertical seam roof and a catch method (fixing the roof without penetrating the screws). If solar panels are installed on a typical slate or tile roof, the fixing brackets will penetrate the roof and the roof will only be waterproofed with a seal. Although it is generally taboo to seal wooden parts, when installing solar panels on a slate or tile roof, this taboo will be carried out on the roof parts that are at high risk of water leakage. Our company prohibits roof penetration processing, which has a high risk of water leakage, and fixes solar panels to “vertical seam roofs” with a low risk of water leakage using the “catch method”.

When installing solar panels on wooden structures, you must be careful about the installation load. Solar panels are about 60kg/1kW, so for a 5kW roof used in homes, it would be 300kg, and if the mounting is included, it would be about 400kg. If they are installed on the roof of a wooden house in an uneven position, the earthquake resistance will decrease and become a problem, but in the case of reinforced concrete construction, the earthquake resistance is high, so installing solar panels is not a problem. It would be counterproductive if solar panels installed in preparation for an earthquake disaster increased the “risk of the building collapsing in the event of an earthquake”. For this reason, solar panels should be installed on reinforced concrete construction.

Also, do not forget about renovations. When painting or replacing the roof, the solar panels must be removed once. With the catch method, unlike the through-hole method, you don’t have to worry about “how to deal with existing through holes” when renovating (you don’t need to do any through-hole processing in the first place). However, please understand that removal and installation work is still necessary. In addition, you will eventually need to dispose of the solar panels. Therefore, taking into account the maintenance costs along the way, the financial benefits are not that great. Rather, it is more like installing them as a precaution in case of a power outage.

Installation method with low risk of water leakage using catch method


Landex coating (protection of exposed concrete exterior)

 

Concrete is an artificial stone, so it has excellent weather resistance. It is not only more weather resistant than wood or iron, but also overwhelmingly more weather resistant than lightweight cement-based building materials called ALC and ceramic siding. Therefore, concrete can be used underground, where it is prone to decay. However, painting is necessary for aesthetics. In old concrete buildings, the concrete exterior walls often become damaged and dirty, and the exterior walls often become blackened. In order to prevent such problems from occurring, it is best to paint the concrete.

Landex paint is a paint that is commonly used on the market for concrete. It is also widely used in public buildings. There are several construction methods to choose from depending on how much of the texture of the concrete you want to retain, and we select the method according to the customer’s request. To ensure that there is no discrepancy in the image, we paint samples of parts of the actual building on site to check.

Painting can also protect the reinforcing bars. When the reinforcing bars rust and no longer function, the reinforced concrete structure can be said to have reached the end of its life. Although alkaline concrete can prevent corrosion of rebars, concrete gradually becomes neutralized by air. However, by applying Landex paint, concrete can be prevented from becoming neutralized. In other words, the durability of the building is improved.

In the case of cast-in-place concrete, junk (concrete that does not flow well) can occur. Of course, to prevent junk, a vibrator is used, the formwork is struck, and a flow agent is used to make it easier to flow. However, since the “condition of the concrete inside the formwork” cannot be confirmed when pouring the concrete, junk cannot be prevented 100%. In addition, there is a possibility that cracks will occur due to concrete shrinkage. There are repair methods that assume such cases, but doing so will leave repair marks. However, even if junk or cracks occur, it is possible to make the repair marks almost invisible by adjusting the color tone with Landex paint.

In other words, by adopting Landex paint, it is possible to recover even if the concrete does not pour properly in some places, which is a disadvantage of cast-in-place concrete.

Landex paint clear (colorless)


 

Aluminum-resin composite sash

 

PIETRA uses aluminum-resin composite sashes. Aluminum-resin composite sashes are made of aluminum on the outside and resin on the inside, and are excellent in durability, insulation, and design. They are well-balanced sashes that suit the Japanese climate.

Aluminum is more conductive to heat than resin, but is also durable. Therefore, by installing aluminum on the outside, it is possible to create a clean window with a large glass area while increasing durability (which means you can also create a good design).

Aluminum goes well with “exposed concrete” in terms of texture, and aluminum windows look good on the exterior of modern exposed concrete. And because concrete architecture is highly durable, there are great benefits to using durable aluminum windows.

Although aluminum-resin composite sashes have lower insulation performance than resin sashes, the difference is small. Considering durability, design, and compatibility with the exterior of concrete, aluminum-resin composite sashes are more suitable for PIETRA.

I live in a house with aluminum-resin composite sashes, but I have never wanted to change the windows to resin sashes. I am satisfied with their insulation performance. In the first winter after construction, the building released moisture (mainly moisture from the vinyl wallpaper glue), and the window frames condensed to some extent, but by the second year, there was no condensation at all. When we asked customers who chose aluminum-resin composite sashes during a building inspection one year later, they said, “Even in the first year, when condensation is likely to occur, there was almost no condensation.” For this reason, we are confident in selecting aluminum-resin composite sashes.


 

Commercial and residential use, two-family home

 

TEMPIO is a brand that is extremely suitable for commercial and residential use. The biggest problem with commercial and residential use is soundproofing between the commercial and residential areas. Noise and footsteps from the residential area are transmitted to the commercial area. The same problem occurs in two-family homes. However, with TEMPIO, which can block sound with concrete walls and floors, the noise problem can be solved.

*Although it is impossible to completely block footsteps, the footsteps are less than half the volume compared to wooden or steel-framed structures.

Concrete walls and floors are ideal for separating uses. They block sound, vibrations, fires, etc., and prevent intrusion. Concrete boundary walls are the ideal walls and floors to ensure an appropriate distance between people in an environment where people gather and live.

I also live in a commercial and residential use (home & company office), so I understand the seriousness of this soundproofing problem all too well. In my house, the office is on the first floor and the second and third floors are my residence. When my children bring their friends over, the noise and footsteps can be quite loud, but because the floors are made of reinforced concrete, the noise is kept to a tolerable level. If the floors were made of wood, there would have been nothing I could do.

Also, even if I work overtime in the office, I can concentrate on my work without having to think too much about my family, because the concrete floor separates me. Of course, the buildings are connected, so I’m not completely unaware of them, but I’m still charmed by the fact that my office and residence are located at just the right distance from each other.

The living room is above here, but as there is a concrete ceiling it’s not too much of a problem.


Custom-made furniture and fittings

 

At TEMPIO, you can select custom-made furniture and fixtures. By designing the furniture as part of the building, you can create a luxurious interior design or an interior design that is integrated with the building.

By using custom-made fixtures, you can unify the fixtures and furniture with the same design, make them like walls, or give the fixtures a unique design to use as an accent.

Custom-made fixtures allow you to choose furniture and fixtures in your favorite color tone, as the color and material options are greatly increased. You can check the color you like from a variety of samples with cut samples and create a home with your favorite design.

The furniture and the door are designed as one wall.

The artificial stone kitchen, rear door, and internal storage are all custom-made.


Inner Garage

 

An inner garage can give a sense of luxury to a house. Compared to walking from the building to the car when going out in a car, opening the electric shutter from the inner garage and going out is very attractive.

It is also interesting to think about building a house with the inner garage as the center. It is possible to realize a plan in which the car is integrated with the house as an object, such as being able to see the inner garage from the entrance hall or study.

However, inner garages are often difficult to build with wood. Especially if there is a room above the inner garage, there are concerns about the earthquake resistance of the building, and in the case of wooden structures, there are many cases where the structural calculations do not work due to insufficient strength. And in the case of three- or four-story buildings, the inner garage part requires more strength than a two-story building, so wooden structures are difficult in terms of earthquake resistance. However, TEMPIO is a wall-type RC structure, so it is possible to build an inner garage while ensuring sufficient strength.

TEMPIO often uses inner garages, and we are accustomed to designing inner garages. Inner garages can be difficult to build, such as the unique traffic flow planning, shutter selection, dimensional configuration, interpretation of building codes and ordinances, and structural planning, but we are experts in all of these areas, so please feel free to contact us.

Setting the height of an inner garage from the road is very difficult, so we always check the height relationship with the road on site. If the height relationship of the building to the road is incorrect, the inner garage will be very difficult to enter, so care must be taken.

* Changing the installation height of the building will result in an increase or decrease in cost compared to the estimated setting.

Also, in the case of a house manufacturer, if there is even a slight slope on the site, the slope cannot be handled by the foundation, making the inner garage very difficult to enter. With TEMPIO, you can build an inner garage without any problems even on a site with a difference in elevation, so if you have a site with a difference in elevation, please consider TEMPIO.

 

 


Soundproof Room

 

TEMPIO is surrounded by 200 mm concrete walls (180 mm for external insulation), so it has excellent soundproofing. The concrete walls alone can block more than 50 dB of sound, and the soundproofing can be further improved by using interior walls and planning.

Just building a TEMPIO in the normal way can achieve soundproofing that other companies cannot imitate. And if you use double-glazed windows and install soundproofing hoods on the ventilation fans, the soundproofing will increase even more.

It is impossible to soundproof a wooden structure to the same extent as TEMPIO. In the case of wooden structures, even if a certain level of soundproofing is theoretically expected, when actually constructed, gaps will inevitably occur due to the construction method of the panels, and sound will escape through them.

However, with TEMPIO, which is made of cast-in-place concrete, gaps will not occur during construction. The poured concrete will achieve perfect soundproofing as theoretically expected.

The soundproofing possibilities of TEMPIO are endless. With standard TEMPIO specifications, you can film YouTube videos, go out for drinks with friends, play musical instruments, raise a pet dog, set up a golf simulator, and more, all without worrying about noise even in densely populated residential areas.

To further improve soundproofing, you can create a high-level soundproof room by using double walls, double soundproof doors, raising the floor, and installing soundproof ducts.


Basement

 

TEMPIO is a wall-type RC construction, which is the most suitable construction method for basements. In the case of wall-type RC construction, the basement and the upper structure are made using the same construction method, so it is possible to build a house with a basement, which tends to have a complex structural plan, without any problems in terms of structure or waterproofing.

In the case of wooden construction, the structure is complicated because it is a mixed structure with wall-type RC construction for the basement and wooden construction for the aboveground part. There are also disadvantages such as “water leakage is likely to occur at the joint between RC and wooden construction” and “only part of the building cannot be underground”. Therefore, wooden construction is not an appropriate construction method for building a basement. However, TEMPIO is not related to these problems. This is because the construction method for the underground and aboveground parts is the same.

There are various possibilities for basements. There are various ways to use them, such as expanding the floor area of ​​a house built on a very small lot, a quiet soundproof room, using a garage on a sloping basement, an underground shelter, or a secret base.

On the other hand, there are many points to note when designing and constructing an underground space. There are problems unique to the basement that do not generally occur above ground, such as the state of the ground, the location of groundwater, humidity control, consideration for temperature changes, mold prevention, etc. At TEMPIO, we take these points into consideration and propose structurally superior basements.


Japanese-style architecture

 

You may think that wall-type RC construction can only be used for box-shaped buildings, but with TEMPIO, you can also create Japanese-style buildings with roof shapes. In fact, concrete eaves are easier to extend from the wall than wooden eaves. Eaves that would break with wooden rafters can be extended without any problems with concrete eaves. It may be hesitant to extend 90 cm with wooden structures, but RC eaves can be extended up to 2 m. Large eaves give Japanese-style buildings a luxurious design. Also, the larger the Japanese-style mansion, the deeper the eaves must be to avoid imbalance, so it is often difficult to build a Japanese-style mansion out of wood. In such cases, please consider TEMPIO.

TEMPIO can also create a Japanese-style interior design. In the first place, most Japanese-style buildings built in urban areas are made of reinforced concrete, and there are very few cases where they are made of wood (due to fire resistance and design). Urban restaurants are often made of “Japanese-style reinforced concrete”. There are surprisingly many buildings that have a reinforced concrete structure and a Japanese-style design.

Let TEMPIO help you create a Japanese-style mansion that incorporates many of the essences of Japanese architecture.

  


Open ceiling space

 

TEMPIO often uses open-ceiling spaces. Generally, open-ceiling spaces can be cold, but TEMPIO can create a comfortable space. Open-ceiling spaces have the disadvantage of being prone to temperature unevenness between the upper and lower spaces. When warm air rises, cold air descends, which becomes cold wind and touches people’s skin, leading to discomfort. However, if TEMPIO performs whole-building air conditioning, the temperature throughout the building can be made somewhat uniform, preventing air currents caused by temperature differences and solving the problem of discomfort caused by the descent of cold air.

The light pouring in from the topside lights installed in the open-ceiling space creates an open atmosphere in the room. The open-ceiling space can be said to be the central place in the plan composition of the entire building.

The open-ceiling space can connect the impressions of the upper and lower floors and create a fun living space. In addition, the open-ceiling space also has the effect of creating a sense of contrast in the space by creating changes in the ceiling height.

This space is especially recommended for those who want openness and design.

  


Elevator

 

TEMPIO buildings are often three or four stories tall, so elevators are often installed as a necessity. There are many requests to install an elevator later, but installing an elevator often requires prior consultation and confirmation with an elevator company, and if construction is carried out without discussing this with the elevator company, it is possible that the elevator will not be installed later, so we generally recommend installing one at the time of new construction.

There are cases where an elevator is installed but not actually used much, but in the long run, there will come a time when it is necessary to install one, so you need to think about it carefully before deciding whether to install one.

Personally, I believe that if you are going up to the third floor, using an elevator will make things much easier, so if you are unsure about installing one, I recommend installing one.

Basically, you will have to enter into a maintenance contract with an elevator company (although it is not required), so if you prioritize reducing fixed costs, you may want to forgo installing one.


 

fireplace

 

At TEMPIO, you can install a fireplace. A fireplace adds color to your life, and a space with a fire inside is very attractive. In ancient times, homes always had a fire for cooking and heating. Pit dwellings were built around a fireplace, and the fireplace was a central presence in human homes.

As time passed, the need for fire inside homes decreased. Except for cases where a gas stove is used, the spread of induction cookers and air conditioners has eliminated the need to use fire inside homes.

However, although humans are afraid of fire, they also feel warmth at the same time. Relaxing while watching the flames of a fireplace or cooking by a fireplace provides us with a very luxurious time.

On the other hand, fireplaces are a cause of fires, and there are many cases where fires are caused by fireplaces in wooden houses. However, in the case of TEMPIO, the area around the fireplace chimney is all made of non-combustible materials, so there is no risk of fire like in wooden houses. TEMPIO is recommended for those who want to enjoy a fireplace with peace of mind.

In recent years, smoke from fireplaces has become a problem. Problems can occur if the smell gets on your laundry or if the smoke travels to neighboring properties. If you are planning to install a fireplace, you need to consider whether it is an area where it is okay to install a fireplace.

In terms of planning, you need to consider the traffic flow of firewood. Where to bring the firewood from, where to dry and store it, and how to transport it from there to the fireplace. This traffic flow plan becomes more important the more frequently you use the fireplace. Also, how much firewood you need to store is very important when planning where to install the firewood.


 

 

TEMPIO ISOLAMENTO (Isolamento) A temple with heat retention (external insulation)

ISOLAMENTO means “heat retention” in Italian. By wrapping the concrete structure with external insulation and using the entire concrete structure as a heat storage body, the heat retention of the concrete building is maximized.

In terms of design, it is also possible to use exposed concrete for the interior space.


 

TEMPIO ISOLAMENTO specifications

 

Concrete: 200-year concrete
Concrete with a service life of 200 years. Design standard strength 30N + temperature correction

Earthquake resistance: A construction method with the strongest earthquake resistance record that has never suffered more than minor damage (cracks) in the past

Flat roof: Asphalt waterproofing + external insulation: Extruded expanded polystyrene t50 + holding concrete

Internal insulation: High-performance closed-cell urethane spray t50
The most durable asphalt waterproofing + external insulation prevents temperature rise, and the holding concrete protects the waterproof layer. The most trusted construction method in the construction industry

Sloped roof: Galvanized steel plate color coating, vertical seam roofing + Alfalto roofing

External insulation: Neoma Form t30, Internal insulation: High-performance independent bubble type urethane spray t50

Vertical seam roofing is used as the most durable and leak-resistant roofing method

External insulation: EPS insulation formwork t75, UA value approx. 0.46 (HEAT20 G2)

The ultimate insulation method, surrounding the heat storage body concrete with insulation material

Airtight: Structure with zero gaps using cast-in-place concrete
Since the concrete is poured and hardened on-site, there are naturally zero gaps

Heat storage: Concrete heat storage body

Eliminates temperature unevenness in the room and creates a comfortable space through radiant heat. This cannot be imitated with wooden or steel-framed construction.

Exterior: Siding, ultra-high weather-resistant paint + ultra-high weather-resistant seal
Painting is essential to maintain the beauty of exposed concrete
Windows: Resin sash (double or triple glass)
The resin sash with emphasis on insulation keeps out the cold air around the windows
Air conditioning: Individual air conditioning or whole-house air conditioning
As this is a highly airtight house, any type of air conditioning can be controlled as desired


Insulation Formwork

 

Insulated formwork is a formwork that also serves as insulation. It is relatively common in Hokkaido, but is not used much south of Tohoku. However, our company has a technical partnership with a company in Hokkaido, and after inspecting sites and factories in Hokkaido, we have adopted insulated formwork for the insulation part, which can be said to be the core of ISOLAMENTO.

RC construction is originally a construction method that is highly airtight and has heat storage properties, making it easy to create comfortable homes. However, because of its high original performance, there is a history of not putting much effort into windows and insulation. And while a “wooden house without insulation” is not livable, an uninsulated RC house is livable. In other words, RC houses can be made more comfortable than wooden houses. However, a non-insulated RC house is only “minimally livable” and is far from being a comfortable house.

Therefore, ISOLAMENTO uses insulated formwork to completely surround the heat storage body, concrete, with insulation, creating a house that can be called a “thermos-like building.”

This insulation formwork has the feature that the black bars and EPS insulation are integrated. This feature, and the feature that the concrete and insulation formwork are integrated when the concrete is poured, allow TEMPIO to realize a rational exterior insulation that cannot be achieved with wooden houses.

In the case of external insulation of wooden houses (external insulation is required because wooden houses do not have a heat storage body), the insulation must be fixed with nails from above the insulation to the wood below the insulation. In other words, the nails are in a floating state. Therefore, there is a risk that the nails will loosen around the nails due to shaking in strong winds, or that the nails will loosen and the exterior wall will fall.

The concrete and insulation formwork are integrated without using adhesive due to the characteristics of concrete. Since no adhesive is used, there is no need to worry about the insulation peeling off. On the other hand, in the case of wooden houses, the insulation must be attached with adhesive or fixed with floating nails. Moreover, TEMPIO has a huge heat storage body of concrete.

It goes without saying which is more rational, external insulation with the heat storage body concrete of TEMPIO’s insulation formwork, or external insulation of wooden houses.


Plastic sash

 

Resin sashes generally have higher insulation performance than aluminum-resin composite sashes. The insulation performance of the glass part is the same, but the insulation performance of the resin part is better than that of aluminum-resin composite materials. Although the frame material of resin sashes is thicker than that of aluminum-resin composite sashes, if a wood grain pattern is used, the “thick window frame” becomes part of the design, so it does not look out of place. This sash is more suitable for soft interior designs that make use of wood grain than “clean and sharp”.

Compared to the glass part, the frame part has lower insulation performance and is prone to condensation. By making the frame part, which is prone to condensation, out of resin, the surface temperature of the resin frame part increases, which helps prevent condensation.

Also, although resin sashes are slightly less weather resistant than aluminum, they have a track record of about 30 years in Japan. In other words, it has been proven that they can be used without problems for about 30 years in Japan.

And with resin sashes, it is possible to create more complex frames than wooden sashes. By making the sash shape complex, it is possible to prevent water and small insects from entering while also suppressing deformation of the window. In addition, wooden sashes must be repainted every year, but plastic sashes do not require such troublesome work. Therefore, plastic sashes can be said to be high-quality, highly insulated sashes.

ISOLAMENTO actively uses plastic sashes to realize a comfortable living environment with good thermal efficiency.

Triple-glazed window house


External insulation + central air conditioning + total heat exchanger

 

When a house is highly airtight and insulated, heat loss through ventilation becomes important. Therefore, TEMPIO uses a high-performance heat exchanger with a heat exchange rate of 90% and air conditioning ducts extending from the ceiling cassette air conditioner to each room to provide air conditioning throughout the building.

Whole-house air conditioning can be done with either PIETARA or ISOLAMENTO, but ISOLAMENTO, which has a large amount of concrete as a heat storage body, is more stable in terms of air conditioning.

External insulation traps heat in the concrete, which keeps the heat in the heat storage body and reduces the air conditioning load. ISOLAMENTO provides a comfortable living environment by distributing air conditioning ducts throughout the building from the ceiling cassette air conditioner to a uniform temperature inside the building.

Many Japanese people do not know how comfortable it is to have a uniform temperature throughout a building. However, once you experience that comfort, you will never want to go back to a life with temperature differences again, as a uniform temperature is gentle and comfortable on the body.

What is needed in winter is not a warm room. It is a temperature environment in between seasons such as autumn and spring, which is neither warm nor cold. Even if only the living room is warm, if the hallway is cold, it will not be a comfortable space. Of course, the temperature difference will make it uncomfortable when you go to the hallway or toilet, but even when you are in a warm living room, cold air from the hallway will creep across the living room floor, making the environment somewhat uncomfortable.

Instead, by making the temperature of the hallway and living room the same, an insensible air current is not generated, creating a space that is neither warm nor cold, but somewhat comfortable. That is a truly comfortable living space.

ISOLAMENTO, a combination of external insulation + central air conditioning + total heat exchanger, creates a comfortable living space without such temperature differences.

Ceiling cassette air conditioner + air conditioning duct


 

 

TEMPIO PREMIO – A special temple (special external insulation)

PREMIO means “special” in Italian. Based on ISOLAMENTO, which uses external insulation, this is an ultra-high performance RC house that pursues performance values ​​to the fullest.

Wall-type RC houses are houses that will satisfy you even without increasing the performance values ​​of PREMIO. Both PIETARA and ISOLAMENTO are high-quality RC houses that have improved many aspects of “general RC houses”, but TEMPIO PREMIO goes even further than those, and it is no exaggeration to say that it is a house that reigns at the top of Japan.

Wall-type reinforced concrete houses TEMPIO are the top of the Japanese housing industry. And PREMIO is the “best of the best”.


 

TEMPIO PREMIO specifications

 

Concrete: 200-year concrete
Concrete with a service life of 200 years. Design standard strength 30N + temperature correction

Seismic resistance grade: Seismic resistance grade 3
Even with seismic resistance grade 1, only cracks have been formed in all past earthquakes

Flat roof: Asphalt waterproofing + external insulation: Extruded polystyrene t50 + holding concrete
Interior insulation: High-performance closed-cell urethane spray t50
The most durable asphalt waterproofing + external insulation prevents temperature rise, and the holding concrete protects the waterproof layer. This is the most trusted construction method in the construction industry.

Sloped roof: Galvalume steel plate color coating, vertical seam roofing + Alfalto roofing

External insulation: Neoma Form t30, Internal insulation: High-performance independent bubble type urethane spray t50

Vertical seam roofing is used, which is the most durable and leak-resistant roofing method.

External insulation: EPS insulation formwork t100, UA value approx. 0.40 (HEAT20 G2)

Concrete, which is a heat storage body, is surrounded by insulation material. This is the ultimate insulation method.

Airtight: A structure with zero gaps using cast-in-place concrete
Since the concrete is poured and hardened on-site, there are naturally zero gaps.

Heat storage: Concrete heat storage body

Eliminates temperature unevenness in the room and creates a comfortable space through radiant heat. This cannot be achieved with wood or steel construction

Exterior: Siding, ultra-high weather-resistant paint + ultra-high weather-resistant seal
Painting is essential to maintain the beauty of the exposed concrete

Windows: Resin sash (triple glass) + inner window
Insulation-oriented resin sash keeps out the cold air around the windows, and inner windows are installed with soundproofing in mind

Air conditioning: Individual air conditioning or whole-house air conditioning
An airtight home, so you can control any air conditioning you want


 

 

SOUND MAISON

SOUND MAISON is an apartment building that takes sound into consideration. It has been designed to address the most common problem in an apartment building: sound.

In an apartment building, noise issues can arise with neighbors and those living above or below. There are many types of noise that occur in everyday life, such as televisions, telephones, vacuum cleaners, musical instruments, showers, toilets, children crying, pets barking, talking, and noise when friends come over. However, with SOUND MAISON, these noises can be largely eliminated.

Additionally, apartment buildings are often built along train tracks or major roads, meaning they are prone to noise from trains, cars, trucks, etc., and the shaking of the building when cars pass by. To address these noises, SOUND MAISON has double-glazed windows and installed soundproofing hoods on the ventilation fans. This further improves TEMPIO’s already high soundproofing. Furthermore, SOUND MAISON’s wall-type reinforced concrete construction is a construction method that makes the building extremely resistant to shaking, minimizing the effects of vibration disorders.

The basis of business is differentiation. If your product does not have some distinctive feature, you will be caught up in price competition. SOUND MAISON has come up with an answer to the most sought-after theme of “soundproofing” in apartment buildings: cast-in-place reinforced concrete construction + double-glazed windows + soundproofing hoods. By achieving soundproofing that cannot be replicated by other construction methods, we provide differentiation that leads to profitability.

 

         


Workflow

 

① Consultation (free)
Please contact us by phone or email. Please let us know the address of the site or potential site, your budget, the size of the building, your family composition, etc. We will confirm the approximate conditions by email or phone, and if our conditions seem to match, we will hold a meeting.

*The location of the meeting can be freely set at our head office, branch office, cafe, meeting space, your home, ZOOM, etc.

 

② Planning (fee required) *Please check our website for prices.
[One month after consultation]
If the conditions of both parties are met during the first face-to-face meeting, we will enter into a planning contract and create floor plans, elevations, perspective drawings, models, and rough estimates. We
will listen to your requests in detail and design an original building that matches your ideas.

 

③Detailed design (fees apply) *Please check our website for the price.
[3 months after consultation]
Once the plan is agreed upon, we will receive a detailed design contract and hold meetings with various authorities to draw up detailed drawings, estimate drawings, structural drawings, electrical equipment drawings, etc. At the same time, we will hold meetings to discuss the interior and exterior, electrical outlets, toilets, kitchens, etc.

④ Competitive quotations, confirmation application, etc.
[5 months after consultation]
Once the implementation drawings are ready, we will give them to each construction company and ask multiple companies to submit quotations.
At the same time, we will request an inspection agency to check whether the plan complies with the Building Standards Act and other local ordinances.

 

⑤ This contract
[6 months after consultation]
If you agree with the submitted estimate, we will enter into this contract and begin preparations for construction. The contract will be made in the form of a contract commonly used in the construction industry (the Private Seven Associations Joint Agreement Construction Contract). It is a
three-party contract, and the contract is made in the roles of owner, contractor, and supervisor. Our company will fulfill its responsibilities on-site as a supervisor.

 

⑥Construction commencement and ground-breaking ceremony

[7 months after consultation]
If everything goes smoothly after the contract is signed, construction will begin in 1-2 months. At the same time, a ground-breaking ceremony will be held to pray for the safety of the construction.

 

⑦Construction work
[7 to 15 months after consultation]
The construction period will vary depending on the scale, but for a three-story building with a total floor area of ​​about 100 tsubo (approx. 330 sq. m), it will take about eight months.

 

⑧ Inspection and handover
[15 months after consultation]
The property will be handed over once all inspections by the inspection agency, contractor, our company, and the owner are complete and any rework is completed. Depending on the work, we may need to continue making rework even after handover.

 

⑨One year inspection

[27 months after consultation]
One year after delivery, we will conduct a one-year inspection.
We will check that there are no problems with the building and repair any minor defects.


TEMPIO was born in the snow country of Toyama.

 

TEMPIO was born in the snowy country of Toyama.

Snowy Toyama has cold winters, and although the amount of snow has not increased as much as in the past in recent years, there are still heavy snowfalls several times a year.
In summer, depending on the föhn current, there are days when the temperature is the highest in Japan, so Toyama Prefecture has a climate with cold winters and hot summers. (In terms of average temperature, it is the same as Tokyo in summer and about -3°C lower than Tokyo in winter.)

TEMPIO was born in such a harsh climate with cold and high temperatures, and aimed to create a building that would be warm in winter and cool in summer.

You may have heard that reinforced concrete houses are cold in winter and hot in summer, but TEMPIO is different. Taking advantage of the heat storage properties of concrete, TEMPIO is a house that provides a more comfortable living environment than a wooden house. TEMPIO is a house that is more comfortable than the highly comfortable RC apartments.

Reinforced concrete houses are earthquake-resistant, fire-resistant, typhoon-resistant, termite-resistant, durable, and stylish in design! You’re interested in reinforced concrete houses, but you’re worried they’ll be cold in the winter! With TEMPIO, you don’t have to worry about that.

We have built many reinforced concrete houses in the snowy Toyama region. Based on that experience, we are confident in the comfort of our reinforced concrete houses, TEMPIO.

TEMPIO is a warm, high-performance home.

RC design studio Co., Ltd. is proud to deliver TEMPIO throughout Japan.

 


High-quality reinforced concrete homes for future generations

 

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