The Iwate prefectural government held a “Green ILC Seminar” in Morioka on February 12th, about eco-friendly construction methods and operational policies. Around 90 people from around Iwate and the rest of the country attended to think about how to use renewable energy at the ILC as well as how we should use Iwate lumber to build the facility.

Professor emeritus Masakazu Yoshioka of KEK (Japan’s High Energy Accelerator Research Organization) talked about the energy supply to the ILC. “Per year, the ILC would use less than 0.9% of the current amount of electricity being sold in all of Tohoku. We would be able to supply that through renewable energy.” He also suggested using waste heat from the ILC for agricultural use.

He also said that the facility buildings should be made out of wood, using Iwate lumber, and that this construction should be carried out and overseen by local businesses. “I hope that industry, academia, and government in the candidate site area join together to create a community where it is easy for researchers to form ties with the local people.”

Director Sadayoshi Hirai of NTT Facilities Solutions’ Business Department is in charge of regional development at the Advanced Accelerator Association (Tokyo), so he talked about his concept for community development. Western cities with a large science/academic base and large IT companies tend to put a lot of importance in harmony with nature, so “Iwate will be able put its rich natural environment to use. We will be able to use the world’s most advanced technology and knowledge to develop towns for the next generation.”

There were also presentations by businesses on their initiatives to get involved with the ILC and technology that could be used on the project.