〒231-0007
Yokohama Kanagawa
Japan
Overview
Completed in March 2022, the Obayashi Yokohama Training Centre, known as Port Plus, is Japan’s first fully timber, fire-resistant high-rise, designed as both a training facility and a symbol of the Obayashi Corporation’s commitment to sustainable innovation. The 11-story, 44-meter-tall building fosters a corporate culture centred on wellness, openness, and sustainability. Importantly, the project reduces its carbon footprint by using domestically sourced timber and by achieving “ZEB Ready” (Net Zero Energy Building Ready) performance, which cuts energy use by more than half compared to typical similar buildings.
Project team
Structure
Port Plus uses a hybrid timber structural system combining laminated veneer lumber (LVL) columns and beams with cross-laminated timber (CLT) floors and walls. The structure employs rigid timber joint units without steel connectors, improving seismic resilience while streamlining construction. A key innovation is Obayashi’s O·Mega Wood (FR), a proprietary fire-resistant timber system that achieves up to three hours of fire resistance, setting new safety standards for tall timber buildings. Beyond its engineering achievements, the timber structure stores biogenic carbon, reducing embodied emissions by about 1,700 tonnes of CO₂ compared to an equivalent steel-and-concrete building, and supports Japan’s national goal of forestry revitalization by using domestic wood.
Exterior
The building’s exterior celebrates the natural warmth and beauty of timber, presenting a wooden façade that blends modernity with tradition. This material choice is not just aesthetic; it reduces embodied carbon, supports the use of renewable resources, and aligns with Japan’s 2050 carbon neutrality targets. The façade also contributes to passive environmental performance by integrating natural shading and thermal regulation, helping lower operational energy demands. The building has acquired “ZEB Ready” certification in recognition of its superior environmental performance.
Interior
Inside, Port Plus offers open, naturally lit spaces with exposed timber surfaces, creating a calm and biophilic environment that supports employee wellness and collaboration. The natural wood reduces the need for synthetic finishes, further lowering carbon emissions and improving indoor air quality. The building integrates Obayashi’s proprietary WellnessBOX system into its accommodation facilities for trainees, which monitors occupants’ vital signs and adjusts environmental controls in real time to enhance comfort and health. These sustainability measures contributed to the facility achieving LEED v4 BD+C (Hospitality) Gold certification, the highest ‘WELL Health-System Certification’ rank of platinum and the highest WELL Health-
Safety Rating, underscoring its holistic commitment to environmental and human health standards.
