Teikyo University Hachioji Campus

Teikyo University's Hachioji Campus has undergone a series of modernization projects to establish a model for a smart, sustainable campus. New and refurbished buildings combine diverse learning spaces with environmentally responsible design. A highlight is the recently completed Academic Exchange Center. Bright colors, clean lines and extensive glass curtain walls give it a youthful character and bring in natural light; at night it resembles a beacon of knowledge. Open stairs connect learning spaces on different floors, with discussion areas, maker spaces and advanced laboratories supporting interdisciplinary collaboration. Landscape improvements include an enlarged central lawn, shaded paths and ecological ponds that serve both recreation and environmental education. Smart energy management, renewable energy such as solar panels, and rainwater irrigation move the campus toward carbon neutrality. The renewal brings new vitality to a traditional university setting, improves the learning environment and demonstrates a vision for sustainable higher-education facilities.

Design Concept and Features

A Student-Centered Learning Community:The renewal focuses on interaction and exchange. The new Academic Exchange Center replaces enclosed classroom corridors with transparent, open learning areas. Shared study spaces around the atrium on every floor provide comfortable seating and whiteboards for spontaneous discussions. Open stairs and double-height spaces create views between floors, making activities visible and strengthening the sense of community. The building becomes a large learning landscape reflecting the idea of the campus as a community. Outdoors, terraced lawns and semi-outdoor platforms follow the terrain and accommodate small lectures and club activities, connecting formal teaching with informal learning throughout the campus.

A Smart, Sustainable Campus:IoT sensors monitor classroom occupancy, carbon dioxide and temperature, adjusting air conditioning and fresh-air systems to balance indoor air quality and energy use. Solar panels and ground-source heat pumps supply renewable energy. Expanded rain gardens and bioretention ponds reduce drainage loads and provide research opportunities for environmental engineering students. Low-emission, recyclable local materials are used, and concrete and bricks from demolished buildings are reused in landscape paving. An integrated platform coordinates energy, security and maintenance, bringing together digital management and environmental performance.

Leadfu's One-Stop Integrated Services

We provided planning and construction services for the campus renewal, focusing on the Academic Exchange Center's curtain wall and building-services integration. Full-height glass creates openness, while high-performance Low-E glass and exterior motorized louvers reduce summer heat gain. Connected to the building management system, the curtain wall's louvers and switchable glass respond to sensor data to maintain comfort and efficiency. We also integrated photovoltaic panels into the roof and selected facade areas, designing dedicated supports to preserve the appearance and optimizing wiring for future maintenance. We coordinated embedded services and interior finishing so that IoT equipment, including smart whiteboards and environmental-control panels, fitted neatly into the walls. Our integrated approach brought the enclosure, building services and smart systems together for effective construction and operation.

Spatial Planning and Facade Design

• Integrated Functions:The Academic Exchange Center includes a themed library, innovation workshops and interdisciplinary laboratories for exploratory learning. The refurbished student center provides a 24-hour study area and student startup incubation space. Convertible partitions allow the gymnasium to host lectures and community events. Teikyo Plaza on the campus axis supports everyday student activities and major ceremonies, including graduation, strengthening the campus community.
• Energy-Efficient Facade:New buildings combine ventilated double-skin curtain walls with operable windows for natural cooling and fresh air. High-level windows use shading and light tubes to bring daylight deep into rooms, reducing the need for daytime electric lighting. Centralized louver control and occupancy-responsive lighting provide intelligent light management, reducing electricity use by more than 30% compared with conventional design.
• Sustainability and Innovation: The campus received the highest rating under Japan's CASBEE green-building assessment. Rainwater recovery reaches 50%, and renewable energy provides 20% of electricity. A Living Lab approach makes the campus itself a teaching resource: engineering students analyze real-time energy data, while environmental studies students monitor biodiversity in ecological ponds. This approach connects teaching and design and provides an example for other institutions.

The modernization has transformed Teikyo University's Hachioji Campus into an advanced, sustainable and student-centered smart campus. Its open spaces for innovation and environmental responsibility improve educational quality and demonstrate the university's commitment to society, setting a new reference for higher-education facilities in Japan and beyond.