Japan Firms Sign AI Building Management Agreement

Tokyo, Japan — Four Japanese companies signed an agreement in August 2025 to collaborate on building management systems using artificial intelligence, according to statements released Friday.

Tokyu Fudosan Co., Ltd., Tokyu Community Corp., SoftBank Corp., and SynapSpark Inc. plan to conduct trials at an office building in Tokyo, beginning in 2026.

The trials are expected to evaluate systems for cleaning, security, and energy management functions at Shibuya Solasta.

The companies have conducted trials at Tokyo Portcity Takeshiba since 2023.

At that building, garbage collection operations resulted in a 47-minute reduction in daily work time and a 65 percent reduction in collection frequency when bins were monitored with sensors that send alerts at 70 percent capacity, according to the companies.

Floor cleaning operations using robots resulted in a reduction of 1,966 minutes per day across the cleaning staff, according to the statement.

Restroom cleaning based on usage data rather than fixed schedules resulted in a 240-minute daily reduction, the companies said.

The garbage collection changes resulted in the elimination of approximately 20,000 garbage bags per year, which the companies said equals roughly 2 tons of carbon dioxide.

The Shibuya Solasta trials will test whether similar results can be achieved in a building of a different size and with different equipment.

The planned trials will use Internet of Things sensors to monitor garbage levels and restroom usage. Security cameras will record occupancy numbers and movements.

Artificial intelligence will be used to analyze the data.

Security cameras will be analyzed by AI to detect items, entry into restricted areas, and certain behaviors, the statement said.

The system will send notifications to security personnel or security robots, according to the companies.

Energy systems will utilize AI to control air conditioning and ventilation based on occupancy and weather conditions, the companies stated.

Tokyu Fudosan will provide facilities and data, the statement said. Tokyu Community will provide management expertise.

SoftBank will provide the operating system platform and AI technology. SynapSpark will provide design and construction expertise, according to the companies.

The companies plan to expand to additional Tokyu Fudosan properties after 2027, based on the results from the two buildings.

The companies stated that they are examining the development of the technology for use in other buildings and for managing multiple buildings.

According to the companies, the initiative addresses labor shortages, operational costs, and carbon reduction requirements.