TOKYO —Toshiba Group clinched two awards at Japan’s Good Design Award 2021, the annual awards sponsored by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion to honor good design and product quality. The award-winning products are the traction energy storage system for railway with SCiB™ and the HAORI inverter air conditioner. The product submissions were joint entries by Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) (hereinafter “Toshiba”) and Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation (hereinafter “TISS”), and Toshiba and Toshiba Carrier Corporation (hereinafter “TCC”), respectively.
The same products also secured distinctions at the iF Design Award earlier this year. Toshiba Group’s recognition in both prestigious product design awards reaffirms the Group’s commitment to high quality and excellent standards in user-centric designs.
Comments from the Good Design Jury on Toshiba’s winning products:
1. Traction energy storage system for railway with SCiB™ – joint application by Toshiba and TISS
This regenerative power storage system for railways, the interface for important social infrastructure invisible to the general public, was created through collaboration between engineers and designers, and engages with new issues for B2B products and services. At a time when hiring young engineers is becoming difficult, and the number of skilled engineers working in the field is decreasing, the developers listened closely to opinions from the workplace, and are to be commended for advocating the importance of creating an interface that even inexperienced engineers will find easy to use.
2. HAORI inverter air conditioner – joint application by Toshiba and TCC
To realize air-conditioners that complement interior spaces, the body and the cover were separated, and the structure of the housing reconsidered. The finish is simple, with a fabric cover that can be changed to coordinate with the room. In addition, full consideration was paid to the appearance of the flaps after operation, a source of noise other than the cover. We evaluated this proposal of a new way to combine equipment with fabric and make it part of the interior.
About The Good Design Award
Established in 1957, Good Design Award is Japan’s leading commendation system. Eligible for wide range of works including products, architecture, application and software, projects and initiatives that utilize design and more. Through this system, many people come in contact with “good design” and appreciate their value. The recognition rate of the award is 84%*, with its familiar symbol, G-Mark.
*According to the latest survey by Japan Institute of Design Promotion in 2020.
About Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
Toshiba leads a global group of companies that combines knowledge and capabilities from over 140 years of experience in a wide range of businesses—from energy and social infrastructure to electronic devices—with world-class capabilities in information processing, digital and AI technologies. These distinctive strengths support Toshiba’s continued evolution toward becoming an Infrastructure Services Company that promotes data utilization and digitization, and one of the world’s leading cyber-physical-systems technology companies. Guided by the Basic Commitment of the Toshiba Group, “Committed to People, Committed to the Future,” Toshiba contributes to society’s positive development with services and solutions that lead to a better world. The Group and its 120,000 employees worldwide secured annual sales surpassing 3.1 trillion yen (US$27.5 billion) in fiscal year 2020. Find out more about Toshiba at www.global.toshiba/ww/outline/corporate.html
About TISS (Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation)
TISS is the core company promoting Toshiba Group’s business in social infrastructure. Split off from Toshiba Corporation in 2017, TISS and its group companies promote realization of reliable products and systems for a sustainable future that is safe and secure, and seeks to improve value for customers with solutions for social and industrial infrastructure, buildings and facilities.
About TCC (Toshiba Carrier Corporation)
TCC is a Japan-based air-conditioning joint venture between Toshiba Corporation and Carrier Global Corporation. As a global heat pump solution company, TCC is committed to responding to customer needs by offering excellent products, systems, and services, all featuring our signature heat-application solutions.
