The Japanese Stainless Steel Association (JSSA) has entered into a 3yr program designed to expand the use of long lasting nickel containing stainless steel in residential high-rise piping systems throughout the country. The advantage of the all stainless steel piping system is that the plumbing systems in high rise buildings will last longer and require fewer repairs, thanks to the durability and corrosion resistance of stainless steel. JSSA proposed this program in response to a report tabled in May 2007 by the Housing and Land Investigation Committee of the then governing Liberal Democratic Party of Japan. According to the report, titled 200 Year Housing Vision, the average apartment building in Japan lasts only 30 years, compared with 55 years for American homes and 77 for English ones. The short lifespan is an economic burden for residents as well as a hindrance to conservation efforts. The report urges the housing industry to adopt, as its goal, an average lifespan for all residential housing (including high-rise buildings) of 200 years. It suggests that piping systems in shared areas be considered part of the whole skeleton of the residential structure. This concept calls for the installation of durable, stainless steel valves, reducing the need for repairs and expanding the life of the entire piping system. Future high rises will be characterized by energy conservation, harmony with the surrounding environment, earthquake resistance, and regular and easy maintenance.
