TOKYO >> A new wooden building completed in July at Sophia University’s Yotsuya campus in Tokyo was part of the university’s decarbonization efforts.

The three-story building is designed to attract the attention of passersby with dramatic crisscross timbers, made from domestically sourced cedar and larch, that cover the entire structure.

The building houses a cafe on the first floor, and four classrooms on the second and third floors can accommodate 40 to 50 people. The classrooms will be used mainly as lecture spaces for companies and their employees.

According to builder Sumitomo Forestry Co., it was able to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 20% during the construction process with the use of reinforced concrete.

“We want to promote the further use of wood construction at urban universities,” said a company official.