With "E" denoting the earth or the environment and the "U" standing for universal application, the E.U. House is almost identical in concept to Farglory's II-Generation Housing--an integrated solution of green building, digital residential security, and everlasting quality, similar to the "environmental symbolic housing" in Japan and the "sustainable building" in Western countries. All three concepts emphasize reducing environmental impact while constructing sturdy, safe, and comfortable buildings.

"Safety and comfort are the two basic requirements for residential housing. What we target is to help people pursue maximum comfort and safety at minimum cost while using natural resources sparingly," comments Farglory Chairman Chao Teng-hsiung.

According to Chao, a key issue to residential planning is environmental protection and energy conservation. "By designing for the future, it is pressing that we embrace natural resource conservation in both construction and usage right now--as in today."

Certified quality

For the cross-border collaboration, Chao led a delegation to visit the headquarters of Matsushita Electric Works Co. in June, joined by around 50 top executives and project managers from Farglory Group. During the event, Matsushita Group showcased its new living space concepts and detailed execution plans through a series of private seminars and meetings.

"It's the first time Matsushita Group opened its corporate training seminars to outsiders," said Chao, who stressed that Farglory was proud to have had the unique privilege to join Matsushita's internal activities.Farglory group is the first company to obtain Matsushita-issued certificates to install Panasonic electric appliances throughout its construction projects.

The training program designed under the theme of E.U. House covers seven sub-topics: universal use, environmental conservation, energy saving, digitalization, contamination-resistance, safety, and health. Detailed execution plans include dual-line power supply systems, healthy sleep-inducing systems, intercom systems, and digitally-controlled home appliances, as well as environment-friendly building materials, among others.

Farglory will be the first in the world to fully apply Matsushita Group's E.U. House concept to residential buildings, from interior design to public facilities, pushing Taiwan to the forefront of eco-friendly housing design and construction.

Strategic alliances

In the pursuit of better living environments, Farglory has teamed up with several partners for key development projects. The Broadband World and Optical Community projects brought efficient and speedy Internet connectivity throughout residential communities while Remote Control Home Security enhanced safety and security. Wall-less Campus will make digital books available at community libraries and the Bio-Identification Home Security System will provide residents keyless entry to their homes. The Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system will automatically allow cars through designated gates and parking lots inside the community.

Every project is in partnership with the leading company of each field; including Chunghwa Telecom, TWNIC, Far Eastern Communications, Japan's Hitachi and others. Among these, Matsushita's E.U. House project is by far the most comprehensive partnership.

One overriding advantage of a wide-ranging cooperation, according to Chao, is maximum cost efficiency. According to Farglory estimates, consumers will save 10-20 percent off retail on a full set of Panasonic home electric appliances.

While cost control is important, Chao stressed that "what we are most concerned about is not price, but the value of housing amid the global green trend."