Start of Service for Condominiums that Makes Electric Power Usage Visible by Intercom
-Supports Operation of Management Associations by Upgrade the Buildings to Smart Condominiums-

TOKYO, Japan - April 23, 2014 - ORIX Electric Power Corporation, a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation, today announced that it has started offering a service for condominium and apartment residents that makes visible their electricity usage by means of displays on their condominium intercoms. This service is a new feature of MEMS (Mansion Energy Management System).

ORIX Electric Power provides a Bulk Electric Power Purchasing Service by which it purchases affordably priced, high-voltage bulk electric power from power companies, and then redistributes it as low-voltage power to customers residing in condominiums and apartments. This service results in lower charges for customers on their electricity bills. In April 2013, ORIX Electric Power was adopted as a MEMS aggregator in connection with a government program to promote acceleration of the introduction of smart condominiums and apartments, which is being promoted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Since September 2013, ORIX Electric Power has been providing the EneVista service to promote efficient energy use and reasonable power conservation at condominiums with smart meters. ORIX Electric Power has installed smart meters free of charge in all condominiums and apartments that have adopted the Bulk Electric Power Purchasing Service.

This new EneVista feature is a service that displays electricity usage and weather information for customers over the condominium intercom connected to the Internet. This service has so far been provided by a dedicated members-only website of ORIX Electric Power. Through this means, ORIX Electric Power supports the energy conservation measures of customers by enabling them to easily confirm their electric power usage by displaying each home's usage at 30-minute intervals.

It is normally assumed that an intercom, which is a shared utility of a condominium's management association, will be replaced every 10 to 15 years or so as a long-term improvement project of the building. Currently, a subsidy is available from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to provide one-third of the costs of installing this new type of intercom that can make visible the electricity usage. The Ministry wants to promote the acceleration of the introduction of smart condominiums by enabling the management associations to adopt the new intercom with reduced expenses for its installation.

Looking ahead, ORIX Electric Power will provide the Bulk Electric Power Purchasing Service and other services that contribute to reducing the costs of the condominium management association, and also contribute to the spread of smart condominiums.

■Images of intercom screens
 

■ Overview of EneVista service
(1) Customers study and select the optimum electricity tariff based on their actual usage
Customers in condominiums and apartments can check their electricity bills on the Internet and also study and select the optimum electricity tariff for them based on their actual electricity usage in the past.
(2) Making electricity usage visible in real time by using smart meters
The amount of electricity consumed is made visible in real time in 30-minute intervals by the installation of smart meters in each residence.
(3) Support of electricity conservation by a power conservation points service
ORIX Electric Power provides electricity conservation points to customers who cooperate by conserving electricity during time periods* designated by ORIX Electric Power. Customers can then use these points to receive discounts on their electricity bills.
　　
* The time periods are periods when supplies are tight at power companies, and when there is peak demand for electricity. ORIX Electric Power sends emails with details about these time-period requests for electricity conservation to email addresses registered by customers.

Contact Information
ORIX Corporation, Corporate Planning Department
TEL : +81-3-3435-3121 / Fax : +81-3-3435-3154
URL : http://www.orix.co.jp/grp/en/

About ORIX
ORIX Corporation (TSE: 8591; NYSE: IX) is a financial services group which provides innovative products and services to its customers by constantly pursuing new businesses. Established in 1964, from its start in the leasing business, ORIX has advanced into neighboring fields and at present has expanded into lending, investment, life insurance, banking, asset management, automobile related, real estate and environment and energy related businesses. Since entering Hong Kong in 1971, ORIX has spread its businesses globally by establishing locations in 35 countries and regions across the world. ORIX celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2014 and moving forward it aims to contribute to society while continuing to capture new business opportunities and sustain growth by promoting acceleration of its corporate strategy "Finance + Services." For more details, please visit our website: http://www.orix.co.jp/grp/en/