Tianjin Eco-City (Tianjin - China)
Tianjin Eco-City (Tianjin - China)
Tianjin Eco-City is an eco-city joint project between the Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co., Ltd. (SSTEC) and the Chinese and Singapore governments. The vision of the project is underpinned by three harmonies and three abilities. The harmonies address the social, economy, and environment aspects. The abilities address affordability, replicability and scalability.
The new Eco-city site is located 40 km from Tianjin city centre and 150 km from Beijing city centre. It is located within the Tianjin Binhai New Area, one of the fastest growing regions in China. Tianjin Binhai New Area is in turn located in the Bohai Bay region (which covers Beijing, Tianjin and part of the Hebei Province), which has been identified as the next growth engine in China, after the Pearl River delta and the Yangtze River delta. The Eco-City is highly accessible from key cities and industrial districts in the region via major highways, railways, air routes, and shipping lines. The city has a total land area of 30 km2 and it is planned for a population of 350,000 people. The forecast is to develop the Eco-city over 10-15 years. The start-up area is completed since end-2013. Since 2007, the site has been contaminated with mercury, DDT, and wastewater. The Chinese government’s intention was that Tianjin becomes an Eco-City Model for all urban spaces in China because almost all cities in China suffer from smog and pollution.
The innovative aspects of this project are associated with its three abilities: Practicable - the technologies adopted in the Eco-city must be affordable and commercially viable; Replicable - the principles and models of the Eco-city can be applied to other cities in China and even in other countries; Scalable - the principles and modes can be adapted for another project or development of a different scale.
There are some risks associated to the initiative, like the possibility of it to turn into an empty city (a “ghost city”), some project management risks, the project’s cost and financing, affordability and social inclusion, public versus public interests, new city planning risks, and the integration of resources (transports, communication, governance, water and waste systems, etc.). But overall it is a very valuable initiative, as it creates an environmental culture, encourages innovation and environmental sustainability, and promotes social harmony.
Sources:
http://www.hitachi.com/csr/highlight/2011/act1102/
http://www.tianjineco-city.com/en/index.aspx
Improved solid waste management;
Improved Water management;
Improved Energy management.
Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co., Ltd. (SSTEC) (master developer), Chinese Government (investor and planning), Singapore Government (investor and planning).
- Achieve environmental targets;
- Attract global investment, jobs and talent;
- To be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable;
- To be replicable;
- To be practicable;
- To be scalable.
Eco-City Model; Master Plan; Key Performance Indicators (KPIs); Eco-technologies.
The Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City project is about deploying a sustainable city that fully fits all environment requirements. The city is creating a vibrant economy where residents have a good quality of life and live in harmony with the environment. The city is being developed with cutting edge technologies and iconic buildings.
Some of the measurable results from this initiative are clean water (100% potable tap water, 50% non-traditional resource, 0% loss of natural wetland), clean environment (100% green building, >90% green trips by 2020, >60% overall recycling rate), and clean energy (>20% renewable energy use, 100% coverage). But there are more benefits resulting from this project, like reduced carbon emissions, more green spaces, waste treatment, internet coverage, affordable public housing, renewable energies, and building a R&D scientists and engineers workforce.