OCT 12

It's going to take 10 to 15 years to build but when it's completed, China's vision of an eco city will be a model of sustainability or at the very least ease some of the constraints of the migration of millions of residents from rural areas to urban centers.

Many countries are trying to make eco cities in limited spaces. Dubai has its version of a self-sufficient city of the future using the ancient temples of Mesopotamia as a guide.

China's model city, which had a groundbreaking last week in Tianjin, with the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao and a senior government representative from Singapore, is a joint project between the two Asian countries. Since July, the city-to-be has been under construction of the infrastructure bones from its pipelines to telecommunication facilities in its inner city site.

The commercial building part of the city will kick off next year and all the buildings will incorporate renewable-energy technologies. The eco-city is going to be 40 km from downtown Tianjin and 150 km from Beijing and will rise from saline land.

The eco-city, to be built on a salt flat of about 30 square kilometers, is the second such joint project by the two governments after the Suzhou Industrial Park in east China's Jiangsu Province. The 2,000 residents who were currently living in what authorities called “wasted space”--low quality salt flats in a water scarce area unsuitable for agriculture have been relocated to Tianjin.

The seawater will be desalinated and rain recycling will provide the water supply needed for the 350,000 residents of the city when it's completed. The $6.75 billion US project will rely on 90 per cent public transportation but Chinese authorities haven't limited the number of cars allowed. Some vague claims about renewable energy have also been made, but it doesn't sound like this eco-city is going to be free from China's coal-powered future any time soon.

Via: Straits Times, The Property Report in Asia and China Daily

Comments (5)

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written by GGTD, October 13, 2008

To me it seems like a cost of $20 (USD)/person to build the city is a reasonable price. I wonder how much a typical area in China that homes 350,000 people would cost. I'm guessing less, but by how much?

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JP
written by Joe, October 13, 2008

I detect a small dose of cynicism re Chinese efforts on the environment. The fact is China is way in front of the US and Europe on most environmental fronts. The central government does things on such a scale that it almost beggers belief. Can I suggest an article be prepared on just how many astonishing environmental managment actions are taking place in China? particularly the start ups.

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Tianjin--why no solar, wind?
written by Marcia, October 16, 2008

Can someone explain why the Chinese (Indians, Iranians, ...) aren't looking to major wind and solar instead of coal?

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Math
written by ....., October 16, 2008

20,000 per person

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Solar and Wind
written by Carl, May 17, 2009

Marcia, The Chinese are making one of the largest solar thermal heat generators near Beijing, and this Eco City will be using Solar power as well as wind power. Not sure about the Indians or Iranians though. Coal will be burned for the foreseeable future I'm afraid, it's how most in the country side stay warm in the winter among other things.

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