Tianjin Eco-City underway
Located an hour away from Beijing in the Binhai area, Tianjin has a long history as a port city and a commercial city. Its 11 million people are know to be strong in industry, and the government has spent a lot of time and energy in creating it as a financial services hub as well (helps with Hu Jin Tao calling Tianjin home).
As a means to catalyze its cleanup, Tianjin has made a few announcements that would lead us to beleive that it is a city in the midst of a transformation. It main economic zone (Tianjin Economic Development Area) lined its streets with LED bulbs, it moved all the chemical parks out of the city to the south of the city, and it has recently partnered with the Singaporian government to create an “eco-city”
The project will be developed in three stages over the next three to five years by the proposed Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co Ltd (SSTEC Investment & Development).
Stage One occupies a land area of approximately 110 hectares, one third of the size of the SUA. It is the template for the development of the Tianjin Eco-City and will comprise of residential developments, a commercial sub-centre and a business park. There will also be amenities such as schools, clinics, recreational facilities, shopping malls and parks.
The main focus in on on energy efficiency and eco-solutions to ensure the effective and efficient recycling of refuse, sewerage and wastewater as well as the practical use of renewable energy, will be integrated.
A convenient light rail system, smart road designs and well-connected walk paths will ensure an eco-friendly transportation network to reduce the use of private cars.
Where I am holding my breath a bit on this though, is that I have recently spent quite a bit of time in the area of Tianjin, and the city has a very serious air quality issue - particularly near the port and in the areas along the Binhai Bay where the dirtiest industries have been moved.
Keeping in mind It will take more than a couple hundred hecters to fulfill “eco-city” standards, where I am encouraged is that this project will become a model for others. The previous partnerhsip between Singapore and China at this level led to the development of the Suzhou Industrial Park, one of China’s most prosperous and clean, and with Singapore being a “fine city”, I believe that they will have the power to influence cleaner greener advances going forward.
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