The Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city is the result of a collaborative agreement between the governments of China and Singapore to jointly develop a socially harmonious, environmentally friendly and resource-conserving city in China.
Overview
Designed to be practical, replicable and scalable, the Tianjin Eco-city will demonstrate the determination of both countries in tackling environmental protection, resource and energy conservation, and sustainable development, and serve as a model for sustainable development for other cities in China. The Singaporean government formed a Ministerial Committee in 2011 in order to improve the coordination and support among its agencies for the project – reportedly a sign of the importance of the project to Singapore.
Population
When fully developed in the early-to-mid 2020s, the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city will be home to about 350,000 residents.
Location
The Eco-city site is located 40 km from downtown Tianjin and 150 km from Beijing. The site is 10 km from the core district of the Tianjin Binhai New Area, with the southern tip of the site only a 10-minute drive from the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area. The Eco-city is sited on non-arable land. Prior to development, the site of the Eco-city was one-third saltpan, one-third deserted beach, and one-third water, including a 270-hectare wastewater pond.
Key features
Green spaces will be interspersed throughout the city. Located in an area of low rainfall, the Eco-city will draw a significant part of its water supply from nontraditional sources such as desalinated water. Integrated waste management will be implemented in the Eco-city, with particular emphasis on the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste. A light-rail transit system, supplemented by a secondary network of trams and buses, will be the main mode of transportation in the Eco-city. This will help to reduce its carbon emissions. Social harmony will be a key feature of the Eco-city. An important instrument to achieve this will be subsidized public housing in the Eco-city, which will help to meet the housing needs of the lower and lower-middle income strata of society, and enable people of different income and social strata to live near to, and interact with, one another. The Eco-city will be barrier-free to cater to the needs of the elderly and the mobility-impaired. Public social and recreational facilities will be located within easy access of homes to meet residents’ needs and provide opportunities for residents to interact. The development of the Eco-city will respect local heritage. The profile of the Ji Canal, which is 1,000 years old, will be retained. Two existing villages within the Eco-city site will also be conserved through adaptive reuse or partial rebuilding.
There is a set of 26 Key Performance Indicators for the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city. In formulating these KPIs, reference is made to national standards in China and Singapore, as well as international standards. Some of the KPIs are listed below. The development of the start-up area and the entire Eco-city is targeted for completion by 2013 and 2020 respectively, and so reference is made to these years in the KPIs:
Ambient Air Quality - The air quality in the Eco-city should meet at least China’s National Ambient Air Quality Grade II Standard for at least 310 days per year.
Quality of Water from Taps - Water from all taps should be potable.
Carbon Emission Per Unit GDP - The carbon emission per unit GDP in the Eco-city should not exceed 150 ton-C per US$1 million.
Proportion of Green Buildings - All buildings in the Eco-city should meet green building standards.
Green Transportation - At least 90% of trips within the Eco-city should be in the form of "green trips" by 2020.
Barrier-Free Accessibility - The Eco-city should have 100% barrier-free access.
Proportion of Affordable Public Housing - At least 20% of housing in the Eco-city will consist of subsidized public housing by 2013.
Usage of Renewable Energy - Renewable energy should account for at least 15% of the energy utilized in the Eco-city by 2020. Possible sources of renewable energy for the Eco-city include geothermal energy, hydropower and solar power.
Usage of Water from Nontraditional Sources - At least 50% of the Eco-city’s water supply will be from nontraditional sources such as desalination and recycled water by 2020.
Jobs to be generated in the Eco-city - Sufficient jobs should be generated for at least 50% of the Eco-city’s residents within the Eco-city who are employable, to minimize the need for them to commute on a daily basis from their home to their workplace.
Master plan
The master plan of Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city was jointly developed by the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, the Tianjin Urban Planning and Design Institute, and the Singapore planning team led by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore. The intention is for development to take place around a central core of conserved ecological wetlands and rehabilitated water bodies. The main center of the Eco-city will be located on the southern bank of a historic thousand-year-old river course, which has been planned for a variety of uses, including commercial, cultural and recreational ones. A comprehensive green transport network, i.e., nonmotorized and public transport, will be developed in the Eco-city. A light rail transit system will serve as the main mode of transport. Commercial subcenters will be in each of the suburban areas to provide employment opportunities for the residents and reduce their need for commuting. There will be dedicated service industry parks, university and hospital sites in the Eco-city, which will contribute to the long-term economic vibrancy of the city in a sustainable manner.
Groundbreaking ceremony
The groundbreaking ceremony of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city was held on 28 September 2008. Singapore Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao officiated at the event, signifying the beginning of construction work on the Eco-city.
