CHINA'S NEW ECO CITY

We are always thrilled to stumble across green building projects, Tianjin, originally a toxic dumping ground, is to be transformed into an entire eco city. What's great is that they have approached it very realistically with successful adoption in mind.  See below for more info:

Tianjin,  93 miles southeast from Beijing is a coastal port city undergoing an amazing transformation.
The site chosen for the project was an industrial dumping ground for toxic waste, barren salt flats abutting one of the world's most polluted seas. This was deliberate, says Ho Tong Yen, head of Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city Development and Investment, the firm charged with building the city. "In the past, so-called ecocities have been built in ecologically important areas or on useful arable land. We wanted to show that it's possible to clean up a polluted area and make it useful and liveable."

A green spine, called the “eco valley” runs through the heart of the city with cycle routes and a tram. Residents will be encouraged to use regular low-carbon transport or walk, rather than driving. Cars won't be banned, Ho says. "We don't want to create obstacles for people, but rather make it conducive to use alternatives." Niche designs that have focused blindly on eco-technologies have not worked, he thoughtfully says. "This eco-city will be practical – it will work."

Water provision is one of the bigger challenges in this naturally arid area. Tap water will be drinkable and piped in, although the city is planning a possible desalination plant too. A lot of effort is being put into conserving water and recycling it for irrigation and toilet flushing. "The lakes and water pipes have been lined in clay or concrete to prevent salt water incursion, and all waste water is being sent to plant for anaerobic biodigestion," says Ary de Koning of the EU-China River Basin Management Programme, who is advising the city on water issues. "The methane emitted in the digestion process is then used to produce energy," he says.
Read the full article here.

The designers involved here probably won't be sourcing from our boutique - in this instance - it's definitely more eco friendly for them to buy 'Made in China' :)