Elsevier

Habitat International

Volume 53, April 2016, Pages 78-86
Habitat International

Eco-cities, governance and sustainable lifestyles: The case of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2015.11.004Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Eco-cities have moved to the fore in thinking on urban sustainable development.

  • Chinese eco-city development is a top-down governance initiative.

  • Sustainable lifestyles are designed via infrastructure and equipment which may be redundant or used in inappropriate ways.

  • The first systematic data of the environmental impacts of the lifestyle decisions.

Abstract

In this paper we argue that to analyse the eco-development process we need to explore it as a whole, from design, through delivery and then to how these developments influence the behaviour of the people who live and work in eco-developments. At each stage of the development process it is important to analyse and understand what key actors understand by the term ‘eco’ (resource efficiency of land and materials), how they understand the institutional, economic, social and communicative mechanisms to effectively produce ‘eco’ developments and ‘green economy’, and what learning opportunities exist to promote positive ecological and competitiveness ideas. Perhaps, because so little is known, the greatest need of all is to analyse how the new residents of eco-cities are living their lives and whether or not they are more environmentally friendly than before. In this paper we provide empirical data on those who have moved to the most profile eco-development in China, the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City. The data reveals that whilst the habits of some residents are sympathetic to the environment, other parts of their lifestyle – linked to comfort and convenience – are not. Moreover, the aspirations of the residents for an increasingly middle class lifestyle mean that resource use could be even higher in the future. This is a highly significant finding both for those engaged in academic debates on eco-development and for policy makers and practitioners involved in the development of eco-cities.

Section snippets

Introduction: cities and sustainability

As a result of global and regional processes of urbanisation, cities are becoming ever more important to a growing number of people, and as cities grow their influence over their hinterlands continues to expand. In the newly industrialising countries in particular cities are at the fulcrum of the potentialities and tensions between economic, sustainable and well-being development. Key functions of cities relate to economic, social and environmental dimensions. According to Ravetz (2000, p. 9)

Cities and development: the case of China

In any analysis of cities and development, China deserves special attention. It has 20% of the global population, has gone through a period of rapid economic growth, makes a large and ever growing contribution to global demand for resources (and contribution to greenhouse gas emissions), and has a large number of major cities that are growing rapidly in wealth and population (Lang & Miao, 2013). The Chinese context, therefore, provides a basis for exploring how acute environmental challenges

Governance reforms

There are obvious signs of a new agenda emerging at central government level with regard to integrating ecological dimensions more firmly into the regional urbanisation and planning processes (e.g. the renamed Ministry of Housing, Urban and Rural Development (formerly the Ministry of Construction); and the emerging agenda of the Chinese Society for Urban Studies). In addition a China Eco-city Research Council has been established (July, 2009) by the Ministry to progress multidisciplinary

Green use and behaviour change: standards, indicators and lifestyles

In the Sino Singapore Tianjin Eco-City, standards and indicators make assumptions about people's choices regarding life and work styles. In the development, key standards relate to buildings. In recent years the national government has issued a series of regulations and standards. The Chinese Ministry of Construction formulated the Evaluation Standard of Green Buildings (GB/T 50378-2006) in 2006. Part 4 gives detailed criteria for green residential buildings, including energy saving, water

Methodology

SSTEC is located in a national development pole with good access to Beijing and Shanghai. Tianjin is densely populated and has a population of over 12 million. The development is being promoted to middle class aspirants and commuters to Beijing. The label of ‘eco’ is hoped to attract a price premium and become a feature of place marketing. The wider city-region is dominated by export oriented and heavy industry and has been termed an ‘entrepreneurial state’ (Duckett, 1996, Duckett, 2006).

Results

The results are organised around three themes. The first looks at the reasons why new residents moved to the SSTEC. The second looks at issues of mobility. The third covers energy use. Together these three themes provide a clear overview of the emerging lifestyles of those who are living in the eco-city, how they may differ from their previous lifestyles, and whether or not their lifestyles are sympathetic to the ambitions of the SSTEC.

Conclusions

There have been longstanding efforts to make our urban areas more environmentally friendly. Recently, eco-cities have moved to the fore in thinking on urban development because they seem to suggest a means by which urban dwellers can have the benefits of city living (employment, culture, recreation and consumption) without the negative environmental consequences (air and water pollution, noise, waste, flooding) associated with the city. Interest in more eco-friendly forms of development has

Acknowledgements

Chun Chen would like to thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China for their support (Grant No. 41201178).

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