Planning for population growth
Dongtan plans to lead other Chinese cities to confront the challenges of rapid urbanisation and population growth, recognising that food consumption, water, travel and freight, energy use and waste management are all intrinsically linked.
Connectivity
Dongtan will provide a combination of cycle-paths, pedestrian routes and varied modes of public transport, with plans to develop innovative technologies such as solar powered water taxis or hydrogen fuel-cell buses. Visitors will park their high-emission cars outside the city and use public transport within it. A rail link adjacent to the city will connect commuters to Shanghai.
Energy
The main priority is to reduce consumption. Buildings will be oriented to make best use of wind and sun and will use high levels of insulation, which will save an estimated 350,000 tons of CO2 emissions a year.
The city aims to run entirely on renewable energy, with an innovative plan to build local cogeneration plants fuelled by rice husks to generate 65 % of energy. A further 30% of the required energy will come from wind and 5% from solar sources. Electricity will also be generated within buildings using photovoltaic cells and micro wind turbines.
The area is currently a wildlife sanctuary and staging post for migratory birds
Waste
Dongtan will recover, recycle and reuse 90% of all waste, with the eventual aim of becoming a zero waste city. There will be no landfill in the city and human sewage will be processed for energy recovery, irrigation and composting.
Ecological Management
The delicate nature of the Dongtan wetlands for migrating birds and wildlife has been one of the driving factors of the city's design. In order to prevent pollutants (light, sound, emissions and water discharges) reaching the adjacent wetland areas, Arup intends to return farming land to a wetland state and thereby creating a 'buffer-zone' (minimum 3.5 kilometres wide) between the city and the mudflats.
It is intended that the city be entirely self-sufficient for its food. Dongtan will use organic farming methods to grow food on farmland within the city boundaries.
Design
Canals, lakes and marinas will permeate the city, providing a variety of recreation and transport opportunities. Buildings will be no more than eight stories high and residents will be no more than seven minutes walk from a local centre or school. To avoid it becoming a ‘dormitory town’ for people who work in Shanghai, plans have been made to provide plentiful employment opportunities within Dongtan itself.
Topics associated with this project
Climate change, Eco-town, Energy, Environmental, Housing, International, Planning, Transport