SINO-SINGAPORE TIANJIN ECO-CITY 4TH JOINT WORKING COMMITTEE MEETING IN TIANJIN The Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city Joint Working Committee (JWC) met today in the municipality of Tianjin in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Mr Mah Bow Tan, Minister for National Development, and Mr Qiu Baoxing, Vice-Minister of the PRC Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, co-chaired the meeting (Mr Jiang Weixin, Minister of the PRC Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, who was supposed to co-chair the meeting with Minister Mah was unable to attend because of other last-minute commitments). Tianjin Mayor Huang Xingguo and Vice-Chairman of the JWC, Ms Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State for National Development and Education, also attended the meeting. The 4th JWC meeting reviewed the progress of the Tianjin Eco-city’s development. It noted the steady progress the project has achieved since its groundbreaking ceremony on 28 September 2008. The construction of key infrastructure such as roads and the utilities network are proceeding on schedule. The construction of the wastewater treatment plant has started. Various technical studies relating to the environmental rehabilitation of the polluted water-bodies within the Eco-city site are ongoing. A set of green building standards for the Eco-city has also been jointly formulated by both countries. Construction works of the first batch of residential and commercial developments in the start-up area are scheduled to commence in the second half of 2009. Going forward, the Eco-city Administrative Committee (ECAC) and the Joint Venture Company (JV Co) will be stepping up their efforts to secure investments in targeted sectors, e.g. businesses related to energy conservation and environmental protection, to the Eco-city. These investments will help to kick-start the development of the start-up area and provide jobs for future residents. The meeting also reviewed the proposals from six renowned international design consultancy firms, which participated in the Eco-city Urban Design International Competition. The competition was jointly organized by the Eco-city Administrative Committee (ECAC) and Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in February 2009 to generate ideas for the overall urban design of the Eco-city as well as for focal areas within the Eco-city, such as the eco-valley and the Qing Tuo Zi Village. The 6 firms were Germany’s Rheinschiene Architects & Planners (RG), USA’s Kalarch Design Group (KDG), Singapore’s Surbana International Consultants, Australia’s Peddle Thorp & Walker Architects (PTW), USA’s RTKL and Finland’s VTT. A 5-member international expert evaluation panel, co-chaired by Mr Zou Deci, Fellow of the China Academy of Engineering and Advisor to the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, and Mrs Cheong Koon Hean, CEO of URA, was formed to evaluate the various proposals. The panel felt that the proposals provided interesting interpretations of the concept of an eco-city and submitted good ideas in areas such as the overall design and feel of the city, and the organization and arrangements for green transportation. The JWC meeting noted the panel’s recommendation to use the design proposals from Germany’s RG and USA’s KDG as the foundation for the further development of the Eco-city’s urban design proposal, while also incorporating good ideas from the other 4 proposals. In addition, the JWC meeting agreed to expand and enhance bilateral collaboration in the Tianjin Eco-city. Possible areas include water and environmental management, as well as the sharing of Singapore’s experience in relation to the social development of the Eco-city and public housing. Issued by : Ministry of National Development Date : 3 June 2009 << Back