German Eco-City


Thursday, August 27, 2009

Sustainable Eco City Concept in Germany

 

It seems the canvass of clean and green energy is getting bigger with each passing day. More and more products, vehicles, gadgets, homes and cities are being added to this ever expanding canvass. Germany’s Hamburg Harbor has announced the development of a world class Eco City.This eco city will be designed by Tec Architecture and the global engineering group ARUP. This city will encompass many industries and entrainment facilities.

The eco city will have the latest advancements in green design at its disposal. The developers and designers of this ambitious city want to set some standard that’s why they are seeking to achieve the highest level of environmental certification from LEED, BREEAM and DGNB. Eco City is one of the only projects in the world that is aspiring to accomplish the highest level of environmental certification from all three major green building rating systems. The project will assimilate efficient technology and building methods and at the same time nurturing social interaction and community resurrection.

This eco city will have 10 eco-friendly buildings. The eco city developers will use green materials, efficient facades and passive design techniques so that they can lower the energy consumption by as much as 30%.

The Eco City will use an alternative-energy mix for power generation. They will depend on wind turbines to meet the 10% of the power needs of the city. They will utilize solar power for hot water and lights. The vast majority of roofs and terraces will be covered with plants and flowers, making it pleasant for walking, recreation and open space for discussion. This greenery will keep a check on water runoff and make the interior cool. The developers will complete this Eco City in three phases. They will also rehabilitate the existing buildings with used materials. Eco City will cater to the environmental needs. It will not possess an exploitative nature and co-exist in sync with nature.

Tec Principal Sebastian Knorr shares his enthusiasm about the project: “Eco City represents a synergistic approach to urban development. By working in close cooperation with all the stakeholders and taking into consideration the immediate environmental context of the project, we’ve created a different type of sustainable, creative-industrial complex. We hope that iconic Eco City project becomes a model for sustainable urban development.”

Hamburg-Harburg Harbor has a history of German entrepreneurship and inventiveness, and the community anticipates Eco City to be a major contributor in its efforts towards renaissance.