Eco-friendly industrial communities
In the past, industrial towns destroyed the environments. Factories were infamous for discarding their liquid wastes into rivers. Trees turned brown and grey under the smoke from exhausts and critters were nowhere to be found near manufacturing plants. Thankfully, we have already learned to consider environmental concerns since the advent of global warming.
Nowadays, more industrial towns have been designed to co-exist harmoniously with nature. From sustainable features to passive design measures, many actions are now done to take into account the impact of industries on the surroundings. Here are some of the best examples of eco-friendly industrial communities that exist today.
Kota Bukit Indah Industrial City
Considered one of Indonesia’s most sustainable communities, Kota Bukit has a list of eco-friendly features integrated into its design. It has a waste water treatment plant and waste management system that prevent contaminated water and garbage from ruining the environment. Air and noise pollution control measures were put up to ensure a healthy atmosphere.
A forest is included in the estate ground to provide a home to small animals and plants. Lastly, lighting protection is incorporated in the buildings, to prevent accidents during storms.
The community is primarily made up of factories and offices, but it also has a mosque, school, mini-market and housing projects. It serves as a prime example of an industrial city that helps businesses and the environment thrive together.
Kalundborg Eco-Industrial Park
This project is deemed an industrial symbiosis as it benefits its surrounding communities in various ways. It features a coal-fired power plant that generates heat used to heat nearby residences. The steam emitted by the facility is also sold off to a pharmaceutical company. Lastly, a nearby fishery benefits from the heat as well.
The cycle of production and recycling has made Kalundborg a prototype of sustainable industries. The community ensures that the waste of one company becomes a resource of another. It has been awarded the Win Win Gothenburg Sustainability Award in 2000 for its innovative process.
Burnside Industrial Park
One of the largest industrial zones in Canada, the Burnside Industrial Park caters to approximately 18,000 people and 1,400 businesses. Besides factories and offices, it offers retail shops, restaurants and hotels.
With its large size, the park provides eco-friendly features in its layout. Natural parks with walking trails are scattered throughout to provide users with breathing spaces. In addition, the nearby Dalhousie University’s Eco-Efficiency Center helps the various businesses develop sustainable processes and improve their environmental impacts. Despite its vast estate, Burnside Park exemplifies a highly successful eco- industrial zone that marries environmental awareness and profitable businesses together.
SunTrust Ecotown
In our country, eco-industrial parks exist but they are yet to become widespread.
Suntrust Ecotown in Tanza, Cavite, is one of the newer developments that considers environmental and business concerns in its planning.
Offering commercial, residential, institutional and medium-industrial spaces in its community, Suntrust Ecotown promotes the “live-work-play-learn-shop” philosophy. It includes green parks and a golf park for its residents to work and live in a healthy environment. The township project follows in the footsteps of other Megaworld projects, such as Eastwood City in Quezon City, Forbes Town Center and McKinley Town Center in Taguig. With projects like Suntrust Ecotown, we can be rest assured that our country’s industrial and natural resources will work side-by-side toward progress.
Sources:
greaterburnside.com
symbiosis.dk
kotabukitindah.com
auntrustecotown.com.ph
Mr3641 and Verne Equinox via Wikimedia Commons
