Eco friendly cities

The urban planners are faced with many challenges. The increasing populations and depleting natural resources compounded with climatic changes will be the biggest challenges that they will have to overcome. Eco architecture is the demand of the future. It is important that the urban settlements become more viable and sustainable to be able to meet green needs of tomorrow.

Urban planners have already begun their green planning in the form of futuristic green cities. These cities will be sustainable and use renewable sources of energy with minimum emissions. The eco designs are in progress and will soon be real cities where people can be closer to nature. Some of these new green urban settlements under progress are:

Dalian Areropolis is a future green settlement in China, under construction. NDA Design Associates, a French architectural firm, have designed it. It is expected to be the largest Asian air hub and is expected to handle 25 million passengers every year. The city will host at least a million people. The aeropolis will be provided with many artificial lakes to help with water needs of the population. The city will also have a green sanctuary.

Sky District is being designed as a vertical city, where people will travel by elevators to reach their destinations. The city will be planned on multiple levels  and will have passive ventilation skin and thermal windows to regulate temperatures in its green homes. It will also boast of a desalination plant that will provide fresh water after treating ocean water.

Coral City is an eco village inspired by coral reefs. Coral reefs are self-organized and self-sufficient live colonies. This eco village in Philippines will be planned in a self-sustainable manner.  Half the area will be reserved for playgrounds and parks. Only electric vehicles will run inside the village and it will also have an interconnected canal system. It will be designed in a circular shape to enhance structural advantages. Steel and locally available bamboo will be the main structural materials to be used. Photovoltaoic cell panels will provide solar energy for the green buildings and the city is expected to use 30% less energy.