Discussion on Building a Low-Carbon City between Our Company and the Stockholm City Government

Author： Hits：52 Date：2024-09-23 source：

On September 18, 2024, our General Manager, Jelin, visited Stockholm Royal Seaport. Örjan Lönngren, an energy and climate advisor from the Stockholm City Environmental Administration, accompanied the visit and provided an overview of the Royal Seaport’s master plan, design concepts, and progress.

 About Stockholm Royal Seaport

Stockholm Royal Seaport is currently the largest urban development project in Sweden, planning to construct at least 12,000 new homes and create 35,000 workplaces. The project has been designated by the Stockholm City Council as a sustainable development demonstration area, aiming to test and implement new solutions and technologies to drive a future society free of fossil fuels. The ultimate goal of the project is to achieve fossil fuel independence by 2030, providing strong support for Stockholm’s goal of achieving climate-positive benefits by 2040.

From Planning to Practice

At the visitor center, Örjan Lönngren introduced the master plan and design approach for the Royal Seaport. The land in this area is owned by the Stockholm City Government, which is responsible for the overall planning, while individual projects are implemented by relevant enterprises, responsible for specific designs and details. Örjan then introduced the innovative energy initiatives in the Royal Seaport, where 80% of the electricity comes from a waste-to-energy plant, and the public transport system uses biogas or electric vehicles. The related facilities are retrofitted from older buildings.

Following this, Örjan accompanied Jelin on a site tour, showcasing a series of sustainable solutions in the Royal Seaport. The area features an intelligent automatic waste collection system that effectively reduces air pollution, carbon emissions, and hygiene issues associated with traditional waste management. This system's innovative technology significantly enhances the efficiency and environmental performance of waste management.

Green Infrastructure and Smart Design

The Royal Seaport also showcases unique innovations in rainwater management. The street-side plant beds, made of pumice and biochar soil, store and slow water flow. During heavy rain, these designs capture excess water through ponds and wetland corridors, preventing flooding. The numerous green spaces and parks in the area act as natural reservoirs, further reducing the risk of water-related disasters.

The underground pipeline system also offers new ideas for low-carbon infrastructure. The district's underground pipelines (for waste, water, and electricity) use liftable covers to replace traditional asphalt or gravel roads, significantly reducing maintenance costs. Additionally, increased green areas and tall trees help lower surface temperatures in summer and provide shade for buildings.

To facilitate resident travel, the project has set up self-service car rental stations within 300 meters of residential buildings, further improving the public transport system.

Building Energy Efficiency and Renovation of Old Structures

The Royal Seaport imposes strict requirements on building energy consumption. The walls of each building are made from different materials to test their optimal energy-saving performance. Some buildings also have solar panels installed on the exterior walls, achieving self-sufficiency in electricity during the summer, with excess energy sold back to the grid. In the Gasverket area, some old buildings have been upgraded and repurposed. For example, single-pane windows were replaced with triple-pane windows to improve energy efficiency. Some historical buildings were transformed into restaurants, hotels, and schools, preserving their cultural value while achieving sustainable reuse.

A school converted by an old building 

A Global Benchmark for Sustainable Urban Development

With its advanced design and concept, the Stockholm Royal Seaport has won the Swedish Landscape Architecture Award and the International Award for Best Sustainable Urban Development. This project not only promotes local green development but also showcases Stockholm’s leadership in global sustainable urban development.

Jelin expressed admiration for the Royal Seaport's advanced low-carbon design concepts and hopes to collaborate with the Stockholm City Government in the future to create more low-carbon demonstration zones. Örjan also eagerly looks forward to more cooperative projects, sharing the Royal Seaport’s experiences with teams worldwide for broader exchanges of ideas.