Sustainable Cities and InfrastructureUrban River Restoration Opportunities and Implications for China

12/10/2010

Michigan – China Clean Tech SymposiumTimothy J. Dekker, Ph.D., P.E.

Cities worldwide have interrelated issues of water sustainability and market opportunity• Environmental/water resource issues:– Watershed alteration and hydrology– Water quality impacts– Water supply limitations– Altered rivers: dams, levees, sediment dredging– Land development conflict with river

• Market Issues:– Development / regulatory interactions– Obstacles to value creation

3

4

5

Water Use and Urban Infrastructure

6

Disconnectedness

8

9

Function

10

Connectedness

Neighborhood Plan

• Bullet– sub

Donlands Economics• 275 acres• $140M base development cost (+?)• Area to accommodate --------- annual tax revenue

– 25,000 population– 10,000 jobs $100M– 12M sf residential $25M– 16 M sf commercial $100M

• Increased property value• Increased economic activity• Parkland and waterfront – increased value as destination

Implications for China• Significant water resources issues in China

– Songhua River toxics spill– Lake Tai algal issues and drinking water source pollution– Jiaozhou Bay – algal blooms– Water supply – dams and interbasin transfers

• Past environmental and economic damage• Future development:

– Environmental regulations that focus on sustainability– Move from mitigation to planning – Development entities that make sustainable development

possible

Extra Slides

Value chain – US Brownfields Redevelopment

Property Owner Developer End Users /

Buyers

Government

Transp.

Urban Planning

Ecological

Services

Civil Infrastructure

GovernmentGovernment

Brownfield to Greenfield Value Creation

General

Contractor

Engineering / D

esign

Financing

Insu

ranc

e

Env.

Eng

. Co

nsul

tant

s

20-70%

12% 3-8% 30-40%

12% 18-20%

0-30%

Value chain – Toronto Brownfields Redevelopment

Property Owner Design / Planning

Development Authority Developer Construction

Governm

ent

Financing

Insu

ranc

e

Transp.

Urban

Planning

Env.

Eng.

Cons.

Ecol

ogic

al

Serv

ices

Civil

Infrastructure

Brownfield Value Creation Greenfield Value Creation

Value Over Development Process(US brownfields redevelopment)

Valu

e

Time

From Greenfield Advisors, 10/21/08

Problem occurs

Diminished marketability, loss in value

Lag time to understand hazard/risk

Effect of knowledge on perceived risk

Evolving risk

perceptionRemedy

Remaining stigma

Evolving risk

perception

Value Over Development Process(Donlands redevelopment)

Valu

e

Time

Adapted from Greenfield Advisors, 10/21/08

Problem occurs

Diminished marketability, loss in value

Lag time to understand hazard/risk

Effect of knowledge on perceived risk

Site restoration planning - effect on perceived risk

Remedy / restoration / urban planning implementation

Design competition