By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff reporter
For Saemangeum, a project that started out by ruffling the feathers of environmentalists, it is almost imperative that its developers and planners exert more efforts to make it an example of environmentally sustainable urban development.
Brian Newman, CEO of Green Cities Asia, sees great potential for Saemangeum to become a truly green city.
"Saemangeum is at a delicate point in its life, where it can seriously see how it can become an example of best practice in urban development and benchmark international standards. There is a lot of potential. It has a very interesting background, and there is more reason why it should move forward in an environmental way," Newman said in an interview with The Korea Times, Wednesday.
Saemangeum is a 33.9-kilometer seawall built in the West Sea that created a vast reclaimed area which is being developed as a metropolitan city with tourism, residential and industrial facilities, scheduled for completion by 2020. Several environmental groups have protested the Saemangeum project for destroying the habitat of migratory birds.
Since the development plan is still being finalized, there is a good opportunity to incorporate green growth concepts in the project.
What does it mean to be a green city? "A green city is one that is planned, designed and implemented to achieve a better balance between the natural and built environment. It is a city which is more resource-efficient in the way that it uses water, energy and recycles waste. It is also more efficient in the way it functions as a city, promoting mixed use development," Newman said.
He added Saemangeum can build on its inherent attractions and competitive advantages as a city located on the sea.
"I can see an opportunity to create a lifestyle environment... It will be important to identify some catalysts that can kick start Saemangeum and promote related forms of development like residential and commercial activities. I think it can offer a different way of life for the 20 million people in the Seoul metropolitan area to relieve themselves of the stresses of the city," he said.
Newman, a former CEO of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority who led the efforts in the area's post-Olympic transformation, co-founded Green Cities Asia with Jason S. Ahn last year. The real estate development company hopes to take the lead in creating models of environmentally sustainable urban development in fast-developing Asia.
Half of the world's population currently lives in cities, but by 2050, the figure is expected to hit 70 percent, as the global population grows from 6.8 billion to 9.1 billion, according to U.N. data. Cities consume over 75 percent of the world's energy, and this will continue to increase over the next few decades.
"We believe this is the right time to establish a company in Asia. There is a growing demand for organizations that understand what's involved in making sustainable communities. We bring a tremendous amount of experience and understanding to sustainable urban development... We are also excited by opportunities potentially working with the government and other parties to deliver something in Korea that is world class," Newman said.
There are only a handful of real green cities around the world, namely Hammarby Sjostad in Stockholm; Augustenberg and Western Harbor in Malmo, Sweden; Dockside Green in Victoria, British Columbia; and Curitiba in Brazil.
While the company's real estate development strategy focuses on the environment, Newman emphasized it is also concerned with the broader social, culture and economic elements.
"Globally, these days, real estate companies and governments are looking at sustainability when it comes to the triple bottom line ― economic, environmental and socio-cultural. They are looking at that approach instead of just green development," he said.
Green cities are not just about putting up buildings, but are more importantly, about providing a higher quality of life for people.
"When you're planning and designing cities, your first priority is the people who are going to live, work and play in the city," Newman noted.
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