Emerald Cities proposes 10 principles to help set a new development direction for Chinese cities: from urban growth boundaries and transit-oriented development, to small blocks with accessible public space and car control, to green buildings and sustainable infrastructure at constructive detailed planning and community levels. The manual’s 10 principles aim to establish green, healthy and economic vibrant cities, while solving pollution and livability challenges faced by China’s cities.
Emerald Cities grew out of Energy Innovation’s 12 Green Guidelines work, and much of the Green Guidelines language lives on in Emerald Cities, but with much deeper treatment.
Emerald Cities was developed in coordination with Calthorpe Associates, the China Sustainable Transportation Center, and engineering firm Glumac. The manual was published with support from Energy Foundation and Energy Innovation.