Shaping tomorrow’s cities

I recently visited one of China's eco-cities, and was impressed by its highly efficient buildings and use of renewable energy for street lighting. However, this newly built city is struggling to attract people, largely due to lack of accessibility to public transport and its distance from jobs. The city’s urban planner told me that the isolation of this “eco-enclave” could have been avoided if a more holistic approach had been taken early in the planning stage, including considering various aspects of land management, urban services, connectivity, and jobs.