swa Kunming Eco Communities Yunnan Province, China

Asia and elsewhere, particu- Biohabitats contributed to the larly its air links, are steadily master planning effort with expanding, with direct routes the development of stormwa- already existing to all major ter details, stormwater model- Chinese cities, most major ing, a water balance report, Southeast Asian cities and and preliminary engineering. some major cities in Japan and Conceptual and prelimi- South Korea. Growth at this nary engineering considered photo courtesy SWA of scale has caused many inter- 2,500 units of homes and esting planning challenges apartments proposed for the and the opportunity for both development. The master plan western and eastern design offered design solutions that professionals to collaborate. honored water at each step. SWA, a highly respected land- A water balance provided the scape architecture and plan- framework for examining the ning firm, retained Biohabitats flows into and out of the vari- to assist with their planning ous water treatment and reuse

photo courtesy SWA of efforts for the Kunming systems. Rainwater harvest- Eco Communities. The Eco ing from building rooftops unming is the capital among limestone hills, north Communities are an excep- offset potable water use. Both Kof Yunnan Province, of Lake Dian. Because of its tional example of ecological reclaimed wastewater and located in southwestern China. year-round temperate climate, planning and development stormwater were proposed at The city is both a political and Kunming is often called the in the region. SWA crafted a potential heat sources or sinks. cultural center in the province, “Spring City” or “City of master plan based on a water- Additionally, a combination of and is home to universities, Eternal Spring”. shed planning approach. Such both lot level and development museums, galleries and sig- an approach contains develop- level stormwater management nificant educational institu- The city is projected to double ment in appropriate areas and techniques were proposed tions. The city developed in in size by 2010 to accom- restores watersheds and forest to treat water to appropriate a highly desirable geographic modate approximately eight in the process. The approach standards before returning to location, situated approxi- million people. Kunming’s is often referred to as “regen- watersheds and aquifers. mately 2,000m above sea level transport links to Southeast erative development.”

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