Eco-City Plan Unveiled In Sydney

"A leading academic in urban planning and development has unveiled a prototype for Sydney's first 'Eco-City.'

Rafael Pizarro is a lecturer in Sustainable Urban Planning at the faculty of Architecture at the University of Sydney.

Mr Pizarro and a team of 20 final year architecture students have spent several months designing what they call an ambitious and revolutionary plan to transform Sydney's White Bay into the state's first ecologically sound and sustainable city.

The project...features mid to high-density solar districts, food and energy production areas, storm water run-off systems and a water recycling plant.

Residents of the eco-city would be able to get around on an internal public transport system consisting of a light tram grid and special roads for public GPS-guided 'stackable' mini-cars.

Mr Pizarro says two of the most important features of the eco-city are the internal transport system and the ability to use buildings to grow food.

"Food production not only happens in a spatial district in most of the eco-city, but also on most of the rooftops of the buildings," he said."