Author(s)

V. Kapnopoulou, P. Divakaran, E. McMurtry, M. Seo, L. Yu

Abstract

Any coastal eco-city project can be executed perfectly. However, its long-term success relies heavily on the attitude of its stakeholders. This specific key factor is studied through the legal aspects of two juxtaposed coastal eco-city projects. Projects examined here are the “Helsingborg eco-city” from Sweden and the “Sino Singapore Tianjin eco-city” from China. These two case studies utilized different forms of contracts, agreements and legal practices. The structure of this research is of the essence as it indicates the progress of the project as well as its results. The research methodology includes comparative studies of both projects, on various legal aspects such as framework of the procuring process, type of procurement, decision making process, stakeholder engagement and contractual arrangements. This is followed by a survey and analysis of the benefits that accrue from the above choices, in order to identify optimized pathways to maximize the long-term success of the project. The study also identifies barriers in the project development and recommendations are made to policy makers and developers for future eco-city projects. Furthermore, transferability of the merits of each project regarding its legal aspects is examined for projects within its region and across EU–Asia borders.

Keywords

stakeholder management, contract type, eco-cities