Tianjin Eco-city Green Industry Association (EGIA), China's first voluntarily initiated non-profit organization by enterprises targeting energy saving and emission reduction, is to be unveiled in January next year in Tianjin.

Founding members of the organization include Sino-Singaporean Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co Ltd (SSTEC), Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co. Ltd, Singapore's Keppel Land International Limited, Broad Air Conditioning, Himin Group, Vantone Real Estate, China Vanke Co., Ltd., China Daily Newspaper Group, Winner Law Firm and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank (SPDB).

The founding members of the association held their first event at Sino-Singaporean Tianjin Eco-city very recently.

EGIA is expected to consist of enterprises, institutions and individuals with strong senses of social responsibility, great passion for environment protection and interest in social welfare at home and abroad. They promise to strictly implement environmental policies and live up to their commitments of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

According to EGIA`s regulation, the association will commit itself to serve as a platform for institutions and individuals intending to save energy and reduce emissions on a voluntary basis through the establishment of a Green Fund. It will provide members financial and technical support for energy-efficient operations and large-scale energy-conserving and emission-reducing actions. All these efforts will help facilitate energy-efficient and low-carbon workplaces and lifestyles.

There are more than 40 enterprises and institutions, including LG Electronics, Philips (China) and other well-known large-scale enterprises, expected to join EGIA. Academic institutions like the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China Building Materials Academy are also expected to join.

EGIA is based on the Sino-Singaporean Tianjin Eco-city, which is a landmark bilateral project between China and Singapore with private-sector investment and development. Located in the Tianjin Binhai New Area (40 km away from the Tianjin city center), the 30-sq km Eco-City is a 50/50 joint venture of the Chinese Consortium, led by Tianjin TEDA Investment Holding Co., Ltd (Tianjin TEDA) and the Singapore Consortium led by the Keppel Group.

It aims to create a sustainable community that meets the needs of an urbanizing China, and will be a modern township where 350,000 residents can live, work and entertain.

By Wang Xiaohan and Wang Yu