EEC Academy Proposes Bangkok “Eco District Sandbox”
with Support from MQDC Research Centers
at Launch of “Nova BUILD EXPO 2023″
21 April 2023, Bangkok – EEC Academy proposes a collaboration in Bangkok across four sectors – government, business, academia, and the public – to implement well-being innovations that enhance city living, starting in South Sukhumvit and The Em District.
Knowledge, research, and innovation to support the project include the work of research centres under leading property developer MQDC, such as Research & Innovation for Sustainability Center (RISC) and FutureTales Lab. The Office of Knowledge Management and Development (OKMD) will help design and develop the experimental district for a sustainable quality of life and well-being as an “Eco District Sandbox”.
The initiative emerged from a panel discussion on “Why the City Needs ESI Thinking Power?”, on the relevance of environment, sustainability, and innovation (ESI), at the recent Launch of Nova BUILD EXPO 2023 by EEC Academy.
Dr Kecha Thirakomen, Chairman of the Board of EEC, led the discussion with Dr Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, and Assoc Prof Dr Singh Intrachooto, Chief Advisor to RISC by MQDC.
Dr Kecha proposed collaborating with four sectors to create the “Eco District Sandbox” to gather knowledge, research, and innovation to develop a model project to enhance urban living. Dr Chadchart agreed to help coordinate parties for further discussions to start working immediately on the sandbox plan.
The project will start in South Sukhumvit, where the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will work with all sectors to designate an innovation district under the city’s urban development policy. The project will involve all stakeholders and MQDC, whose innovation-centric projects in the area include Cloud 11, 101 True Digital Park, and True Digital Park I and II.
This collaboration will also cover The Em District, the location of the EmQuartier and Emporium malls, another area ready to join the sandbox immediately.
The sandbox project will focus on six key issues: green energy, PM2.5 removal, waste management, flood control, wastewater treatment, and putting power lines underground.
Addressing these issues can help develop green regulations to put innovation into practice and create a sustainable environment with lower carbon emissions.
Assoc Prof Dr Singh Intrachooto, Chief Advisor to RISC by MQDC, said: “This sandbox project can be implemented immediately. RISC by MQDC is ready to support it by contributing to life-enhancing research based on MQDC’s philosophy of ‘For All Well-Being’.”
RISC by MQDC, he said, can support the project with resources, including its 5 Research Hubs for Well-Being: Plants & Biodiversity, Air Quality, Happiness Science, Materials & Resources, and Resilience.
RISC’s parent MQDC has focused on innovation in property development for 30 years since its establishment. MQDC’s research centres, such as RISC, have already applied their research and innovation to the company’s projects.
Dr Karndee Leopairote, Executive Vice President of FutureTales Lab by MQDC, said that great innovations have tended to emerge from crises. The environmental crisis now requires us all to take responsibility for future generations.
Research by FutureTales Lab by MQDC into urban conditions and the future lives of city people found that big cities like Bangkok are at high risk of major natural disasters. The forecast also indicates that it could severely impact the quality of life unless environmental issues like emissions, urban planning, and resource use are fixed.
FutureTales Lab by MQDC is collaborating on the “Urban Hazard Studio” with ESRI Thailand, a leader in geographic information systems. The studio will generate data to analyze, evaluate, and share to raise awareness and help address future challenges. The project has started by studying flood hazards for Bangkok and its surroundings to reduce potential damage, benefiting people, society, and the economy in the long run.
“We must use innovation and collaboration to create a better world for our children and future generations,” said Dr Karndee.
The forum was part of the press conference to launch Nova BUILD EXPO 2023, an exhibition of innovations, designs, and products for buildings and structures. The trade show will focus on the innovative building under the ESI concept. Its three key dimensions are a concern for the environment (Ecosystems), sustainability for communities and the world (Sustainability), and quality of life and efficiency (Innovation for Well-Being).
Nova BUILD EXPO 2023 will be held on 13-15 September at Hall 103-104, BITEC Bangna Exhibition and Convention Center, according to the guidelines of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau or TCEB.
Find out more about Nova BUILD EXPO 2023 at https://www.facebook.com/novabuildexpo/
