Taoyuan City Investment Service Center

Introduction

In the past, when the speeches made by the member states of the United Nations Climate Change Conference and publicized achievements presented by each country spoke of “carbon reductions,” this concept was regarded as a numbers game where the country with the largest carbon reductions was the winner. Therefore, from a corporate perspective, carbon reduction is not a goal filled with potential, but a challenge for managers that requires careful calculation. 

However, if we stop thinking of this issue as a numbers game and look at it from a design thinking perspective which views carbon reduction as product of design rather than simple electricity savings and purchases of green power, we can then shift industrial thinking from “carbon reduction” to “product” and “design.”

Design thinking: Humanistic designs that start with the end in mind

Design thinking is a methodology that takes a humanistic approach to problem-solving and starts by exploring human needs to find innovative solutions for various issues and create more possibilities.^{(*Note 1)}

In other words, from a design thinking point of view, carbon reduction is not just a numbers game, but a solution for solving human problems, and innovative thinking can be used to find a balance between problem-solving and existing restrictions. Use of design thinking not only requires creativity, but also clear goals which can be used to establish feasible solutions.

The most typical case is that of transportation. For example, the engineer Brunel, who designed the Great Western Railway in the UK during the Victorian era, insisted on smoothing slopes so that passengers could feel like they were “floating,” thereby providing the best passenger experience, and establishing a different identity and mission for railways that extended beyond transportation. ^{(*Note 2)}

Taoyuan’s “Three Hubs and Six MRT Lines” transportation system combines design, practicality, and sustainability

As the gate of Taiwan, Taoyuan not only needs a stable transportation system, but also one that integrates design concepts and experiential thinking. In this role, the diversity and sustainability of Taoyuan’s public transportation system not only increases public willingness to use the system, but also reduces carbon emissions generated by transportation to achieve environmental protection goals.

To realize this goal, Taoyuan plans to build the “Three Hubs and Six MRT Lines” network. The “Three Hubs” refer to Taoyuan District, Zhongli District, and Taoyuan Aerotropolis; the “Six Lines” refer to the MRT Airport Line, Green Line, Green Line extension to Zhongli, Brown Line, Sanying Line extension to Bade, and Underground Railway Project, which form a circular transport system. In the future, after the Taoyuan Metro has been completed, it will cover the living sphere of 1.6 million people, accounting for 70% of the population in Taoyuan. This network will not only form a circular metro system in Taoyuan, but also establish an 1-hour living sphere with Taipei City, New Taipei City, and Taoyuan City, enhancing Taoyuan’s competitiveness and, most importantly, benefiting the public.

However, high usage volumes will increase material consumption. In fact, the transportation sector is the second highest source of carbon emissions in Taoyuan^{(*Note 3)}. Everything from the materials used in the construction stage to the energy consumed during the operations stage should be scrutinized under the “Three Hubs and Six MRT Lines” vision. Traditionally, the construction sector considered a trade-off between environmental protection and facility construction to be inevitable, but new possibilities can emerge under a design thinking perspective coupled with Taoyuan’s unique advantages in the technology industry.

The Taoyuan Metro is a leader in green transportation. In 2017, the “Taoyuan Metro Energy Conservation Committee” was established and energy savings were regarded as an important operational policy. To reduce energy usage and carbon emissions while realizing business principles related to green transportation, a number of energy-saving measures were implemented, including replacement of lighting equipment with LED lights, energy-saving measures in offices, enhanced usage efficiency of air-conditioning equipment, and energy-saving modes on escalators. Additionally, the Taoyuan Metro also utilized its advantages in local green industries to install solar panels on the rooftops of the Qingpu Depot and the Luzhu Depot that generate a total of 5.82 million kWh of electricity, enough to power the needs of 1,601 households each year while also reducing 3,079 tons of carbon emissions, equivalent to the volume absorbed by 11.7 Daan Forest Parks^{(*Note 4)}.

Diverse transportation systems developing in tandem to provide residents with green transportation options

Railways are the most important means of mass transportation between counties and cities, and is also a major priority for green transportation. Alongside developments in its metro system, Taoyuan City drafted a plan in 2019 to transform sections of railways in metropolitan areas to metro, and also planned to move some rail sections underground. The plan not only included five new commuter stations to provide more convenient passenger experiences, but also sought to improve overall urban landscapes and environmental quality. Additionally, moving rail sections underground reduced the need for many bridges, underpasses, and level crossings, which improved urban landscapes while making room for roadside plantations, ecological landscapes, and greening. All greening plans and greening coverage rates adhered to “Taoyuan City Self-Government Regulations on Greening of Building Bases” in converting construction areas to new urban green corridors when formulating urban design guidelines.

Furthermore, since launching public bicycle rental services in 2016, Taoyuan City has established 390 rental stations and provided 10,000 bicycles for public use. In June, the cumulative number of users exceeded 57 million. In the future, the city will continue to work toward establishment of 409 rental stations. To continue improving public convenience and usage of green transportation, Taoyuan City continues to collaborate with a number of cultural and tourism activities such as the “Taoyuan Land Art Festival” and the “Bade Pond Cultural Festival,” inviting participation from the public and encouraging participation from corporations through station-naming programs and other projects that enhance corporate willingness to donate to establishment of stations, thus providing a channel for corporations to participate in the development of a sustainable city while working with the city government to increase green transportation services and usage volumes. So far, 18 corporate donation applications have been approved^{(*Note 5)}. Recent facilities include the two YouBike stations near Qingpu Gloria Outlets, which were donated by Cathay Life Insurance.

The developments of Taoyuan City indicate that integration of design thinking and promotion of green transportation goals which start with the end in mind is not about how much technology has been utilized or how much carbon reduction has been achieved. More importantly, it is about being people-oriented and collaborating with local industries. Transportation can be more than a tool for transport and industrial development can be more than just infrastructure; these can be elements that complement each other to build a unique brand in Taoyuan.