Designing eco-industrial parks: a synthesis of some experiences

Sustainability requires a consideration of the social or community dimension as well as ecological integrity and economic efficiency. Further, ecological systems emphasize interaction and interdependence. Definitions of eco-industrial parks have begun to address this by referring to them as communities of business. The paper describes a number of initiatives, particularly in the United States and Canada. The types of interactions among businesses and between businesses and the community are described and initiatives are categorized as engineering or self-designing. The paper lists 11 characteristics of eco-industrial parks which are emerging from the existing projects.