OVERVIEW
Hammarby Sjöstad is a sustainable city located outside of Stockholm, Sweden. After Sweden faced an oil crisis in the early 1980s, they started looking for alternative ways to produce energy for their cities.[1] The goal of Hammarby Sjöstad is to use less than half the amount of energy used in the average Swedish home, and it looks as if they are meeting that goal. The first residents moved into the city in 2000, and when completed in 2015 they hope to have over 25,000 residents.
ABOUT
Hammarby Sjöstad and their use of sustainable energy is paid for by the city council and utility companies. The homes and apartments are attractive, low-rise flats that draw young families and couples. Combustible waste is siphoned through tubes throughout the city, and is then burned in a heat and power plant to supply heat and electricity to the city.[2] The collection points are centrally located throughout the city, in both apartment buildings and public areas.
How The Waste Is Collected
- User lifts up the lid to a collection bin. The user chooses between three different chutes, either combustible waste, organic waste, or paper.
- The trash builds up in the chute, and when the senors detect that the bin is full, it is transported to a larger single collection bin.
- Fans help power the waste through a series of pipes, sorting the waste once again.
- Organic waste is used for composting, paper is recycled, and combustible waste is taken to the heat and power plant.
The combustile waste provides over 70% of heat to the city, while the rest is provided by waste water. The waste water goes to a treatment plant, and helps provide the remaining 30% of heat to the city. The waste water also helps power local buses, and cooking stoves.