A Green Roof Doesn't Make This New Development Green

A giant new development—covering about 200 acres—is planned for the countryside outside Paris, with a design that looks sustainable at first glance. The whole thing is covered in a sprawling green roof. The streets inside, inspired by classic European city centers, are walkable and bikeable, and have an integrated public transit system. But even though the designers have done many things right, all is not necessarily as green as it seems.

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Inside the development, it's strictly shopping and recreation: essentially a giant mall, albeit a very pretty one. Though the designers wanted to create a dense, city-like area, there's no housing anywhere. With no housing, it guarantees that people have to travel from elsewhere, and the whole thing will have to shut down at night. Besides the extra energy used in transportation, the development includes a golf course and ski resort, both energy hogs themselves.

It looks green, but it's not quite.

Images courtesy of BIG