On August 1, Mayor Ko Wen-je attended the plaque-unveiling ceremony for Shuangyong Elementary School and EOD policy presentation event.
 
During his speech, the mayor described in details strategies such as EOD, TOD, joint office project, and Taipei’s masterplan for urban planning over the next fifty years. He stressed that redevelopments cannot be based on the considerations of individual stand-alone projects; it must adhere to the city’s overall plan.
 
The Yongchun Elementary School and Yongji Elementary School are located right next to each other. Working in coordination with the city government’s policies on integrating city properties and buildings through the EOD Initiative, the two schools have been sharing various resources over the past 3 years. They officially merged to form the Shuangyong Elementary School during the 2022 school year. The new school’s principal accepted the official seal, symbolizing the continuation of the history of both schools.
 
Citing the challenges presented by low birth rate, drastic climate changes, and the goal to achieve zero emissions by 2050, Ko pointed out that roughly 236 schools across Taipei City will require complete overhaul within the next two decades, since 75% of school buildings would be well over 50 years old. Since green buildings are considered important factors in achieving carbon reduction goals, the city government will need to develop more concrete plans on how to go about either renovating or replacing these outdated edifices.
 
He explained that we must also cover the topic of Transit-oriented Development (TOD) when we talk about EOD. Taipei’s approach is to overhaul the city based on the backbone of its mass transit network. As for EOD, the “E” represents “Education,” and the initiative seeks to reorganize communities alongside rebuilding old schools. It also encourages residents to think about ways to improve the community, from aspects such as childcare and care for senior citizens.
 
He cited the words of wisdom of former president Lee Teng-hui about never trying to solve a problem in four years when the issue remained unresolved for 40 years. However, he added that it is important to act now, or else the situation will remain unchanged for the next 40 years.