With two-decade non-stop efforts, Suzhou Industrial Park has established green and low-carbon concepts at government, companies, communities, and schools. There are 76 two-star International Green Building projects and a dozen of Gold LEED-certified buildings in SIP. Its smart bus system is capable of scheduling and managing 640 buses as well as releasing bus information at 455 bus stops. People have access to public bike services across the area. The communities and schools hold flea market and car-free relays, publish books, teaching materials, and pamphlets promoting low-carbon lifestyle. 58 residential communities try out garbage classification; 25 schools pair with local companies in protecting environment; green coverage rate in residential communities is 90% and 95% schools are recognized as green campus; and the former rural townships of Loufeng, Weiting, and Shengpu are certified as beautiful towns by national authority.

By sticking to the principle of protecting environment and ecology during the process of economic growth, SIP now has more than 25 million square meters of green area and records 45% green coverage rate. In two decades, the authorities have turned down 300 projects with total investment of two billion US dollars since they posed potential hazards to local environment. SIP leads among national development zones with 351 ISO14001-certified companies. Its recycle system consisting of waste water treatment plants, sludge drying facilities, thermal plants, and central AC system covers the sewage network in the entire area. The annual output of its over 100 energy-saving and environment-protecting industrial projects totals 42 billion yuan. The government set up 50-million-yuan environment fund and 15-million-yuan guidance fund to promote circular economy. As a result, Its COD (chemical oxygen demand), carbon dioxide emission for producing 10,000-yuan GDP and comprehensive energy consumption in 2013 is one eighteenth, one fortieth, and one third of national averages. SIP has been listed as one of the country's first model ecological industrial parks and pilot areas in building ecological civilization.

It takes SIP twenty years to explore a path of new-type industrialization and development featuring "technological innovation, circular economy, energy efficiency, and environment friendly". During this process, green ecology is one of the key elements helping it realize economic sustainability.