Cities Introduce Smart Programs In Divergent Manners
Thursday January 28, 2016
Cities across the globe have followed multiple tracks in their quest to become smart.†It isn't a question of right or wrong. However, two key themes are emerging in their approach either start with a pilot project that produces quick results, or undertake a comprehensive master plan that strategically lays out the coming years and decades.
Every city situation is unique,†said Fred Ellermeier, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer ofSmart Integrated Infrastructure for Black & Veatch. We can follow either fork in the road. We've helped clients in both directions.â€
Jennifer James, Director of Smart City Solutions for Black & Veatch's Smart Integrated Infrastructure business, said many cities are implementing individual projects to get smart programs off the ground.
A lot of cities are adopting smart technologies, and putting smart city plans and initiatives in place,†James said. To say that any one city has fully gotten to that point where you can anoint it the epitome of a smart city, that's still a work in progress.â€
Yet there are some exciting initial projects that hold the promise of further expansion and improvement in the quality of life for citizens, James said. In fact, Black & Veatch recently announced it has partnered with Envision America, a program announced by the White House to advance smart city program planning and implementation. Black & Veatch will apply its engineering, construction, program management and data analytics expertise to help selected U.S. cities develop and deploy smart city programs.
Other examples that Black & Veatch is involved with include:
- A major metropolitan city in the U.S., which is converting more than 7,500 old telephone booths into smart city kiosks that can be used freely by the public;
- Kansas City, Mo., which is launching a Smart + Connected City framework with Cisco, to create a kiosk information system in conjunction with its brand new street car line. Black & Veatch will support the phase of implementation that incorporates smart water systems and other smart integrated infrastructure aspects;
- Leak detection programs for a ...