Smart Cities and Communities

Technology, policy and regulation to be discussed in Brussels

This year’s Communication on Smart Cities and Communities will be held in Brussels on the 10th of July. The conference will focus on the role of energy, transport and Information communications Technology (ICT) in the development of a smart city. The Communication intends to set a reinforced EU policy framework across the three sectors in support of sustainable urban development.

During the conference advancements in technology, policy and regulation will be discussed by high-level speakers from industry and the public sector.
Smart Cities and Communities encourage energy conservation and sustainability. The advancements in ICT provided an interesting new aspect to sustainability. For example, this type of technology is being employed in electricity, gas and water metering. It allows two-way communication between utilities and consumers. Peak times, variable pricing, over loading and inefficiencies can all be communicated to the consumer allowing them to make more informed decisions on how to use the resources.
The convergence between energy, transport and ICT for tomorrow’s urban solutions requires a dedicated EU policy response in terms of future EU-research, innovation management and regulatory development. Much work is going into the concept of Smart Cities and Communities and it has a real potential to help mitigate the ever increasing threat of climate change, energy scarcity and excess consumption.

European cities striving to become green and sustainable are faced with ever more challenges. The European Green Capital Award aims to highlight and reward cities’ efforts at overcoming these challenges. The outcome of the Communication on Smart Cities and Communities will certainly provide some interesting implications for cities striving for the Award.

For more information on the Communication on Smart Cities and Communities Launch event click here

For more information on what Vitoria-Gasteiz our 2012 European Green Capital is doing click here

For more information about the European Green Capital Award click here

Picture: The Vitoria-Gasteiz Green emble - Copyright: European Commission

Updated: 09. July 2012