Smart Cities Council to help five cities implement smart city technology
The Smart Cities Council plans award “grants” to five cities to implement technology that would “improve urban livability, workability and sustainability.”
Announced in conjunction with a host of White House initiatives around Smart Cities unveiled Monday, the council said it would provide winning cities of their Smart Cities Council Challenge Grants with a one-day Readiness Program workshop tailored to the winning city’s needs, according to a press release. The non-monetary grants would connect cities with private and public sector leaders.
In addition several council member companies and advisors will provide the winning cities with other benefits such as 25 AT&T Internet of Things starter kits, and a co-hosted one-day workshop by CH2M and Qualcomm “to develop and deploy a smart cities ecosystem.”
[Read more: Obama administration announces another $80 million-plus for smart cities initiatives]
Ameresco will also consult with the winners to create a report for each city with recommendations for smart street lighting options. The company will use existing data on city street lights and perform other evaluations to make the recommendations, according to the press release.
The smart city market has already passed $1 trillion in annual sales worldwide, said Jesse Berst, chairman of the Smart Cities Council, in a statement.
“But it’s not just a trend… it’s a race. In our global economy, every city is competing for jobs and talent,” Berst said. “A smart city strategy is essential to support a 21st century workforce and to drive economic development. We welcome the chance to help the winning cities gain a competitive edge through the creation of a robust digital infrastructure.”
Cities can submit an application from Oct. 31 to Dec. 31. Winners will be announced in January 2017.
