UK and Thailand team up to create smarter cities

They have jointly launched the ‘Smart City Handbook’, which outlines the smart cities landscape across Thailand as well as provides examples of some of the UK’s smart city projects and expertise

UK businesses granted £8m for smart energy and transport tech

A total of 13 firms will share the funding to scale up and commercialise new technologies

Finance options explored for Hungarian smart cities

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed an agreement with a Hungarian bank and investment hub to explore the feasibility of creating a smart city and transport investment hub in the country. It will work with the European Investment Advisory Hub (EIAH) and Hungary’s Development Bank (MFB) to identify how to capitalise on the nation’s […]

Smart cities ‘held back by low budgets’

Global smart city programmes are being held back by limited budgets, a lack of infrastructure and short-term mindsets among stakeholders and policymakers. That’s according to a new report from Philips Lighting and SmartCitiesWorld, which suggests around a tenth of city authorities lack the capacity to implement smart, integrated technologies in their municipality. It suggests the […]

UK-Chinese firms to work on smart, climate projects

Businesses from the UK and China are to partner on innovative projects, including smart cities, climate and manufacturing. A total of 10 firms have won funding from Innovate UK and the Science and Technology Department of Shanghai Municipality (STCSM). Two of the winning companies are MatSurf from Cumbria and Xinke Environmental Protection Science & Technology […]

Microsoft joins smart energy alliance

Microsoft is collaborating with a Chinese smart energy provider in a new alliance to help accelerate the clean energy transition through digitalisation. Envision Energy’s Internet of Things (IoT) platform is initially collaborating with Microsoft and Accenture, with a number of other pioneers and innovators expected to join later in the programme. It aims to unify all aspects of the fragmented renewable energy sector […]

Cities smarten up with new policy tool

A new tool aims to help ensure smart cities provide real benefits to the people living in them. Smart Energy GB, the firm behind the UK’s smart meter rollout, has published the Resilience, Efficiency, Affordability and Liveability (REAL) Ratio. Policymakers and city planners are increasingly introducing new smart technologies, such as automated lighting systems, energy demand side response […]

Smart cities ‘at risk of cyber attacks’, say IT pros

A majority of IT (Information Technology) professionals believe smart cities are at risk of cyber attacks. Around 98% of 200 respondents surveyed by Tripwire, which assessed cyber security challenges associated with smart city technologies, said so. Smart cities use IT solutions to manage a wide range of services including smart grids, transportation, surveillance cameras, wastewater […]

Cities ‘can be greener without national policies’

City leaders have more power to determine their energy needs than they realise. That’s according to a study by Arup which states they need to take control of their energy consumption and boost the use of smart technologies. Growing cities, which account for more than 50% of global energy consumption, can no longer afford to rely […]

‘Smart cities improve lives and sustainability’

Smart innovation in cities and the ‘internet of things’ can significantly improve the quality of life in the UK. That was the view of experts at a Smart Cities conference in London yesterday. Attended by politicians, civil servants and engineers, it discussed just what smart technology might do for our communities. Mark Prisk MP, Chair of […]