Smart City is an initiative which creates “smart, sustainable cities with high-quality living and high-quality jobs.”
As Birmingham continues to gain notoriety through restaurants, startups, entertainment and tourism, this initiative will take us just that much closer to being one of the most happenin’ places in the south.
If the Magic City is chosen, a readiness grant will be presented, kicking off the exciting initiative.
As of now, there are 10 cities on the list:
- Birmingham
- Austin
- Chula Vista, California
- Indianapolis
- Jersey City
- Miami
- Newport News, Virginia
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Providence, Rhode Island
We are expecting an announcement tomorrow (Wednesday) of the top 5 finalist that will go onto compete in the final challenge.
The City chosen is said to currently embody:
- Livability – “clean, healthy living conditions without pollution and congestion.”
- Workability – “provide enabling infrastructure (energy, connectivity, computing, essential services).”
- Sustainability – “provide services without stealing from future generations.”
Advocacy and Action is the goal of the Initiative:
- Readiness Guides – “models and metrics against which cities can measure their progress.”
- Financing Templates and Case Studies – “Guidance for new financing models now emerging, some of which combine public, private, philanthropic and development sources.”
- Policy Frameworks and Case Studies – “Examples of policies that promote economic development while also safeguarding citizens.”
- Visibility Campaigns – “joined-voices initiatives to help citizens understand that smart cities represent a path to a better future. These campaigns include awards, events, publishing and research.”
- Regional Networking Events – ” invitation-only events where cities and their citizens can learn directly from some of the world’s top experts in the many disciplines that combine to create a smart city.”
Birmingham, a city built upon innovation, is now going back to its roots. The Smart City initiative will make this transition a much speedier and cost efficient transaction.
