Getting everyone up to speed and running with the disruptive technologies that allow systemic urban change.
The Challenge
Change is what makes up the very character of our cities. Its diversity in nature (demographic, economic, social) often triggers mixed feelings among the city’s stakeholders. But it is not to be denied that urban change – in all of its forms – comes with great potential. And this is where disruptive technologies make their entry.
Local governments are teaming up with technology companies to make their cities smarter and turn them into living labs. At the same time, citizens worldwide are engaging around numerous initiatives, from collective neighborhood gardens to energy cooperatives. This has resulted in a welcome wave of Smart City initiatives, enabled by novel technologies and with tangible (read: measurable) merits for the sustainable functioning of our cities.
Artificial Intelligence has found its way into our Belgian cities through the management of urban waste streams and enabling customized HR services (2). Internet of Things (IoT) applications are used to monitor traffic streams and connect them to air quality data. Following the Brooklyn Microgrid example in New York (3), the City of Brussels applies Blockchain principles to enable the exchange of SolarCoins for megawhatts of renewable energy (4).
These examples only constitute a minor grasp out of thousands of Smart City Technologies.
Their successful application requires a collaborative process, involving all the city stakeholders in the planning and experimental phases. So how can we inform the entire city organisation – citizens, civil society and city services – about the possibilities as a first step in the Smart City thinking exercise?
- http://thehackablecity.nl/about/
- https://v-ict-or.be/events/20171206-artificial-intelligence-steden-de-slimme-praktijk
- https://www.brooklyn.energy/
- https://solarcoin.org/
Create Your Solution To The Challenges
WORKSHOP
To solve the above challenges, we recommend you take part in the Disruptive Technologies Workshop in the ‘Hackable Cities’ theme on Day 1, where a mix of ideas will be brainstormed and teams will be formed.
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EXPERTS
Make sure to also have a talk with Martine Delannoy. She is your Cities Curator at Hack Belgium and your lead expert, connector and coach throughout the 3 day event. Don’t forget to pull the sleeves of the Cities Theme Experts, the names of which will soon be announced!
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About the Cities Societal Theme
By 2050, 2 in 3 people worldwide will likely live in cities. Cities are our future, one we must create together. To embrace the creative potential of cities and achieve the sustainable development goals, we have to question our ways of doing things. Let’s start hacking the cities of the future!
Visit the Cities Societal Theme page
Visit the My Journey page to learn more on how you should organise your 3 Days. Lots of other Ideation, business, design and technology workshops to pick. Don’t forget to also visit the Experience Zone.