Design and technology consultancy IBI Group has launched its Smart City Platform aimed at helping cities improve the efficiency and safety of city operations and urban environments.
Offered as a software-as-a- service (Saas) solution, the Platform, which is designed to equip both city staff and residents with the necessary tools to make rapid and informed decisions, works with a city’s existing hardware and software systems and is capable of being scaled for use on a single building, campus or subdivision through to an entire city or region.
IBI says the Smart City Platform’s suite of tools and dashboards combines predictive analytics gleaned from IoT sensors, control devices and existing city networks to inform the design and management of more sustainable and resilient urban environments.
“Drawing on IBI Group’s extensive expertise in urban technologies, and its experience designing and implementing smart city strategies, the Smart City Platform provides a flexible and cost- effective way for cities to manage their operations, inform better decision making, and give residents a voice,” the company says in a statement.
“With a rich history planning and designing cities, as well as implementing intelligent systems, IBI has the unique domain knowledge around how cities operate to make us the ideal smart city partner,”said Scott Stewart, IBI Group CEO. “As a technology-driven design firm, we are passionate about developing solutions to inform smarter, more resilient cities and communities. The Smart City Platform is an exciting step in this direction for the firm.”
“Smart Cities are already a reality,” added Bruno Peters, IBI Group Smart Cities Task Force Lead. “Government and private sector initiatives worldwide are implementing innovative ways to make cities in the 21st Century more efficient, more liveable, and more competitive. We believe that achieving these goals is not just about being technologically advanced – it’s also about urban reinvention and citizen engagement.”
The Platform’s public engagement module is designed to offer the ability to connect with city residents through apps, email and social media, “fostering a two-way dialogue between residents and service operators”, aimed at giving residents access to more accurate and timely information.
“Built on the fundamental principles of open data and sharing, IBI Group’s Smart City Platform is designed to connect stakeholders with the services, information and insight they need,” the statement continues. “City agencies, decision makers, city staff, and most importantly, city residents, will benefit from the platform, as city services will be provided in a more efficient manner by prioritizing scarce resources where they are needed most, predicting needs based on a variety of conditions, and keeping all parties from the resident to the mayor informed and empowered.”
