A rendering showing how rooftops in Sana’a, Yemen, could be used to collect water.The ideal of smart cities — technologically advanced, forward-thinking, and green — is big in corporate circles these days. IBM has its “Smarter Cities” program, Cisco has its “Smart+Connected Communities,” and the giant electronics corporation Philips has been promoting the concept of “Livable Cities” lately. (This webcast they put together with participants including urbanism guru Richard Florida and former London mayor Ken Livingstone gives a good overview of what they mean by that.)
Philips is currently sponsoring a “Livable Cities Award” (“designed to generate practical, achievable ideas for improving the health and well-being of people living in cities”) that is going to mean a €75,000 grant for the lucky winner. Concepts in the running include solar- and wind-powered lighting for playing fields (from New York City), a rooftop water collection system (from Sana’a, Yemen), a community-designed parks initiative (from Binghamton, N.Y.), and the current top vote-getter — a network coordinating services for the elderly in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Take a look at them all and vote for your favorite.
Anything you’d like to see implemented where you live?
