Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Skip to main content
Home
    • Contact Panasonic
    EN
    • EN
    • FR
    EN
    • EN
    • FR
    • Home
    • Trends
    • Connected World
    • A new approach to community engagement in smart cities
    Back to Resource Center

    A new approach to community engagement in smart cities

    • Contact us
      • Twitter
      • Facebook
      • Linkedin
      • Email

    A new approach to community engagement in smart cities

    5 minutes

    Some 6,035 feet above sea level, and nestled into Pike National Forest, Colorado Springs wows visitors with its natural beauty. Ranked one of America’s best places to live, the city is now looking towards technology to further improve residents’ quality of life.

    Just an hour drive from Denver, Colorado Springs hosts the country’s flagship Olympic training centers and is building the nation’s only U.S. Olympic Museum. It is also embarking on a smart city endeavor called SmartCOS to positively impact the community and drive economic development, focusing on projects in energy, mobility, city services and smart buildings.

    Which technologies would benefit citizens most?

    When the municipality of Colorado Springs began investigating smart technologies to improve city services and reach community goals, a challenge arose: how to determine which opportunities would benefit citizens most? City officials turned to Panasonic, a leader in smart city initiatives, for help narrowing the tech focus.

    It all started with a visit to Panasonic’s CityNOW hub at Peña Station NEXT in sister city Denver. There, Panasonic is overseeing deployment of a range of technologies from a micro-grid and solar canopy to smart streetlights and parking, ultra-fast community Wi-Fi and a Connected Vehicle ecosystem. This 382-acre hub serves as a living lab for emerging technology, and an optimized business model in which cities, utilities, developers and transportation entities come together to share in the planning and resources for smart city projects.

    If there is one thing that can predict a smart city’s success, it is a strong public-private partnership.

    At Peña Station NEXT, businesses, energy and city service providers, landholders and government established a process to vet vendors and greenlight projects. CityNOW played a lead role as the Smart and Sustainable general contractor and systems integrator, employing its stakeholder alignment platform. Now Panasonic and Colorado Springs are partnering to implement a similar process, with an expanded focus on community involvement. Here are three clear benefits of a public-private collaboration such as ours.

    Project optimization

    Colorado Springs has a head start in that its utility company is municipally owned – and heavily engaged in smart city efforts. In fact, Colorado Springs Utilities was already exploring advanced metering infrastructure before we began developing the city’s SmartCOS Implementation Strategy.

    Now there are conversations between the city, the utility and the community on how to future proof an advanced metering system, and this input is being injected into the utility’s requirements as it pursues proposals. This is just one example of the opportunities that collaboration creates.

    A clearer path to execution

    The mayor’s office invited early involvement in a joint task force from different private institutions, the military (the city is home to four installations; Fort Carson, Peterson Air Force Base, the Air Force Academy and Schreiver Air Force Base), and other key community members, garnering input on which ideas would most benefit Colorado Springs. Having decision makers in the same room was priceless. This joint task force identified shared goals such as resiliency, energy and connectivity. The task force also came up with a path forward.

    The largest hurdle to smart city progress is not technology, but bringing together large, complex organizations and finding ways to gain agreement on mutual priorities, and ways to achieve them. It’s like a seven-legged race: we are all equally tied at the hip and we only make progress together.

    Increased ownership and accountability

    Community engagement is crucial to the SmartCOS process. City officials have initiated open discussions with the community – both publicly at scheduled events, and online via a tool called SpeakUp! on the city’s website. This live link enables citizens to provide feedback on what they would like to see in the areas of transportation and mobility, energy and utilities, buildings, sustainability and city services.

    This ongoing dialogue has been invaluable, creating a sense of excitement and ownership in the community. Rather than getting distracted by ‘bright and shiny new technologies,’ this robust process keeps us focused on projects that will add value to the lives of residents.

    Authors
    John Suthers - Mayor of Colorado Springs, CO.
    Jarrett Wendt - Executive Vice President forStrategic Initiatives at Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company

    Related Posts

    Connected World

    Peace of mind on match day: facial recognition solution at the football stadium

    In the summer of 2019, Panasonic introduced a facial recognition system at a football stadium in Denmark to stop known troublemakers from entering,

    5 minutes

    Learn more
    Connected World

    Meet the women shaping the way we experience flight

    See how a few of our high-flying women are changing the way thousands of passengers experience flight every day.

    3 minutes

    Learn more
    Connected World

    Building the Smart City: Why Most Cities Are Interested but Few Are Ready

    Panasonic built one of the most sustainable and resilient places to live on this planet - a true smart city.


    5 minutes

    Learn more
    Connected World

    Setting Our Focus on Distracted Driving

    Distracted driving is a pervasive issue, but drivers are slow to adapt to hands-free technology. Learn how Panasonic wants to simplify the connection process.

    5 minutes

    Learn more
    Connected World

    Harley-Davidson rides into the future with connected electric motorcycles

    For the next generation of motorcycle enthusiasts, the ride will be more urban and connected.

    5 minutes

    Learn more
    Connected World

    How public-private-philanthropic partnerships are driving transportation technology

    6 minutes

    Learn more
    Connected World

    How Utah's smart roadways are improving safety & efficiency

    Utah has a goal of reaching zero annual traffic fatalities in the state. Learn how intelligent transportation & connected vehicle technology are helping them get there.
    Learn more
    Connected World

    The Changing Face of Police Services

    Millennials and Gen Z officers in search of seamless technology

    5 minutes

    Learn more
    Connected World

    Where Industry 4.0 is remaking the factory floor

    How manufacturers are leveraging tech to achieve continuous efficiency improvements on factory floors

    5 minutes

    Learn more
    Connected World

    Success & opportunity in building innovation

    How technology is influencing the way consultants, architects and designers plan, design and build spaces

    5 minutes

    Learn more
    Connected World

    Public Safety is Drowning in Digital Data

    Police services are dealing with information overload

    3 minutes

    Learn more
    4 trends in horticulture
    Connected World

    4 Trends in high-tech horticulture

    The internet of plants won’t just disrupt the food chain: it will disrupt how our food is grown

    5 minutes

    Learn more
    Back to Trends

    Talk to our sales team to learn more about Panasonic devices and solutions.

     

    General Information

    Customer Information

    Company Information

    Product Information

    Additional Information

           Yes, I agree to receive information about Panasonic's full suite of product and industry solutions, special offers, events product innovations and new products, whitepapers, research and more. I understand I can withdraw my consent at any time. The information you provide us will be used in accordance with the terms of the Panasonic privacy policy and terms of use.

    Proceed to the following URL for consumer product requests:
    http://help.panasonic.ca/pw/customercare/support/consumeremail.aspx?l=en

    Talk to our support team to get assistance for your Panasonic devices and solutions.

     

    General Information

    Customer Information

    Company Information

    Product Information

    Additional Information

           Yes, I agree to receive information about Panasonic's full suite of product and industry solutions, special offers, events product innovations and new products, whitepapers, research and more. I understand I can withdraw my consent at any time. The information you provide us will be used in accordance with the terms of the Panasonic privacy policy and terms of use.

    Proceed to the following URL for consumer product requests:
    http://help.panasonic.ca/pw/customercare/support/consumeremail.aspx?l=en

    • About Us
    • News
    • Careers
    • Investor Relations
    • Corporate Social Responsibility
    • Contact Us

    Connect with us

    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Linkedin
    • Instagram Link
    • Youtube

    Select Country/Language

    • Canada - English
    • Canada - Français
    • United States - English
    © 2021 Panasonic Canada Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms
    • Accessibility
    • Panasonic Global
    • Consumer
    • Industrial
    Reviewed by Accessible 360