“San Leandro as a Smart City” – A Discussion at East Bay Maker Labs / Friday, January 10, 6 p.m.

By Office of Innovation
In Uncategorized
Jan 2nd, 2014
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Illustration courtesy of www.sensingcontrol.comWhat is a Smart City?  What does a Smart City actually look like?

While others around the world debate the subject, San Leandro is taking the first steps to become a Smart City.  We recognize that government plays a critical role in developing and maintaining a healthy ecosystem in which its citizens, businesses and visitors can thrive.  Increasingly, a healthy ecosystem in a Smart City is seen to require a modern communication infrastructure (for example, a 10 gigabit network like Lit San Leandro) that leverages investments in human and social capital, resulting in a robust economy and improving quality of life for all — residents, businesses, workers, government, visitors.

Key to the development of a Smart City is participation and engagement of its citizens in the transformation.  As with many other cities around the globe, San Leandro’s historical industrial economy faces economic and technological challenges caused by globalization.  How do we handle our transformation to a tech and innovation economy and simultaneously deal with the impacts on issues of urban quality, including housing, economy, culture, social and environmental conditions?

The European Smart Cities Model identifies six characteristics of a Smart City, below.

6 Characteristics of a Smart City

San Leandro took a critical first step to become a Smart City through development of the Lit San Leandro fiber optic loop (Smart Economy). Next, we are partnering with OSIsoft  to install its PI software in all municipal buildings (Smart Environment); the data accumulated will support more informed decisions around sustainability and utility efficiency, leading to reduced costs and healthier management of City real estate. Other areas we are looking at include a partnership with the KP Sidney R. Garfield Innovation Center to monitor the impact of environment on their San Leandro members through sensors on the LSL network; internet access for all citizens (overcoming the digital divide); innovation in education; increased public safety; expanded traffic control; emergency preparedness.

What’s important to you?  How do you want to engage?  Please join me next Friday, along with Priyanka Holmes, Project Manager, OSIsoft and Steve Spiker, Research & Technology Director, Urban Strategies Council in Oakland — and YOU — for what promises to be a great way to kick off 2014.  Learn more and register for the event by clicking HERE and stay engaged through #makerSL.

East Bay Maker Labs is located in the Bayfair Center, in the Mall area adjacent to Target.  Thank you to Judi Clark and Michael Howland of East Bay Maker Labs for creating and hosting this event!

3 Responses to ““San Leandro as a Smart City” – A Discussion at East Bay Maker Labs / Friday, January 10, 6 p.m.”

  1. I will be attending.

    I look forward to discussions about dealing with crucial city issues, which have not been listed, such as, developing programs dealing with obesity, physical health, environmental pollution, using much less electricity and grid energy, garbage, internationalization of schools, creating city-wide fitness programs, encouraging biking throughout the city and discouraging car use. The city of San Leandro has the opportunity to become a leader in environmental protection and healthy life styles, but these issues are not being addressed. Discuss should include how to make the everyday lives of San Leandro citizens an exemplar for the world.

  2. Brigitte Mardigras says:

    I regretfully cannot attend the event, but am elated to hear that San Leandro’s city officials recognize it’s potential to trail-blaze in the area of “smart” concepts and are making conscious efforts to get things in motion. San Leandro is a promising city.

    To the comment above, I also hope the discussion touches on important issues that cover healthy environment decisions. As a start, I suggest looking at successful programs that encourage “smart” behavior in other cities, (islands of success) like DC’s public-private partnership, Capital Bikeshare Program.

    Lean forward.

  3. […] will it mean for San Leandro to become a Smart City?  Arts, technology, fiber optic infrastructure, sustainability, alternative energies — San […]

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