This summer, Williams Group had partnered with the Sustainability Scholar’s Program to research how Edmonton can become a Smart City by maximizing the potential of IoT in our physical infrastructure. Williams Engineering Canada and its sister company, DB Technologies, collaborated on a project titled “Paving the way for a Smarter Edmonton: Transforming into a Smart City by Connecting Buildings to People.”
Through this research, the Scholar collected input from key community stakeholders in telecommunication, education, government, real estate development, transportation, and construction to understand the status of smart technologies in the Edmonton area and the barriers to implementation. The report shows a high level of understanding of smart technologies among stakeholders. There is an undeniable advantage towards improved operational efficiencies, staff productivity and asset value while simultaneously lowering capital and operating costs. However, data privacy and security topped the list of concerns for stakeholders, followed by a lack of skilled labour and inadequate infrastructure.
There is a dire need for all stakeholders who play a role in making Edmonton a smart city to develop a clear digital strategy and vision to bring about a meaningful impact on our community. Williams Engineering Canada and DB Technologies will collaborate with community stakeholders and help eliminate the obstacles that stand in the way of creating a smarter, safer, inclusive, and resilient city for all.
Click here to watch our Sustainability Scholar, Rabiya Abbassi, present her findings in this short video. Want to learn more?
You can read the full report here: Sustainability Scholar Report-2021- Smart City Project
