Smart Cities News

A network of public drinking water top-up taps installed by Scottish Water across Scotland has saved the equivalent of 250,000 plastic bottles and is being expanded to 70 more locations.

The UK city won top place in the national Digital Leaders 100 Awards and was recognised for prioritising digital transformation for the wider benefit and creating opportunities for communities and businesses alike.

The strategy, which has been unanimously approved, sets out principles for how the council’s future technology services should be designed, sourced and delivered.

The Scottish capital will further work with provider CGI to put in place a programme of digital transformation which includes a range of smart city applications.

The scheme follows an initial pilot at six primary schools with a reported 69 per cent fewer vehicles identified outside those schools during the morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up.

Saughton Park in the Scottish capital city is using micro-hydro technology on the Water of Leith, generating electricity for all the park’s needs, including running two ground source heat pump systems.

The city council wants to explore what it means to be a thriving green city and ensure outdoor spaces deliver benefits in areas such as health, active travel, biodiversity and social cohesion.

The public can use the Commonplace platform to share suggestions for creating safer spaces for walking, cycling and wheeling as the current lockdown restrictions begin to be lifted.

The Scottish capital’s city council said it has been working closely with Transport Scotland and Sustrans to develop an approach to re-designating road space.

The commission has been established to connect stakeholders from the business, public and civil society sectors and will work to create opportunities for local climate action.