The Research Triangle Park (RTP) was created in the 1950's as a regional center for research, innovation, jobs, and economic development. Today leaders are innovativing to address Traffic, Crime, Sustainability and Economic Development challenges across political boundaries Solving these challenges will require a collaborative approach between agencies and jurisdictions. In this session we will explore the challenges and opportunities of creating a regional approach for Smart Connected Communities and how Smart Connected RTP will continue to improve quality of life for residents and visitors while driving economic development.

City and County administrations are struggling to deal with 5G related development and regulatory issues. However, Wireless development issues can no longer be ignored. 5G needs urgent attention within City regulatory & development planning departments to prepare for a 5G future. Smart City development work is also part of City Planning for 5G. 5G Wireless policy / regulatory / development framework is needed.

Cities are struggling with many mobility challenges. As populations continue to grow in urban areas and infrastructure ages, cities face ever-increasing commute times and greater congestion. The influx of new ride-sharing and alternative modes of transport leaves transportation planners without the data and tools needed to plan for the future of urban mobility for its citizens. In this session, we will explore how innovation in the use of data and analytics is supporting the deployment of MaaS solutions and helping governments, municipalities, transit agencies and city planners build smarter cities with happier commuters.

Ninety percent of data in existence was created in the past two years. Machine-learning algorithms can process and analyze data at a scale and speed that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago. The implications of Big Data will reach into every aspect of our economic and social lives - from employment to healthcare to policymaking. Specific to Smart Cities, you can’t manage what you don’t measure, and the evolution of network and sensor technology has made it easier than ever to measure our surroundings. While considering the potential impact of this Internet of Things, this panel looks specifically at data management and analytics and the value of converting the growing mountain of raw data into actionable information for cities to deliver measurable value to the many departments they serve.

First Responders - law enforcement, fire-and-rescue, emergency medical services, emergency management, and 9-1-1 centers - now have priority on a nationwide wireless mobile network dedicated for their use. This network, FirstNet, is a reality with over 600,000 users in 7000 public safety agencies. Over 70 curated, security-tested applications are in the FirstNet catalog, and hundreds of others are in use by first responders. Over 80 devices are FirstNet-ready, and most of them, including the latest iPhones and Samsung phones and tablets, can use FCC-designated FirstNet spectrum, Band 14. How does FirstNet improve safety and quality of life in communities? How does FirstNet use sensors and wearable devices, plus connectivity to smart buildings and other smart city technology to enable responders to better serve the residents of communities nationwide? This panel will address these questions and discuss how future mobile public safety capabilities will make smart cities safer.

This panel of city leaders and innovators will discuss their mobility priorities and the biggest challenges they are facing in transforming urban mobility. The moderated panel will look at best practices and lessons the cities have learned as they cope with a changing mobility landscape, industry disruptions, and the complexities of implementing new services.

Panelists from DC to discuss how emerging technologies and initiatives can be used in the District equitably (and mitigating their risks and unintended consequences) in order to achieve a smarter, stronger and better quality of life for all District residents as well as drive economic opportunity and business development. They will discuss jobs of the future, how to close the digital divide and how to rethink a workforce strategy that support these values.

In this session you'll hear smart city leaders talk straight about how they see the opportunities, challenges and concerns related to their community's digital evolution. We will explore the current state of the smart city as well as the anticipated next big thing. You will leave this session with a better understanding of the perspective of government leaders who are ready to create smart-er cities.

Cities looking to make tangible improvements to citizen facing functions often implement a digital transformation strategy. Done correctly, local residents notice an immediate improvement in service quality with public service staff benefiting from the simplicity and ease of use. Learn the fundamentals of a digital-focused community development and citizen services strategy that benefits your residents and public servants alike.

This moderated panel will explore and identify challenges and best practices presented by the participating cities. This session will focus on Urban Operations and Infrastructure

Join us for a panel discussion on utilizing smart LED light fixtures to deploy useful smart city technologies using cooperative purchasing agreements. This panel discussion will examine a Smart City trial in Greenville South Carolina that deployed new Smart LED light fixtures featuring Ultra Wide Band sensors for precise vehicle positioning. The demo project is adjacent to the CU-ICAR Internation Center for Automotive Research at Clemson University. Unlike GPS, Ultra Wide Band allows for extremely accurate vehicle positioning...to 2cm. The panel will discuss vehicle positioning as well as other technologies installed including lighting controls, utility-grade metering, footfall monitoring, Bluetooth beaconing, video for traffic controls, and a transit mobility hub. They will also discuss how cities can use national Cooperative Purchasing Agreements to implement Smart City trials and projects simply and efficiently nationwide by streamlining the bidding and purchasing process through a single locally and nationally recognized purchasing solicitation.

By now, everyone has heard about the pending 5G Revolution and benefits, but what does 5G mean for smart cities? Join this highly interactive panel discussion with industry leaders at the forefront of the 5G movement. They will discuss the benefits and challenges of 5G and how to best prepare your city and citizens for what’s next. Key questions to be covered include: What does a Smart City look like? How does 5G play a role? What is 5G (and what it isn’t)? What are the economic impacts of 5G? Where is 5G being deployed and where is it headed? What are some of the 5G related asset needs for smart city planning? How can you prepare as a city to proactively embrace 5G?

Military bases, utilities, and cities face common challenges preparing for an uncertain future. This session will facilitate a discussion about integrated resilience planning within broader urban communities and between DoD installations, their utilities, and their neighboring communities. Panelists will share their goals for coordinating resilience efforts that focus on shared infrastructure such as wastewater systems, water infrastructure, highway/transport on/off bases, electrical/gas distribution, telecommunications systems, and critical community infrastructure (e.g., gas stations and grocery stores). The goal is to uncover some keys to proactive planning processes to implement advanced technologies for optimized, “smart”, and interconnected systems to ensure urban- and military-readiness to support long-term stability for broader communities.

In this panel, Transit Tech Lab Director Natalia Quintero and mobility tech companies that are working with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City discuss challenges and share best practices for collaborating with public transit agencies to accelerate innovation.

This forum will convene industry, government, utility, and research perspectives from across the nation to explore the application of smart cities technologies, policies, and philosophies to water challenges and the communities that face them. In a facilitated discussion, the panelists will examine specific case studies and projects across the globe that examine smart applications for water quality, quantity, and security. Over the course of the session, the group will begin to define a vision and value proposition for the future of smart and connected water. Key topics discussed will include: Industrial IoT for Water Utilities, Digital Watersheds, Next-Gen Water Sensors, Basin-Based Smart Regions Strategy, and LoRa & SDN for Water.

As cities start or continue their journey towards becoming a Smart City, they are increasingly overwhelmed by the complexity of the technology and operational implications. Partnering with other cities, technology vendors and infrastructure providers could be a potential option to collectively tackle these challenges. These partners can be trusted advisors, that can help navigate the ever growing ecosystem of sensors, networks and software applications needed for Smart City solutions. More and more cities are starting their partnerships with Network Infrastructure providers to lead them on this journey to define their Smart City framework and to deploy integrated solutions that are optimized for their city. Data is the heart of a Smart City and as data grows, cities need to choose partners that will grow and innovate with them.

Now that the FTA considers Battery Electric Buses as mainstream and the transit industry is solving the related infrastructure and charging issues, industry focus is being redirected toward Autonomous Transit applications. While it will be many years before a transit agency is willing to dispatch a full size bus full of passengers on a normal transit route with no driver there are many applications today for the deployment of autonomous technology. These include platooning, maintenance/storage yard maneuverability, dedicated low speed first and last mile service etc. The industry, driven by grant funding available from the Federal Transit Administration, is demanding rapid development of this technology.

You can’t be a Smart City until you are a connected city. Cities are utilizing IoT devices into streetlights, municipal infrastructure, parking meters and more to improve the quality of life, environment, safety and sustainability for their citizens. As cities and communities brace themselves for the massive technological shifts that 5G and smart sensor equipment infrastructure will herald, they need to focus on providing the most cost-effective, reliable systems to serve their constituents. However, a crowded smart technology field with near limitless device options presents a unique challenge: what will best meet the needs of my community? What sensor technology do we need? Will broadband or narrow band networks serve us most efficiently? How will edge intelligence play a factor? In this session, we will offer a comprehensive framework by which cities can analyze and categorize solutions by focusing on three key attributes: Data latency Data frequency Data size This straightforward framework will enable cities to better realize and describe their data needs in a manner which makes the proper choice of technology clear and obvious. This framework will also simplify the dialogue between vendors and customers, streamlining communications and providing a clear channel through which technological needs can be articulated and understood.

So you have a 100% clean energy goal. Now what? Across the world, public-sector leaders are pursuing goals to provide 100% of their power needs from renewable energy to meet goals for sustainability, grid reliability, energy independence, and cost reductions. Cities are responsible for over 70% of global GHG emissions from energy use, so transitioning to renewables presents a tremendous opportunity to reduce climate impact - and with decreasing costs of renewable technologies and increasing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, more and more communities are pursuing 100% renewable goals.

The panel will bring together representatives from several transportation agencies that have been conducting pilots that leverage both AI and in-vehicle data to manage traffic and incidents in their cities and states. The focus will be around how AI is shaping the future of traffic management, traffic engineers, emergency response and law enforcement. How can this technology not only make roads smarter but also safer.

Very few times in history has there been such a confluence of innovation across all segments of an industry fueling the speed of change and giving rise to what is possible. Some call it the Fourth Industrial Revolution, but make no mistake about it, the hopes and promises of smart cities is pinned on innovation. This distinguished panel of innovators and leaders will discuss the evolution of SMART and transformative solutions propelling the promise of a better future for cities and citizens.

Municipalities are deploying many Smart City point solutions, or departmental initiatives, without an overarching strategy that bridges technology innovation inline with existing city strategic plans and IT strategies. A Smart City Strategic plan is not a static document, it is created out of a process that aligns all departments, engages the community and other stakeholders, ensures modernized governance and policy, and can be instrumental in helping cities maintain initiatives even as there are leadership or political changes. These plans help cities to leverage IT infrastructure and solutions so that initiatives are deployed with an eye towards cost efficiencies and data sharing.

Cities share what it means to remain relevant, safe, and invested in a time of digital transformation. Hear about the unique challenges and opportunities facing city leaders and what the future may hold for connected communities.

Join this fire-side chat with city and technology leaders addressing the urban mobility challenges all cities face. From outdated infrastructure, congestion, pollution and inefficiencies, all cities are trying to solve their personal mobility challenge to improve city operations and citizen safety while adopting future technologies that will change the landscape of urban mobility forever. Join the conversation with city and technology leaders working to solve some of the biggest challenges on the path to becoming a SMART City.

Like many Cities, Philadelphia believes that partnerships are a critical component to building, implementing and sustaining smart city solutions. Engagement and collaboration are at the heart of SmartCityPHL. Engagement with the community ensures that the voices of residents and stakeholders are thoughtfully considered and reflected in the way smart city solutions are created and designed. Partnerships allow for increased capacity to realize and implement ideas and solutions in a sustainable manner. This panel will explore how Philadelphia, and thus other diverse urban demographic cities, are strategically positioning as SMART with a focus on diversity and inclusion, use of data, and the collaboration of anchor institutions. In addition, digital access and adoption remain significant hurdles among Philadelphia communities, the panel will also delve into the challenges that cities face and successes that cities have, in ensuring that smart city technologies are available and meaningful for all residents and in step with cohesive roadmaps that are designed to spur innovation and collaboration amongst city stakeholders.

Here’s a radical concept: IT Departments do not own security, and neither do IT systems. Cybersecurity is an organization-wide function that must have top-down business integration to ensure bottom-up participation. How do we meet the challenge? Cybersecurity Culture is a concept that unifies the many layers of defense and updates the way we need to think about controls to relate them directly to the culture of an organization. Unifying the many components of a well-conceived and managed cybersecurity program help reduce risk and create a safer environment in which to fulfill the objectives of a sound business strategy. This interactive session will provide you the five steps to build and sustain a Cybersecurity Culture that’s embedded throughout your organization, while putting you and your peers in the driver’s seat, guiding the conversation around cyber topics most important to you.

The relationship between citizens and local governments is changing faster than ever before. Citizens are expecting faster and better performing services from their local authorities. In the same way that private companies are making a shift towards digital services, expectations around the use of technology to improve public services are rising. Harnessing urban data is key for cities and local governments to offer more efficient services and enhance citizen engagement. At the same time, digital transformation projects in industries such as telecom, utilities, and transportation create large volumes of both qualitative and quantitative data. How can public organizations make the most of this data? How can they use this data to limit time and resource investment whilst meeting their objectives in public service delivery and citizen expectations? Using case studies, the panel will explore these questions and how lessons can be applied to audience members' own work.

Cloud technology through voice and broadband has the power to completely change communities and to improve the lives of local residents and businesses. Partnering with a cloud provider has proven to be the most cost effective and time efficient way to start offering cloud services. However, not all clouds are created equal. When looking for a cloud partner, it can be easy to mistake fog for a cloud, and that can have dire results because the infrastructure, design and various ins and outs of the cloud are vital for you being able to efficiently leverage the technology and maximize your infrastructure. Together, we’ll walk through the cloud, and provide you with the understanding, working knowledge and questions should be asking in order to make a profitable decision. While also taking some time to share the secrets to driving sales and building strong customer management. By the end, you’ll be fully equipped to make technology decisions and select partners that you can be confident will help take you to cloud nine.

A smart city utilizes IoT sensors, actuators, and information technology to connect and power components across the city impacting every layer of a city from under the streets to the air citizens breathe. At the most fundamental level, smart buildings deliver useful building services that make occupants more productive by converging building automation systems (BAS) with IP smart LED lighting. The proliferation of IoT and other non-core LAN IP devices, require a physical separation of two very different networks. A new Utility network (uLAN) is emerging that powers and connects smart building and smart city technology to deliver new levels of visibility and actionable information.    This will be a partner presentation by Glenn Buck, Transition Networks, Jim Frey, Berk-Tek and Drew Kolb, Cree Lighting.

This moderated panel will explore and identify challenges and best practices presented by the participating cities. This session will be a moderated panel discussion focused on Community Engagement and Governance.

Out of the DoD’s $1 billion in annual transportation costs, the Department of Defense spends $435 million each year for non-tactical passenger vehicles and light trucks alone, with a use rate of just 7%. However, new autonomous vehicle (AV) technology can help reduce those costs and increase transportation safety by ensuring more coordinated transport and cutting down on single-occupancy ridership. This panel will examine the use of military bases as AV testbeds, and the opportunity to accelerate AV innovation both within bases and in partnership with their surrounding communities.

The speed of information is increasing and technology (especially technology available in the intelligence community) needs to keep up with the demands for knowledge – particularly curated knowledge. This interaction panel and discussion will provide recommendations to the intelligence community, including embracing a common Object framework to ensure all information is driven to the Object, creation of a DoD mandate, and common defense ontological framework.

While cities and towns across the country commit to smart systems for utilities, housing, and schools, recycling and waste service systems remain stagnant and resistant to innovation. On the residential side, many cities use outdated technology – or no technology at all – to plan service routes, pickup and drop-off points, and schedules. Since commercial entities are responsible for contracting with private haulers, the commercial recycling and waste industry tends to be highly fragmented and inefficient. All of this means that cities’ waste collection routes are not optimized for reducing emissions and traffic, and that collection containers do not encourage the reduced waste generation or increased recycling rates. Companies like RTS have developed cutting-edge technological solutions to revolutionize the recycling and waste industry. We work with haulers to optimize routes, with customers to minimize their disposal footprints, and with towns and cities to plan and achieve ambitious sustainability goals. But obstacles to progress remain. This panel will provide background on the industry and its slow march to more intelligent solutions. We will discuss exciting advances and opportunities – and ongoing challenges – to creating truly smart sanitation systems.

Earlier this year, the City of Aurora, IL, made national headlines due to a mass shooting. During that shooting, it responded within minutes to secure its residents and neutralize the situation. Nonetheless, the shooting resulted in lives lost and officers who sustained serious gun wound injuries. Unsurprisingly, the shooting made national headlines, with the proliferation of social media contributing heavily. Using Zencity's advanced AI technology, Aurora was able to stay on top of this swell of information, respond accordingly, and direct residents towards the right news coverage. Moreover, the city used AI to keep the pulse of its community both in real-time and in the weeks following, as well as to understand how residents were responding. This enabled the City to leverage the power of its residents in the healing and recovery process, and to refocus the energy of Aurora's community from grief to support and resilience. This panel will tell the story of how Aurora used technology to respond to the mass shooting, manage national communications and communications with residents, and more. More generally, the panel will discuss the City’s smart city vision and how it’s using technology to engage with residents and make more data-driven decisions.

Across the globe, there is a need for software applications to transform the way first responders serve their communities. However, due to the unique circumstances, difficult conditions, and unpredictable environments in which public safety end-users operate, there are barriers to unitizing untested software in their daily routines. NIST PSCR, a mission-driven federal research lab, is working to reduce those barriers. This panel will highlight a newly launched open innovation program challenging participants from across the country to create software solutions which address key challenges faced by first responders.

Significant amounts of waste are produced by Department of Defense (DoD) operations that must be addressed to improve efficiency, limit environmental impact, and reduce hazards and risk to personnel and property. Present solutions such as burn pits and landfilling release pollutants into the environment, and can have long-term effects on the troops along with the local population. In addition, there is a strategic importance of energy security and sustainability in enhancing the mission effectiveness of military facilities. This discussion addresses solutions and factors for innovative uses of DoD operational waste streams.

As smart cities are implemented, municipalities will be collecting tons of data. What use can be made of this data? May the municipality monetize it, combine it without data acquired from others or use it for unrelated purposes? Who owns this data, and what are the responsibilities for its safe storage? During this session, attendees will learn about the public policy questions being faced by multiple municipalities to avoid the "big brother" conundrum and protect privacy, while at the same time creating the most efficient and effective smart city.