PRESS RELEASE
Moira Quinn
mquinn@charlottecentercity.org or 704-363-1298
Lelia King
lking@charlottecentercity.org or 704-332-9590
Sarah Blanchard
Sarah.Blanchard@smartcitiescouncil.com or 206-412-0947
Charlotte, NC – March 14, 2015 – Sponsored by Itron and hosted by the City of Charlotte and Envision Charlotte, the quarterly Smart Cities Council forum will take place on March 23-24 at the UNC Charlotte Center City campus in Uptown Charlotte. The Smart Cities Council is a global organization that promotes the move to smart, sustainable cities. The “Smart City” designation recognizes the ongoing efforts of cities around the world to use technology and data to implement sustainable initiatives that help grow the economy, improve delivery of services and improve quality of life for residents, businesses and visitors.
“We selected Charlotte to host Smart Cities Now based on its success as an innovation hub and a model of partnership and collaboration,” said Jesse Berst, Chairman of the Smart Cities Council. “Charlotte is an inspiration for many cities and we are so pleased to convene our partners and government leaders to improve the livability, workability and sustainability of cities around the world.”
Attendees will learn best practices and receive guidance on smart energy and water innovations happening around the world from an impressive roster of public, private and non-profit speakers. Speakers will include:
- Jesse Berst, Chairman, Smart Cities Council
- Philip Mezey, CEO, Itron
- Mayor Dan Clodfelter, City of Charlotte
- Amy Aussieker, Executive Director, Envision Charlotte
- Michael Smith, President & CEO, Charlotte Center City Partners
- Charles Kiely, Assistant GM of Customer Care and Operations, DC Water
- Zeev Efrat, CEO, Aquarius-Spectrum, Ltd.
- Bram Sieben, Consultant to Alliander, Amsterdam Smart City
- Pierre Brunet, Vice President Business Development-Cities, Veolia
Many other speakers and panelists are listed in the attached agenda.
“The Smart Cities Council provides a global resource for city leaders to tap as we implement the strategic use of data and technology to improve delivery of services, spur economic growth and enhance the quality of life in our communities,” said Charlotte Mayor Dan Clodfelter. “Charlotte embraces the Smart City concept. Partners across our city are developing a comprehensive roadmap for using smart technologies to achieve sustainable and prosperous outcomes in the areas of energy, transportation, water and public safety.”
The conference will include a Smart Cities “hackathon,” sponsored by Itron, which will focus on gathering innovative ideas about how to make Charlotte the smartest city in the world. The hackathon will take place at UNC Charlotte’s Center City Campus on Sunday, March 22 beginning at 8pm. Click here for information or to sign up to participate.
Envision Charlotte will host a Smart Cities luncheon on Tuesday, March 24 from 11:30am-1:30pm at the Westin Charlotte. A panel of experts will discuss Charlotte’s initiatives, their effectiveness and benefit to business, what other U.S. cities are doing to create Smart Cities, why international cities are leading the way, and trends in both the U.S. and across the world. Click here to purchase tickets.
Charlotte is among the first cities in the world to have developed a measurable program in more than 60 buildings within the central business district through Envision Charlotte, which was named an award finalist at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona in 2014. Envision Charlotte and Duke Energy announced in June 2014 that Uptown Charlotte buildings have reduced energy consumption by 8.4 percent since the initiative was launched, saving businesses an estimated $10 million or more. The organization is also developing programs related to water, air and waste reduction.
About Smart Cities Council
The Smart Cities Council is the trusted advisor to equip cities with tools and knowledge to cope with expanding populations, shrinking budgets and aging infrastructure. It is comprised of the world's foremost smart city practitioners advised by unbiased, independent experts, including top universities, national laboratories, standards bodies, climate advocacy groups and development banks. The Council’s goal is to accelerate the growth of smart cities worldwide by providing city leaders with best practices and vendor-neutral guidance on technology, finance, policy and, citizen engagement. For more information, visit www.smartcitiescouncil.com or view a brief introductory video about the Smart Cities Council.
About the City of Charlotte
Mayor Dan Clodfelter embraces Charlotte as a city of resilience, resourcefulness and reinvention. His efforts focus on five broad areas: economic innovation, sustainable living, opportunity, strong neighborhoods, and regional partnership—in promoting the city as the best place to live and do business. For the latest news from Mayor Clodfelter, visit http://mayor.charlottenc.gov and click “Notify Me” to sign up for email updates. You can also follow Mayor Clodfelter on Twitter using @CLTMayor.
About Envision Charlotte
Envision Charlotte is a unique public-private partnership that leverages sustainability for economic growth as a model for all communities. Envision Charlotte believes environmental sustainability, when combined with a pro-business approach benefits the regional economy and is achieved through perpetual, formal stewardship of defined resources in the environment in the areas of energy, water, air and waste. The vision of Envision Charlotte is to become a global model of environmental sustainability for measurable community and economic results. Envision Charlotte and its model programs have won industry awards and been the subject of national media campaigns, news articles and a Harvard Business School case study. For more information, please visit www.envisioncharlotte.com.
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