Blog by Robyn Francis

The Payments Pulse
In a new industry report, The Payments Pulse, Convera explores key innovations defining the future of global commerce, and the opportunities and risks they present for businesses of all sizes.
Robyn Francis
09.06.25 10:54 PM - Comment(s)
Wellington’s Digital Twin: A New Tool for Climate Action & Community Engagement
Wellington City Council is using a cutting-edge Digital Twin model to engage communities around climate impacts in Pōneke | Wellington. Learn how this tool visualises the past, present, and future of the city—driving climate awareness, planning, and collaboration.
Robyn Francis
09.06.25 05:17 AM - Comment(s)
Narratives That Drive Impact: Tremendi's Role in Smarter Communities
If you’re an SME, council, utility, asset owner, or delivery partner working toward more intelligent, equitable, and impactful outcomes – connect with Tremendi to help shape your strategy, clarify your message, and deliver stakeholder confidence.
Robyn Francis
09.06.25 04:34 AM - Comment(s)
Celebrating Excellence in the Lighting Industry
The Lighting Industry Excellence Awards are now open for nominations! These awards acknowledge the talented individuals, amazing projects, quality products and companies within the lighting industry.
Robyn Francis
09.06.25 01:29 AM - Comment(s)
Building Sustainable and Accessible Mobility in Smart Cities
Insights from Khaled Daher following a webinar focused on sustainable urban transport, real-world infrastructure projects, and the role of smart technologies in shaping inclusive cities.
Robyn Francis
09.06.25 12:00 AM - Comment(s)
Are We Overlooking the Most Valuable Space in Our Cities?
As cities continue to densify and the demand for resilient, efficient infrastructure grows, an important question is emerging: Are we making the most of our underground spaces?
Robyn Francis
08.06.25 11:05 PM - Comment(s)
Breaking Down the Walls: Building Interoperability for Smarter Buildings
As cities and building owners rush to digitise, we're generating more data than ever, but unless systems can talk to each other, the promise of smarter, more sustainable infrastructure may be slipping through our fingers.
Robyn Francis
05.06.25 01:17 AM - Comment(s)
A call for purpose-driven innovation in the built environment
In BIM Today, Smart Cities Council, discusses the recent Smart Cities Summit North America in San Francisco, which explored how technology can deliver meaningful impact for people and place.
Robyn Francis
03.06.25 01:38 AM - Comment(s)
Digital Twins: No Longer A Future Aspiration
The ANZ Digital Twin Summit was held in Brisbane recently with credit to Saifee Events for curating such a timely and energising program.
Robyn Francis
01.06.25 11:59 PM - Comment(s)
Driving Smart Infrastructure from the Inside Out
From Telecom Towers to Transportation Transformation: How Raj Mehta is Digitizing State-Level Infrastructure Across the U.S.
Robyn Francis
30.05.25 01:28 AM - Comment(s)
From the Ground Up – A Journey Through Construction, Infrastructure, and Smart City Strategy
Smart Cities Council proudly welcomes Jonathan Lampman to our community, a seasoned infrastructure and project management professional with over two decades of diverse experience spanning construction, municipal leadership, and strategic consulting.
Robyn Francis
30.05.25 12:58 AM - Comment(s)
AI for Climate Action
Artificial intelligence is already helping New Zealand tackle climate change — but what’s working now, what’s ready to scale, and what’s emerging?
Robyn Francis
29.05.25 10:37 PM - Comment(s)
More Than a Fence: Why Security is the Hidden Powerhouse of Smart Cities
Gallagher Security approaches access control not just as a gatekeeper, but as a core enabler of intelligent infrastructure. Their systems form a policy-driven digital backbone, capable of integrating with HVAC, lighting, surveillance, and emergency protocols, all from a single unified platform.
Robyn Francis
29.05.25 12:53 AM - Comment(s)
Unlocking the Value of Smart Building Data
Buildings are generating more data than ever before, from energy use and air quality to occupancy and system performance. But without interoperability and clear standards, this data remains fragmented and underutilised.
Robyn Francis
26.05.25 08:44 AM - Comment(s)
A Global Collaboration for Urban Innovation
On a brisk San Francisco evening, leaders, innovators, diplomats, and entrepreneurs from around the globe converged at the Smart Cities Council Collaboration Event—a dynamic convening that emphasized unity, ingenuity, and a bold vision for the cities of tomorrow.
Robyn Francis
20.05.25 11:58 PM - Comment(s)
Smart Cities Summit North America 2025: A Global Inflection Point for the Future of Place
As cities worldwide confront new pressures and possibilities, Smart Cities Summit North America 2025 marked a defining moment in our collective urban journey.
Robyn Francis
20.05.25 12:10 AM - Comment(s)
Smart Cities Americas and Smart Cities Council Sign Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Global Smart Cities Initiatives 
Smart Cities Americas (SCA) and Smart Cities Council (SCC) will partner on fostering innovation, sustainability, and citizen-centric solutions through joint initiatives in policy development, technology deployment, and knowledge-sharing.
Robyn Francis
18.05.25 11:59 PM - Comment(s)
Unlocking the Future of Transport Infrastructure
On Wednesday, Smart Cities Council (SCC) brought together leaders and innovators in the transport infrastructure sector for a dynamic webinar focused on "BIM, Digital Twin: Asset Management (Roads and Tunnels)."
Robyn Francis
16.05.25 02:46 AM - Comment(s)
7 Highlights That Will Make GITEX EUROPE Unforgettable
Europe is executing the AI era at scale - Backed by the €200 billion InvestAI initiative and the newly launched AI Continent Action Plan, the EU is mobilising historic investment to reshape its digital future.
Robyn Francis
15.05.25 04:35 AM - Comment(s)
BYDA Launches Oceania’s First Digital Utility Portal, Paving the Way for Global Leadership in Utility Safety
Before You Dig Australia (BYDA), in partnership with global technology provider Reveal, has launched a breakthrough Digital Proof of Concept (POC) that positions Australian utilities as global leaders in digital safety and underground asset protection.
Robyn Francis
15.05.25 03:24 AM - Comment(s)