Smart Cities Council Asia Pacific will officially launch its NSW & ACT Chapter in Sydney on 13 October 2026, bringing government, industry, academia and community leaders together to help shape greener, healthier and more sustainable cities.

Hosted by NCS Australia, the official Chapter Launch will establish a new local platform for collaboration, thought leadership and practical action across NSW and the ACT.

The event will introduce Karandeep Chadha as the Smart Cities Council NSW & ACT Chapter Lead and outline the Chapter’s priorities and opportunities for local engagement into 2027 and beyond.

Under the theme Smart Green NSW: Building Greener, Healthier and More Sustainable Cities, the launch will explore how nature, infrastructure, policy, investment and people can work together to improve the places in which communities live, work and connect.

NSW is entering an important new era of city-building. Population growth, major infrastructure investment, urban development, climate pressures and changing community expectations are creating both challenges and opportunities for governments, councils, developers and industry.

The Smart Green NSW agenda recognises that the future of smart cities is not simply about introducing more technology. It is about using innovation, evidence and cross-sector collaboration to create places that are greener, healthier, more resilient and more liveable.

Urban reforestation, green infrastructure, biodiversity, urban cooling, sustainable precincts and better planning will be central to the conversation.

The program will examine the economic, environmental and community value of treating trees, parks, green corridors and natural systems as essential urban infrastructure. It will also consider how green outcomes can be incorporated into major infrastructure projects, new developments, regeneration programs and precinct planning from the outset.

Smart Cities Council Chair and President Corey Gray will provide a global perspective on the evolution of the smart-cities movement and the opportunity for the NSW & ACT Chapter to translate international knowledge into meaningful local outcomes.

Karandeep Chadha will outline his vision for the Chapter and introduce the Smart Green NSW agenda, establishing a platform through which government, councils, property, infrastructure, business, academia and communities can work together.

“Think Global, Act Local” will underpin the Chapter’s approach, connecting Smart Cities Council’s international network and expertise with the priorities, projects and opportunities emerging across NSW and the ACT.

The Chapter’s proposed areas of work include accelerating urban greening and reforestation, promoting green infrastructure as an essential component of city-building, supporting sustainable precincts, strengthening research and evidence, and identifying opportunities for pilot projects.

A proposed 12-month legacy program will extend the impact of the launch beyond the event itself. Potential initiatives include a Smart Green NSW discussion paper, an urban reforestation priority framework, green infrastructure principles, a sustainable precinct pilot program and a government and council roundtable.

The Chapter will also seek to build stronger connections between universities, government and industry, supporting applied research and measurable environmental, social and economic outcomes.

Participants attending the launch will be invited to register their interest in Smart Green NSW, contribute to a proposed Urban Reforestation Working Group, nominate potential pilot locations and identify opportunities for research, investment and industry collaboration.

The evening will conclude with networking, providing attendees with an opportunity to connect with leaders from government, property, infrastructure, planning, research, technology, investment and community organisations.

The official Smart Cities Council NSW & ACT Chapter Launch will be held at the NCS Australia Sydney office on Tuesday 13 October 2026, from 5.00 pm.

Together, the new Chapter and its partners will work to move the smart-cities conversation from vision to action—building places that are not only smarter, but greener, healthier and more sustainable.