As technology and the Internet of Things continues to play bigger roles in our lives, the concept of ‘Smart Cities’ has become a living reality. With a large and growing population of tech entrepreneurs and a reputation for being a city of firsts, how is Manchester working towards becoming the UK’s first Smart City?

 

A Programme for the Smarter City

Manchester has a history of innovation, invention and ambition. Those ambitions have moved from the industrial sphere into a technical one. As the fastest growing digital hub outside of London, with new mayoral autonomy and a comfortable position at the centre of the Northern Powerhouse, Manchester is ripe to lead the way in Smart City development.

An exciting project conceived up north, is the Smarter City programme, the brainchild of Manchester City Council. The programme aims to use technological innovation and new ways of working to improve everyday living in Manchester and to make the city work better for everybody.

Driving this strategy forward is a focus on six individual, yet connected, themes: live, work, play, move, learn and organise. These themes form the framework within which a Smart City can be developed, and provide working objectives for all involved.

What is Manchester Already Doing?

The Smarter City programme’s collection of case studies is impressive, with a number of successful projects already in place.

The Central Library Digital Demonstrator project makes use of Manchester’s Urban Broadband Fund implementation, and was the result of a partnership with Business Growth Hub. The project saw the newly refurbished Central Library become a hub for innovative businesses, offering demonstrations of new technologies, and access to superfast connected internet, 4K screens, 3D printers, and much more.

Open Data Manchester is a project which taps into an important aspect of the Smart City: data. The group aims to generate an intelligent and efficient data environment which can be used by businesses and the public alike. Open Data Manchester’s insight and exploration of open data will also assist the city in strengthening its innovation infrastructure, and pays a key role in the evolution of Manchester as a Smart City.

A revolutionary Building Energy Management System was implemented in the Manchester Town Hall refurbishment project in 2015 by construction firm Laing O’Rourke. The heating system uses state of the art technology, such as remote smart meters, to massively reduce the building’s carbon footprint and create a 35% energy saving. This innovation – having already demonstrated its efficacy – has been placed front and centre in energy plans for Manchester’s Smart City future.

Further case studies are available on the Smarter City website, and offer a glimpse of the tremendous cooperation and innovation taking place behind the scenes.

Technology vs Engagement

“What is a smart city? Ultimately, it’s a sustainable place where people enjoy living and enjoy life. Technology enables that.”

Claire Braithwaite, Consultant for Co-Op Group via BusinessCloud

Manchester City Council is already using the first generation of case studies to attract further investment in technology and innovation. Successful investment will fund further pilot projects and allow the Smarter City programme to progress its plans.

But before that happens, there are important questions to ask around what actually constitutes a Smart City. Discussions taking place earlier this year at Pro-Manchester’s Digital Disruption Conference turned the subject on its head, by introducing the idea that a Smart City is less about technology, and more about engaging with people.

Claire Braithwaite, Ventures and Partnership Consultant for Co-Op Group, used her experience in China – where she saw facial recognition and tech-heavy investment – versus meetings with CIOs to illustrate how there’s a gap in understanding Smart Cities. Supporting Braithwaite, BT’s North West Regional Director, Mike Blackburn, went on to say that the importance should lie in empowering people instead.

Addressing Demand First

“Both the public and private sector must work together to ensure that every Mancunian business has the opportunity and resources to reach its potential and connectivity has undoubtedly become a crucial element of this.”

Sir Howard Bernstein, Former Chief Executive of Manchester Council via MEN

Manchester’s Smarter City programme has already acknowledged the need to engage with individuals, both through its framework of six key themes, and the of use of existing technology to meet the demands of local businesses. For example, it’s no secret that UK internet connectivity lags behind our overseas cousins, and many conversations among PropTech experts have addressed the need for Manchester as a city to provide better internet – a key step in the programme’s success.

Vocal on the subject is Tech North’s chairman, Herb Kim. Speaking at a PropTech specialist event earlier this year, Kim made it clear that Manchester must move towards a “ready to go” system, which will see buildings pre-wired with superfast internet connections, as opposed to leaving connectivity to tenants.

As with any business, Kaleida relies on strong digital connectivity upon which bespoke software solutions are built and .NET frameworks supported. Hearing proposals for improving Manchester’s infrastructure is a positive step and makes the idea of a Smart City much more tangible.

Foundations for the Future

Manchester has already laid strong foundations for a move towards becoming a Smart City, but there’s still more potential for innovation and development. If projects continue to engage with leading individuals and local businesses, making the most of shared ideas and data, Manchester’s mission to become a Smarter City is very much achievable.

Start your journey to becoming a smarter organisation with a bespoke software solution. Kaleida’s team of experienced .NET developers are on hand to guide you through the entire process – simply get in touch to find out more.