The Greater Washington Board of Trade, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), and the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, have formed the Greater Washington Smart Region Movement – a public-private partnership (P3) representing industry, government, and academia to identify and deploy smart city technology.
Collectively, the three groups represent hundreds of organizations – including governments, companies, investors, nonprofits, and academic institutions. Over the next several months, the founding organizations will work with local jurisdictions to define the operations and governance structure needed to objectively prioritize projects, secure funding, select suppliers, and ensure outcomes for citizens. Outcomes and recommendations are expected in August 2019.
“Our mission is to be the nation’s leading digitally enabled region,” said Jack McDougle, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. “We’re pioneering a model that gives everyone a voice but isn’t all talk — we’re focused on outcomes and headed for real, investment-ready projects that are driven by the community’s needs.”
The Smart Region framework is composed of the following layers:
- Smart devices : sensors, meters, video cameras, smartphones, and mobile devices;
- Connected solutions: networked devices, applications, and data collection;
- Big data and analytics: cloud storage, predictive analytics, and artificial intelligence;
- Standardized environment: processes, standards, policies, privacy, and rules and regulations;
- Hardened infrastructure: communication networks, cybersecurity, and basic services; and,
- Smart region at scale: scaled solutions across jurisdictions.
“While we’ve already implemented several smaller-scale smart initiatives, this effort will help us think bigger about our shared needs, reduce taxpayer costs by making joint purchases and working with local businesses and plan for these technologies to work seamlessly across our jurisdictional borders,” Robert White Jr., COG Board of Directors chair and a member of the DC Council, said in a statement.
