Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore and the Danish consortium Smart City World Labs have partnered to develop smart city technology in order to improve the sustainability and liveability of cities. The joint venture will allow Denmark’s SME’s to test and adapt their solutions using Singapore as a test bed. Tests – ranging from water and energy saving technologies to green building systems and electric vehicles – will be conducted on NTU’s campus, which already hosts 5-megawatt peak rooftop solar farms. Leading NTU’s efforts will be the Energy Research Institute who, together with the Danish consortium experts, will explore five broad areas of research: green building technologies, electromobility, environmental sustainability, liveability, and sustainable energy solutions.
“We are living in a world that needs sustainable development so as to address the challenges brought about by rapid urbanization,” said professor Lam Khin Yong, chief of staff and vice president of research at NTU. “NTU’s partnership with Smart City World Labs will develop innovations to improve the liveability of cities such as Singapore as we embrace green technologies for a more sustainable future.”
Based in Denmark, the Smart City World Labs Consortium is comprised of the Royal Danish Embassy in Singapore, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), the City of Copenhagen, Gate 21 and Quercus Group, a consultancy firm that specializes in sustainable development. NTU and the consortium will form a gateway that allows local SMEs to tap into a global network of living labs where they can test their ideas, products and innovations overseas.
Dorte Bech Vizard, Ambassador of Denmark to Singapore, said, “Denmark and Singapore – both small countries – are important drivers of the green transition through smart tenders and new ways of doing public-private collaboration. Connecting Danish and Singaporean living labs will make it easier for especially our small and medium-sized companies to test and adapt their innovative products in a real life scenario and to show-case the benefits to a broad range of stakeholders in our markets. I expect this will accelerate the uptake of new green solutions and create export successes in both countries.”
