Georges River gets modern touch with smart city innovations

Georges River Council is taking the wrappers off integrated smart city technologies – including the rollout of IT-enabled ChillOUT hubs and furniture sensors – in a bid to “continue to innovate”, according to Mayor Kevin Greene.

“This is a great win for council after the successful rollout of the Smart Social Spaces Project as part of the Round 1 program last year,” said Mayor Greene.

Council was awarded $380,507 in funding under Round 2 of the Australian Government’s Smart Cities and Suburbs Program.

“The project will include installation of Smart Street Furniture at three outdoor locations across Georges River town centres to create ChillOUT hubs for residents, workers and visitors alike. The IT-enabled spaces will feature solar-powered charging points and environmental sensors to capture urban heat data.

“As technology becomes more integrated into our lives, it’s important for councils to harness new technologies to better serve the needs of their communities and improve services.

“Sensors on smart furniture installed in Round 1 will enable us to access information on the daily use of public spaces and obtain data for more efficient maintenance and waste services. Mayor Greene said he looks forward to building on council’s partnerships with the University of New South Wales and Street Furniture Australia.

Meanwhile, University of New South Wales associate professor, Nancy Marshall, said the data collected from the ChillOUT hubs, in particular, will help guide council decisions around the use of public space.

“The project will measure urban heat microclimates at the ChillOUT hubs, to monitor the use of public space and how people experience the urban climate.

“This data will be linked into the Council’s ‘Smart City Management System’ to help inform decisions about future open space design and public infrastructure management.”

Georges River Council was formed three years ago after the amalgamation of Hurstville and Kogarah.