Cisco’s Smart + Connected Communities Innovation Centre

A pre-conference tour of Cisco’s Smart + Connected Communities Innovation Centre in Toronto. September 9th, 2013 as part of Meeting of the Minds 2013.

 

More event info at cityminded.org/events/toronto

 

Tour description:

 

At the intersection of urban innovation, real estate development, and information technology, there is tremendous opportunity to redefine how we design, build, use, and operate our future built environment. Cisco is working to create experiential places for future generations and technology is at the core of the path towards:

 

1. Economic opportunities (job creation, cost reduction)

 

2. Environmental sustainability (energy savings, carbon reduction)

 

3. Social innovation (mobility, experiences, wellness)

 

Cisco’s Smart + Connected Communities Innovation Centre, in downtown Toronto, lies at the center of this industry transformation. Tour participants will meet with Cisco executives for briefings and demos. The latest technologies, business models, and innovative partnerships will be showcased in one place. While at the Innovation Centre you’ll see some elements that are keys to the future of building systems and community technologies. These can be used to optimize economic, environmental, and social sustainability. During this tour you’ll see how advanced integration and convergence (of building systems, operational systems, technology, signage, and environmental systems) is shrinking capital costs and operating costs, reducing the environmental footprint, and delivering new experiences to the users of the built environment. Cisco’s partnered with companies like Delta Controls, Lutron, Coopers Lighting, Park Assist, Triacta, Control4, NuLed, Tyco, Simplex, and others – all of which aim to deliver smart and connected buildings in improved urban communities.

 

To prepare and build intelligent infrastructure necessary to lay the foundation for smart and connected communities, Cisco is working on three core strategies with its partners. Hear from Cisco executives about how they are going about accomplishing the following:

 

1. Development of IT-enabled (IP, Power-over-Ethernet, “open”) products that complete the fabric of a smart and connected infrastructure. We have already seen innovation in IP physical safety and security, LED and IP lighting and control, and IP HVAC systems – all powered over Ethernet. The aggregation of leading-edge products and services will accelerate the creation of networked and intelligent environments.

 

2. Procurement models in infrastructure development are obsolete and do not lead to innovation in urban place-making. Industry thinking needs to shift from procuring “lost cost” to “high value”. New business models and operational considerations will accelerate and define intelligent future infrastructure.

 

3. New partnerships need to be fostered to deliver exceptional and incremental value. Products, systems, and services in the urban infrastructure supply-chain need to converge as companies, governments and others (eg, univiersities) work to build next-generation communities.

Done