Digital projects to benefit from £24 million Smart Cities Scotland funding
A number of local benefits will benefit.
A host of digital projects are to benefit from £24 million to help make Scottish cities world-leading'' innovation hubs.
Waste services in Perth, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling are to introduce smart bin'' technology with sensors that alert services to empty bins only when full while similar technology will be piloted in street lights to make energy savings and cut emissions.
The Smart Cities Scotland programme aims to make services from street lighting to healthcare more efficient and greener while making the cities more attractive to potential investors.
It was allocated £10 million in European Regional Development Funding, which is to be matched with £14 million from the cities taking part.
Other projects include an innovation hub in Perth to develop new digital businesses and an open data platform where cities can share analysis for best practice.
Economy Secretary Keith Brown said: Through the Scottish Cities Alliance we are working to boost Scotland's cities and make them smarter.
That's why I'm pleased to see this programme move into its delivery phase, with the wide range of projects announced today set to make our cities more efficient and greener, as well as more attractive to potential investors.
This £24 million investment will use smart city technology to transform our cities into world-leading digital hubs which will improve services and empower residents.''
Glasgow City Council leader Frank McAveety said: Glasgow, as lead city for this programme in Scotland, worked with our partners across the country both to submit this bid and show how the use of data can benefit us all socially and economically.
Our success in pioneering smart city technologies is something we will continue to build on to deliver transformed services for residents, businesses and visitors.''
Andrew Burns, chair of the Scottish Cities Alliance, said: By working together Scotland's cities are utilising economies of scale to learn individually and share that knowledge collectively to be at the cutting-edge of smart city technology and the benefits that brings.
Our inter-city approach to developing smart city solutions has been praised publicly by the European Commission and we have attracted the attention of other nations who are looking to emulate our collaborative model.''