{"606987":{"#nid":"606987","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Lifting Communities with Smart Technology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile the four Georgia communities represent different parts of the state, their leaders expressed a similar goal: improve the quality of life for residents.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe cities of Albany and Chamblee and the counties of Chatham and Gwinnett will soon embark on year-long projects to address housing blight, traffic and transportation woes and sea level rise along Georgia\u0026rsquo;s coast. These projects are supported through the Georgia Smart Communities Challenge, a Georgia Tech-led initiative that brings together industry and public agencies to support large and small neighborhoods in their efforts to implement cutting-edge smart technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech President G.P. \u0026ldquo;Bud\u0026rdquo; Peterson and other state leaders traveled to Albany Tuesday to \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/2018\/06\/11\/four-communities-selected-inaugural-georgia-smart-communities-challenge\u0022\u003Eannounce the four winners\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Georgia Tech is very proud to have played a role in this program, which we believe will improve the quality of life in the participating communities and also provide models for other communities throughout our state to consider as they strive to make life better for their citizens,\u0026rdquo; Peterson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe program provides seed funding and access to technical assistance, expert advice and a network of peers. A Georgia Tech researcher will advise and conduct research in support of each group\u0026rsquo;s goals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe teams will each receive $50,000 in grants and $25,000 from Georgia Tech in research support. The selected communities each raised an additional $50,000.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Power is the lead sponsor of the program, with additional financial support from the Atlanta Regional Commission.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn Albany, the city and its collaborators will establish an efficient inventory of key community housing and associated infrastructure conditions. City leaders said this housing resiliency project will provide them with the data to make sure resources are being spent and allocated in ways that will result in the biggest positive impact.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This program allows us to be part of work that is on the cutting edge and will prepare our community for the future,\u0026rdquo; Albany Mayor Dorothy Hubbard said. \u0026ldquo;It means so much for the community to know we have Georgia Tech behind us and that this is a project we should be doing.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Gwinnett County project will evaluate traffic management technologies for improved vehicle mobility throughout the region. The technology will improve safety and connectivity. For this project to succeed, the county needs to make sure it\u0026rsquo;s investing in the right hardware and technology, said Vince Edwards, project coordinator with the Gwinnett County Department of Transportation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This an opportunity for us to work with the premier research institution in the state and have access to world-class talent,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;We know working with Georgia Tech and the other partners will help us make sure we are successful.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Smart organizers expect the strategies developed by the selected communities will serve as models that could be implemented elsewhere across the state.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe program is just one part of the work Georgia Tech is doing in this area. The Institute has partnered with the city of Atlanta since 2015 to design, implement and study Smart City initiatives.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;For us, Georgia Smart represents a great opportunity to branch out to other parts of our state,\u0026rdquo; Peterson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWork on the projects will begin in September and continue through September 2019.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech will conduct site visits to the four communities and hold workshops, conference calls and other activities to support the projects, said Debra Lam, managing director of \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/smartcities.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESmart Cities and Inclusive Innovation\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Creating and implementing smart communities is hard work and it\u0026rsquo;s difficult,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;But we know we\u0026rsquo;re on the right path when we are purposely empowering local communities themselves with data and technology.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAdditional Georgia Smart partners include: Association County Commissioners of Georgia, Georgia Centers for Innovation, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Georgia Municipal Association, Global City Challenges, Metro Atlanta Chamber and Technology Association of Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Smart Communities Challenge helps small and large cities improve quality of life."}],"field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Smart Communities Challenge helps small and large cities improve quality of life."}],"uid":"27918","created_gmt":"2018-06-12 21:50:44","changed_gmt":"2018-06-12 21:50:44","author":"Laura Diamond","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-06-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-06-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"606867":{"id":"606867","type":"image","title":"Georgia Smart Communities Challenge Winners Map","body":null,"created":"1528725524","gmt_created":"2018-06-11 13:58:44","changed":"1528803986","gmt_changed":"2018-06-12 11:46:26","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231472","name":"Georgia-Smart-Challenge-map-01.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Georgia-Smart-Challenge-map-01.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Georgia-Smart-Challenge-map-01.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1937103,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Georgia-Smart-Challenge-map-01.png?itok=k5FqokKN"}}},"media_ids":["606867"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/smartcities.gatech.edu\/georgia-smart","title":"Georgia Smart Communities Challenge"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"137","name":"Architecture"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"167987","name":"smart cities"},{"id":"176970","name":"Georgia Smart Communities Challenge"},{"id":"166890","name":"sustainability"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"},{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"},{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor media inquiries about Georgia Smart,\u0026nbsp;contact Laura Diamond,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor all other inquiries, email\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:scii@ipat.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Escii@ipat.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["laura.diamond@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}