Construction Magazine August 2020 | Page 54

PROJECT MANAGEMENT
SUSTAINABILITY TECHNOLOGY – ENERGY
54
Building automation systems : systems that optimise energy and water use in commercial and public buildings with the help of sensors and analytics . Distribution automation systems : smart grid technologies , which include FDIR , M & D , Volt / Var , and substation automation , to optimise energy efficiency and stabilise the power grid . Dynamic electricity pricing : utilised to reduce peak time demand as well as the electricity generation cost . Home energy automation systems and tracking : optimising home energy consumption using smart thermostats , programmable and remote controllable electronic devices as well as standby electricity control . In addition to , providing information on tracked residential electricity consumption to increase awareness and encourage conservation . Smart street lights : Harnessing connected and sensor equipped energy efficient street lights to optimise brightness and reduce maintenance needs . Source : McKinsey constrain the pace at which cities can realise their development potential . The top 50 cities have turned to innovative ways to secure funding , including competitions and hackathons , partnerships with private companies , smart procurement policies , or national and state-level funds . In many cases , these acted in concert to improve funding outcomes ,” highlights the Eden Strategy Institute .
Of the top 50 cities within the report , 37 % have access to national and state level funds to develop their smart city frameworks ; while 23 % rely upon private-sector participation ; 18 % use hackathons and competitions to identify worthwhile smart city project investments ; and 9 % utilise smart procurement policies and practices , to optimise the use of public funds .
SUMMER / AUTUMN 2020