Smart City and Utility Industry News Roundup
September 11, 2024

Google Research has unveiled a new AI-driven Heat Resilience tool designed to help cities tackle rising temperatures, especially in urban heat islands—areas that absorb and retain more heat due to dense infrastructure. Announced today, this innovative tool uses AI applied to satellite and aerial imagery to provide city officials with data on how to cool down neighborhoods through strategic interventions like planting trees and installing highly reflective surfaces such as cool roofs.

With predictions that 2024 could surpass 2023 as the hottest year on record, the need for such tools has never been more urgent. Urban heat islands heat up at twice the global average rate, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities, including the elderly, children, and people with chronic health conditions. According to recent data, heat-related mortality for people aged 65 and older increased by approximately 85% between 2017 and 2021.

Google’s Heat Resilience tool uses AI-powered object detection models to analyze local factors like green space and roof reflectivity, helping cities identify their hottest and most vulnerable areas. This allows local governments to prioritize cooling strategies where they are needed most, directly impacting neighborhood-level planning and policy.

Currently being piloted in 14 U.S. cities, including Miami-Dade County and Stockton, California, the tool provides quantifiable insights that enable city officials to make informed decisions. In Miami-Dade, the tool is helping develop policies that encourage developers to adopt heat mitigation measures, while Stockton has used an earlier version to identify potential projects to combat urban heat islands.

Google Research aims to expand partnerships with more cities, equipping them with the data necessary to implement effective cooling strategies, ultimately leading to safer, healthier, and more sustainable urban environments.

A major boost for electric vehicle infrastructure in France as the Banque des Territoires, Transport Infrastructure Investment Company (TIIC), and Equans join forces to launch Elinvest, a new investment structure dedicated to accelerating the deployment of electric vehicle charging stations (IRVE). With an initial €40 million fund, Elinvest will support local authorities, energy unions, and private operators in expanding public charging networks.

Elinvest combines financial backing, technical expertise, and a nationwide network to offer tailored solutions for the installation, operation, and maintenance of charging stations. This initiative aims to drive France’s efforts towards sustainable mobility and significantly reduce CO2 emissions, contributing to the country’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

Spanish energy company Iberdrola has installed over 700,000 smart meters for gas and electricity customers in New York, advancing its infrastructure through its subsidiary Avangrid. This project aims to enhance measurement accuracy by shifting from estimated to actual usage data, thereby streamlining energy consumption assessments. These smart meters are equipped with wireless communication technologies, enabling seamless interactions with utility providers New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E).

This system should improve the utilities’ ability to detect and address service interruptions swiftly. The broader initiative includes the deployment of 1.3 million electric smart meters and 600,000 natural gas modules throughout the state, significantly upgrading the overall grid management and supporting the energy transition towards more sustainable practices.

A new network of 90 Zephyr air quality monitors, supplied, installed, and monitored by Earthsense, is being deployed across the West Midlands. These sensors are being installed near homes, schools, hospitals, and sports centres, to enhance air quality monitoring in the region.

These should provide communities with real-world air quality information, helping identify pollution sources and enabling targeted actions to improve air quality. This initiative is part of a £1.5 million project also aims to raise awareness about the health impacts of air pollution and encourage behavior change.

Schools are actively supporting the initiative as part of their sustainability strategies, emphasizing the importance of clean air for students’ health and the broader community.