by Jeff McIntire-Strasburg

Almost exactly five years ago, I took at look at Transcendentist, a Berkeley based “green dentistry office” that combined environmental responsibility with a very different approach to patient care. Rather than the typical clinical approach, the founders of Transcendentist created a spa-like atmosphere… complete with foot massages. Even then, the idea was taking off: nothing like a little calm to take the edge off of that fear of the dentist thing.

Now, five years later, the concept has gone national (in part because of the work of Transcendentist founders Ina and Fred Pockrass)… so, yes, you can even find eco-dentists here in the Midwest! In Chicago, the hub of all things green in the region, the ORA Dental Studio has really picked up the concept and run with it. Not only do they offer what is now the typical combination of Earth-friendly dental equipment in a relaxing atmosphere, but they do it in a certified green building: their Wicker Park location has received the LEED Gold designation “for its eco-friendly and high-performance design, construction and operation.”

Among the office’s features:

- Motion-sensor lighting, with all lighting consisting of LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)
- Low-flow plumbing fixtures and Energy Star appliances
- Doors made of recycled resin
- Low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint and flooring
- Reclaimed cabinets
- A high-efficiency mechanical system (Once installed, the system worked even more efficiently than originally envisioned, enabling ORA to surpass the LEED Silver rating it originally sought and achieve LEED Gold.)

And, as you can see, it’s also gorgeous… I probably won’t be taking a trip to Chicago for a teeth cleaning, but it’s tempting. If you are in the area, ORA Dental Studio is celebrating with specials on both routine visits (cleanings and such), as well as teeth whitening at the new LEED-certified office.

Reprinted with permission from Sustainablog

by Eric Bloom

There's a lot of promise in energy management systems. Buildings produce tons of data every minute of the day, and much of it is fed into building automation or building management systems so that facility managers can monitor and control energy and operations. In our recent report, Building Energy Management Systems, we observe that these systems are starting to take that data one step further by visualizing and quantifying energy in buildings for CEOs, building occupants, and other key decision-makers. Getting this information to the right users, though, involves pulling data from a number of separate systems (lighting, HVAC, security, etc.), which becomes an exceedingly difficult process when systems communicate using different protocols, such as BACnet, LonWorks, Modbus, and many others.

Here's the problem: While it is certainly possible to tie together systems (say, an HVAC automation system based on BACnet and a lighting system based on LonWorks) into a single energy management system, the cost of the labor required to integrate systems cannot always be economically justified. Moreover, in many cases, the automation functionality of two independent systems on different protocols is often higher than a system that integrates the two, as much of the data is lost in translation.

So how did we get to this modern-day building automation Tower of Babel? BACnet was originally developed in the late 1980s in association with ASHRAE, the HVAC industry association, and is one of the leading protocols in the U.S., particularly for HVAC and lighting control systems. LonWorks, the other top protocol in the U.S., was developed in the 1990s by Echelon, one of the leading smart grid and automation technology firms in the world. While BACnet's association with ASHRAE has curried favor among HVAC vendors, LonWorks has been a favorite among lighting controls manufacturers given its rapid response time. Other protocols serve other niches or are favored by specific vendors as a way of discouraging mixing-and-matching of products from competitors.

The result is a world in which systems that perform very similar functions can't communicate with each other. Imagine if Blackberry owners couldn't call iPhone owners. That's the basic reality in the building automation systems world today.

Last week, Echelon made a major step toward breaking these barriers down through the launch of a suite of tools and products aimed at integrating systems based on LonWorks and BACnet. This is a particularly fitting move for Echelon, which is the gatekeeper of the LonWorks protocol and is carving out a leading role in developing technologies at the "edge of the grid," the interface between buildings and the utility distribution network. Through the platform, which involves hardware, software, and service components to translate between LonWorks and BACnet for rich energy management, Echelon will be able to connect with whole buildings, not just isolated systems within buildings, and prepare them to play a role in overall grid management through demand response and other types of utility programs.

Over time, automation systems will likely shift to IP networks for new buildings, doing away with the polyglot automation world of today. However, the existing building stock will continue to speak many languages, and solutions such as Echelon's will play an important role in synthesizing building energy data to make buildings smarter and more energy-efficient.

by Glenn Meyers

Trend emerging toward lawn-free landscaping as company highlights six lawnless landscape design projects

A new revolution in landscape design, lawn free landscaping is making a growing appearance across the country. The Landscaping Network features six new projects featuring a lawn-free design style for both front and backyards.

The growing interest in eco-friendly, sustainable landscape design has opened the door to new landscaping techniques and lawn alternatives.

Covering six landscape design styles, the company's website features projects from around the country that have taken both front and backyard landscapes, and made them lawn free environments. Projects feature a country courtyard, a colorful desert garden, a family oriented backyard, a Zen garden, a modern coastal landscape and a front yard meadow.

Browse through each project for the inside scoop on project details, photos and an in-depth look at how each project was planned and executed to meet the homeowner's needs.

Going lawn free is not the only way to design sustainably, visit the site's information on sustainable landscapes for more information on lawn free landscaping and other ecological landscape design ideas for residential spaces.

This is exciting to see yards that don't require polluting 2-cycle lawnmowers. We see this as an evolution in taste and environmental stewardship.

by Ashley M. Halligan

With an ever-increasing emphasis on sustainability in building, a project's design team should always be on the lookout for ways to meet and exceed environmental performance goals. But only part of a building's sustainability can be directly linked to its design team.

The other part relies heavily on a building's tenants. Surprisingly, even with state-of-the-art Building Automation Systems (BAS) and eco-savvy designs, tenants make up for as much as fifty percent of energy usage.

The Lucid Design Group gathered empirical data that demonstrated average tenants use measurements of 30 to 50 percent of a building's total consumption. The question then: How to engage tenants so that they share the same environmental performance goals as the design team?

Through a handful of interviews with both software gurus and Leadership in Environmental Design (LEED) professionals, I've come up with five strategies to boost tenant compliance, and subsequent improvement of alignment with performance goals.

1. The Eco-Charrette

The first idea is an eco-charrette, a strategy to boost engagement before tenants move in.

An eco-charrette is a pre-occupancy meeting between the design team, building managers and soon-to-be occupants. With this initial meeting serving as a forum for suggestions on how to best achieve these goals, this becomes an opportunity for the design team to express the importance of their goals so that tenants are more aware from the beginning.

2. Encouraging Healthy Lifestyles

Josh Radoff, Principal at YR&G Sustainability suggests taking a holistic approach to sustainability, including encouraging healthy lifestyles through eating habits, being active, recycling and composting. A holistic approach increases the likelihood of tenant participation in sustainability plans, he says. "There's a mistake of focusing solely on energy and water. While they're important for a lot of people, they're abstract ideas. It's hard to get too far only focusing on energy," says Radoff.

3. Technological Feedback

Another approach is factoring in a technology system that provides live data on usage patterns, comparisons between tenants and can incorporate social media elements to create a public platform for these measurements. One such system is Lucid's Building Dashboard, which has set the bar for tenant-use monitoring, but has also created tenant interest.

4. Keeping Up With The Neighbors

Another suggestion from Lucid is to create competition between tenants. This can be a powerful extension of a facilities management systems when rallying tenant interest.

According to Lucid's objectives:

"Consider the Prius Effect: when you can see how your car is performing in real time, you tend to fine-tune usage in order to improve, sustain and eventually surpass your current level of performance. This phenomenon is especially true when friends, family and spouses get involved, each competing to outperform the recent mile-per-gallon 'winner.' By analogy, the outcome of using Building Dashboard is like the social and psychological effect produced by using the energy monitor in a hybrid vehicle."

5. Educating Tenants About Building Goals

And lastly, Radoff suggests creating transparency.

Because performance goals and energy use measurements can seem abstract, creating a means to simplify these things is necessary for tenants to remain committed to an idea. It's important that tenants understand performance goals and the true impact of their habits and behaviors; otherwise, they'll quickly lose interest.

All these things said, however, green projects are still a new area that requires continuous research. New ideas are forming as quicklt as projects unfold. And beginning with the aforementioned tactics can be a great start to boosting efficiency from Day 1.

Photo by hobvias sudoneighm/flickr/Creative Commons

by Joshua S Hill

One of America's leading homebuilding companies announced Monday that they will include solar power systems as a standard feature in select communities throughout Central Florida.

The KB Home Built to Order homes allow home-buyers to pick and choose from seven house designs and modify multipurpose rooms to suit their needs. KB Home is now including solar power systems as standard, an initiative KB expect will save homeowners as much as 50 percent on their monthly energy bills when compared to a typical resale home.

For example, at KB Home's Fisher Plantation in Apopka, a one-story, three bedroom home with the standard solar power system included, is estimated to save a homeowner over $1,200 annually on energy costs when compared to a typical resale home, KB Home said.

KB Home's Fisher Plantation in Apopka will be the first community in the area to include solar power systems as standard.

"We're excited to take a leading role in bringing solar power systems to the mainstream in Central Florida," said George Glance, president of KB Home's Central Florida division.

"While many love the year-round warmth and abundant sunshine we are lucky enough to enjoy here in Florida, staying comfortable in this weather can also take a toll on our wallets when we get the monthly electric bill. Consumers who buy a Built to Order KB home with a standard solar power system get the value of a custom home-like experience plus the benefit of having the sun help reduce their energy bills."

It's positive news learning that this company is making renewable energy packages into a standard option.

Deutsche Bank announced it's completed the highest solar system in the world, perched at the top of its 50-story Americas' headquarters building in Manhattan.

The 122.4 kilowatt (kW) solar PV system is 737 feet above the ground, on the inclined south and east portions of the roof at 60 Wall Street.

"We are firmly committed to being a leader in sustainability and innovation," says Seth Waugh, CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas. "This project is one part of a comprehensive global program to reduce the Bank's consumption of fossil fuels and shift to more renewable sources of energy. Our goal is to neutralize the Bank's global CO2 emissions by 2013."

Deutsche Bank also has a 1.3 megawatt (MW) solar PV system at its Piscataway, New Jersey office, which is a net-zero electric building, the company says. A 1.5 MW system is under construction at its Parsippany, New Jersey building.

The company says it has increased use of renewable energy from 7 percent to 65 percent in the last four years, buying all its electricity from wind in the US and Canada.

At its worldwide headquarters building in Frankfurt, Germany, Deutsche Bank completed an efficiency overall, reducing energy consumption 55 percent, water use 74 percent, and carbon emissions from operations 55 percent. Using renewable energy reduced the building's carbon footprint another 34 percent.

More information on Deutsche Bank's sustainability initiatives:

Website: www.banking-on-green.com

by Kristy Hessman

Justice is golden in Rockingham County, N.C., in a way that few other communities can claim. The county's Judicial Center, in the town of Wentworth, has earned LEED Gold designation from the U.S. Green Building Council. Not only is it the first judicial center in the state of North Carolina to gain that distinction, it's the first in the Eastern United States, according to Moseley Architects, the firm that designed the center.

The 175,400-square-foot facility includes a courthouse, 300-bed detention center, space for detainees and offices for more than 350 employees. As you'd expect for a LEED Gold project, the nearly $38 million building includes a number of green components, including a reflective roof membrane that will keep the building cool in hot weather. Landscape features include rain cisterns to provide irrigation for landscape watering and stormwater management. Those who drive electric or hybrid vehicles to work will be rewarded with priority parking in the building's parking lot.

Water consumption will be reduced by 33 percent thanks to the use of low-flow and dual-flushing plumbing fixtures, which will calculate out to about 1 million gallons of water saved each year. When the water savings from the rain cisterns are figured in, the center will actually use about 2 millions gallons of water less each year than a comparable conventional building.

Additional energy-efficient technologies are expected to reduce the amount of building energy used by as much as 28 percent. That translates to savings of $94,000 each year. The use of efficient HVAC systems and lighting, as well as the building envelope, are all factors that contribute to that savings. Environmentally friendly products were also used in the design of the buildings, and will be used in its upkeep as well. Recycled building materials came from the Forest Stewardship Council's certified wood program and green housekeeping products will be used throughout the building.

"Our approach to LEED certification relied upon a wide array of team members in order to improve the design, construction, and operations of the facility in a cost-effective manner," John Nichols, Moseley Architects' sustainability coordinator on the project, said in a statement. "The whole team should be proud of the collaboration, which carried the project from an initial goal of LEED Certified to the actual achievement of LEED Gold."

While energy savings and comfort might be what those who live and work in the building notice the most, the county will notice the changes in another place - its pocketbook. The county is said to recoup the investment from incorporating the LEED strategies in just five years. With projected savings estimated at $5 million over a 40 year period. And, that figure could be even higher in coming years as utility rates continue to climb.

by Ziggy

As soon as I discovered this collection of small houses, I was taken. Wow! These rustic cabins with green roofs, treehouses, and small homes are located at Urnatur, in Sweden, an eco lodge and retreat center.

Urnatur is a family-owned retreat and tree house hotel, with private cabins in the incredible Swedish forest. It's a place where individuals can go to learn about traditional skills (foraging wild foods, traditional building), or simply go for a bit of downtime. Just by looking at their beautiful cabins in photos online, I am already relaxed and retreating...

Here are six gorgeous houses at Urnatur.

Reprinted with permission from Sustainablog

A panel formed to study solutions to increased flooding in Singapore has urged the government to require green roofs on new and retrofitted buildings. The 12-member panel, which was created after torrential rains caused flash flooding across eastern and central Singapore last year, said improved weather modeling and infrastructure improvements are needed to handle a surge in stormwater runoff caused by urbanization in Singapore. In the meantime, however, the panel urged simpler steps to reduce and delay flooding, including better storage tanks, porous pavements, and rain gardens. Such rooftop gardens, which are often added to reduce heat or for aesthetic reasons, can also absorb six to 34 liters of water per square meter and limit the spread of water flow, local contractors said. After flash floods doused large sections of Singapore last June for the second consecutive year, a government official warned that the country's existing drainage system is not equipped to handle the region's "changing" weather patterns.

Photo by Pete Hill/flickr/Creative Commons

by Eric Bloom

In late 2011 President Obama announced the Better Buildings Challenge, a $4 billion program sponsored by the DOE with the support of a number of public and private sector partners. The program aims to make American buildings 20 percent more energy efficient by 2020 by directing federal agencies to engage in performance contracts (driving efficiency with zero taxpayer funds) as well as mobilizing major companies to invest in efficiency upgrades to their own buildings and plants.

The list of partners in the Better Buildings Challenge is impressive, including major building service providers such as Schneider Electric and Transwestern, as well as industrials with large building portfolios such as Saint-Gobain and General Electric. To date, 1.6 billion square feet of space have been committed to the program, and that figure will grow as more companies, government agencies, and other organizations get involved.

But is it enough to reach the 20 percent goal by 2020? Four billion dollars may sound like a lot, but some studies have indicated that reducing energy consumption in U.S. buildings will take much more than that. A 2009 study from McKinsey found that a potential $1.2 trillion in gross energy savings sit latent in the U.S building stock - but it would take $520 billion in upfront investment to unlock those savings and reduce projected energy demand by 23 percent. The amount of capital directly engaged for the Better Buildings Challenge is less than 1 percent of the $520 billion McKinsey believes is needed. So the 20 percent reduction by 2020 may be a stretch with these funds alone.

However, the announcement could have a ripple effect on the energy service company (ESCO) market and in energy efficiency investment more broadly. In the federal sector alone, President Obama has ordered federal agencies to invest $2 billion in energy efficiency. That money will likely be spread out over the next few years and will go to energy performance contracts with the 53 ESCOs qualified to do federal work. That, in turn, will put ESCOs in a better cash position to build new capacity and reach more customers.

Other emerging trends in building efficiency policy might help the U.S. chip away at the funding gap. Regulations such as PACE financing are starting to lower the bar for commercial building owners to engage in efficiency upgrades in cities from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. And commercial benchmarking laws in cities like New York and San Francisco will soon make energy efficiency even more of a differentiator in commercial real estate markets.

The Better Buildings Challenge follows shortly after the announcement of a major zero energy building initiative by the General Services Administration, the federal government's real estate manager. GSA will launch zero energy retrofits of 30 federal buildings around the United States over the next few years. The federal government has long adopted a "lead by example" approach to efficiency in commercial buildings, and these two major federal energy efficiency initiatives will help accelerate investment in efficiency not only in the public sector, but also in the private sector.

by Vivian Nelson Melle

There's still a winter chill in the air, and possibly snow on the ground, but many green thumbs are aching for the soil beneath their fingers and under their nails. Now is the perfect time for garden planning and this year why not save space and water consumption by giving vertical gardening a try.

Here are just a few examples of simple and space-saving vertical gardening solutions for patios, small homes and even indoors.

Sack Gardening

This idea used with programs helping indigenous people grow enough food they need to live on. The sack has strategically placed holes where seedlings are planted in traditional soil. The sack is watered as needed with little water waste. Chicken wiring may be added for extra support and also allows climbing veggies braces on which to adhere. As the vegetables or herbs grow they are cultivated and can be replaced with new seedlings. This is a great solution for greens, herbs and other popular vegetables. Not only does it save on valuable space, but leaves a minor carbon footprint since everything eventually decomposes into the earth.

by Vivian Nelson Melle

Hydroponic Window Gardens

Hydroponic window gardens are quite the urban farming rage because of pure simplicity and space saving features. While winter winds are still sweeping across the country many don't have to wait for warm spring temperatures to give this gardening a try. The basic system uses stacked water bottles with strategic holes that allow nutrient-rich water to seep down each level. The system can either use a pump for automation or manual watering for a more green solution. The system not only performs well in windows, it creates quite stunning living art in any window space.

{cc photo courtesy of Ars Electronica on Flickr}

Vertical Backyard Solutions

Even a spacious backyards can benefit from vertical gardening. Valuable real estate becomes home to children's outdoor toys, backyard sports or simply living space. Patio furniture make use of areas where gardens once grew. Utilizing tradition clay pots or making use of recycled bottles is the method for finding creative ways to hang plants vertically on fences and trellises instead of in or on the ground. Adding multiple pots beneath one another allows water to flow throughout the system with little waste much like the similar hydroponic system.

{cc photo courtesy of basswulf Flickr}

Wall Gardening

With mesh and wiring, wall gardens are another striking solutions perfect for minimal space like patios and tiny backyards. The living walls offers salad fixings along with creative, eye-catching conversations pieces. Again, the system makes use of water by using a steady stream utilized by the entire system leaving little water trickling away. It is also a great idea for elderly gardeners or those with physical limitations where bending over and kneeling is virtually impossible. This system puts little to no stress on the back and knees and is simple enough for children to water and mist.

{cc photo courtesy of Ivan Lian Flickr}

Reprinted with permission from Green Living Ideas ]]> Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:56:00 -0800 http://www.matternetwork.com/2012/1/save-space-water-vertical-gardening.cfm Green Living Ideas http://www.matternetwork.com/2012/1/five-top-sustainable-building-practitioners.cfm

by Glenn Meyers

We like those considering changing parts of the planet in new and better ways.

For building purposes, let's start with the issue of sustainability. Energy, economics, material use, land and water use are primary considerations any architect, developer, or owner should place on the design scales before starting anything, if they're worth their designer salts, that is.

We begin with this list of five sustainable practitioners and field practices that we like:

1. Earthships: As the website states, "Earthships are radically sustainable buildings made with recycled materials. Earthships can be built in any part of the world, in any climate and still provide solar power, catchwater, contained sewage treatment and sustainable food production.

2. Gabion wall barns and trash barns designed by Colorado architect, Doug Eichelberger. Gabion baskets, traditionally used for building retaining wall and controlling erosion, also can be used as a homebuilding product for emergency settlements or by those wishing to construct walls using new material approaches, says the architect. Using standard wire gabions, Eichelberger collected rocks from the field, filling the gabions.

3. Nearby, Eichelberger used a baler to manufacture walls from non-recycled plastics and paper (before single stream recycling) for what would ultimately become his barn and sculpture workshop. This video provides a great story of this demonstration he wishes to share with those in need of shelter worldwide.

4. Then there is Jim Frasche's recently finished aquaponics greenhouse located in the Denver Sustainability Park - a place where tomatoes, herbs, and vegetables grow year-round without needing any soil, only water and recirculated fish waste. The fish, in turn, can be eaten and enjoyed by those inclined. This is especially important in poorer countries where access to food is limited.

5. And while on the subject of poverty, there is architect Stuart Ohlson's "Humanitarian House," a habitat measuring 13 feet square, totaling 169 square feet. More refined than a tent, the structure features five rooms - a great room, two bedrooms, storage, and a private toilet/shower room. The lightweight, compact substructure is made from PVC pipes. When covered with a plastic membrane, this abode can sleep 10 people and will last for 10 years - a huge improvement from standard plastic resettlement units in Haiti, Afghanistan, and Palestine, to name a few disheartening resettlement camps in the world. He has produced his model for approximately $1700, and believes with mass-produced components the price could approach $1,000. Put another way, with 10 people and a total cost running anywhere from $100 to $170 a person.

There are many designers who place sustainability first and foremost, many we haven't mentioned here. We salute them and ask to hear more about their ideas or works so we can post it on GBE.

by Glenn Meyers

For those who feel cramped in the traditional office environment, here's an airy and energy efficient solution that deploys LED lighting in the design of a new era ceiling said to enhance productivity.

Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (IAO) in Stuttgart, Germany have developed a moving luminous ceiling that has office workers gazing at moving clouds without ever leaving their desks. IAO researchers teamed up with LEiDs GmbH, an LED technology company, to make sure their ceiling simulates natural light conditions on a partially-cloudy day as accurately as possible.

For the artificial environment to be as close to real as possible, the researchers measured how light fluctuates throughout the day, including how fast changes in the light spectrum take place and how intensive they are. The goal was to make the lighting dynamic enough to improve concentration and heighten alertness, but not any more dynamic than that - otherwise, the whole thing would end up being just an unnecessary distraction.

A preliminary study has show this dynamic lighting is pleasantly perceived. A group of volunteers conducted office duties for four days subjected to light from a 30 by 60 cm ceiling display. On the first day the light was static, on the second it fluctuated gently, and on the third the changes in lighting conditions were more rapid. On the final day, the majority of volunteers (80 percent) said they wished to continue working with the rapidly fluctuating light.

Said ceiling consists of square tiles - each tile holding 288 light emitting diodes. A diffuser film in matte white is attached beneath the LEDs. The diffuser film creates homogenous lighting that illuminates the room throughout, says Dr. Matthias Bues, who led the project at the IAO.

A combination of red, blue, green and white diodes is used in order to produce the full light spectrum. The set-up is able to simulate dynamic changes in lighting conditions that are not immediately obvious to the naked eye, even when they can impact workplace effectiveness.

The prototype sky ceiling takes up 34 square meters of space and uses some 32,560 LEDs to provide light with the intensity of over 3,000 lux (500 to 1000 lux is already enough to create comfortable lighting conditions). A small section of this virtual sky is going to be exhibited at the beginning of March in Hanover, Germany, during the CeBIT trade show.

At present, the sky is a pricey 1000 euros (US$1,290) per square meter (10.76 square feet). Hopefully, the price comes down as the ceiling gains popularity.

Certainly much more fun those old-fashioned drop ceiling panels.

by Eric Woods

The news that the 2012 TED Prize has been awarded for the first time to an idea, The City 2.0, is further evidence of the importance of cities in addressing global issues of sustainability, economic development and technology innovation. The TED Prize is linked to the acclaimed TED conferences and video series promoting ground-breaking technical, scientific and cultural ideas. According to the prize director, the idea behind the award is to challenge the TED Community "to embrace radical collaboration on one of the most pressing issues we face: how to build sustainable, vibrant, working cities."

The TED announcement is just one of series of new studies, events and initiatives all focused on taking sustainable urban development programs to the next level. Eric Bloom has already covered the recent IBM-sponsored smart city gathering in Rio de Janeiro. He highlighted the innovative projects in Rio that are addressing systemic challenges and preparing the city for the arrival of the World Cup and the Olympic games. The UN has provided another useful example of how major events can propel new thinking about city design and development. It has pulled together lessons for sustainable cities drawn from the Shanghai World Expo in 2010, which had the theme of Better City, Better Life. The Shanghai Manual, A Guide for Sustainable Urban Development, provides a 300 page overview of the opportunities for cities to take new approach to issues such as economic development, transport, building, waste management and the use of ICT. The manual is part of the UN's attempt to educate and train city authorities around the world on how they can make their cities a positive force for economic development and environmental sustainability.

The core themes of the UN study were also the common topics of conversation at the Intelligent City Expo, which I attended in November. Over three days in Hamburg - European Green Capital 2011 - city managers and political leaders, not-for-profit organizations and suppliers debated the way forward for cities. There was general agreement that a smart city is one that combines a commitment to sustainability with continued economic and social development supported by the innovative use of technology. Much of the discussion focused on the practical challenges of developing the political leadership, citizen engagement, and new operating models that enable the transformation to a smart city.

One of the biggest challenges is how to provide the financial underpinning for that transformation. In fact, the first question asked at the conference to the opening panel was "Who pays?" I chaired the panel that addressed this topic on the second day of the conference, comprising representatives from European investment bodies, including the European Investment Bank, and also from the private equity sector. In Europe at least, investment funds are available for trials and pilots, but taking projects to large-scale deployment is still uncharted territory in most cases. It's also clear that the private sector is eager to find new ways to work with city authorities but they need to find the right service and right business models.

One area of growing interest is the value of information and data assets in helping to reimagine the way the city operates. This issue has been taken up by The Climate Group, in a new report on smart city economics, Information Marketplaces: the New Economics of Cities. The report, produced with the help of Accenture, Arup and the University of Nottingham, examines the potential for cities to use untapped data and information assets to improve decision making, make better use of city infrastructure and develop new forms of cooperation with the private sector and with citizens. It's a useful contribution to the growing debate as to how city data and information assets can provide a technical and financial basis for smart city transformation. The challenge for cities is to understand what data they should make available, in what form and above all what partnerships they need to forge to ensure that that hidden value is realized.