NEWS

Avista Corp., of Spokane, expects to begin installing the first of almost 40 smart streetlights in the city’s University District in January, says Heather Rosentrater, the company’s vice president of energy delivery. Avista is one of six founding partners for a project called Urbanova, designed to provide city leaders, researchers, [...]

Avista and Itron are undertaking a hometown smart city project, from smart meters, streetlights and air sensors to distributed energy trading. Here’s how it will work. Read full article >

After thirty years of sustained effort by city leaders, academics, and business people, Spokane now has what the Brookings Institution calls the “keys to innovation success.” One of those keys is Urbanova, where “collaboration is the secret sauce.” […]

The six founding partners of Urbanova, the newly-named smart city living lab in Spokane, Washington, announced today the formalization of their collaboration. The group signed a memorandum of understanding to align their efforts around a shared vision and purpose for the project. For more than two years, the partners, including [...]

After launching the Smart Cities Initiative a year ago, the Obama Administration has expanded it with more than $80 million in new federal investments and a doubling of the number of participating cities and communities, exceeding 70 in total. […]

Spokane, Washington is one of only 10 cities in America to participate in a program sponsored by Envision America, a new organization that has challenged cities across the country to innovate in the areas of energy, water, waste, and air challenges. Spokane was chosen in part because of its aim [...]

Backed by over $160 million in federal research, more than 25 technology collaborations will help local communities reduce traffic congestion, fight crime, foster economic growth, manage the effects of a changing climate, and improve the delivery of city services. […]

A smart city isn’t just a community with an intelligent transportation network. It’s a “system of systems”—where water and power utilities, city government, and the entire built environment inform and affect each other to improve livability, workability, and sustainability. […]