Stirling gets smart on energy and Internet connectivity

The Smart Cities initiative is high on Stirling Council’s agenda and the Smart Services: Energy project which forms part of it is already seeing results, as council leader Scott Farmer explained to Real Asset Media’s Richard Betts.

In Scottish city Stirling, part of this project is using state-of-the-art technology to recover waste heat from sewage and this is being used to provide energy for council buildings through the community heat network.

But Smart Cities spans a range of activities including fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. In a partnership with technology company Codebase municipal buildings have been converted to provide accommodation to “enervate the digital agenda,” Farmer said. “We need to be at the forefront of the digital revolution,” he added.

Farmer said that Stirling has one critical comparative advantage: it is the first gigabit city in the UK in terms of its broadband infrastructure. “This gives us a platform to maximise digital opportunities in terms of 5G technologies right across both public and digital sectors in terms of how we develop the digital agenda even more.”

But in the Stirling area such fast internet connectivity is not just confined to urban areas. “We’re rolling out digital hubs in these small centres of population.”

Click on the video to watch the full interview or listen via the podcast below.