Limerick has been selected as a case study to highlight the potential of a new €500,000 data aggregation project that will serve as a model for future “smart cities”.
The project is a collaboration between research organisation Lero and Limerick City and County Council. In developing the Limerick Enterprise Architecture, researchers from Lero will develop an online portal, Insight Limerick, that will offer information sharing, open data and data visualisation. Thousands of sensors and devices will capture data on water, soil and air quality; pedestrian movement; and traffic across the city. Analysis of the data will offer insights that could lead to improved services.
"There is a lot of talk about smart cities globally but one of the big challenges is to develop an IT and 'enterprise architecture' which suits the needs of the entire city rather than focused on information silos," said SFI funded Lero researcher, Dr Markus Helfert. "The IT architectural requirements for a city are fundamentally different and need to take account of a broader range of stakeholders and more complex functional requirements than in an enterprise situation. Working with Limerick, we aim to design this framework on top of which exciting digital services can be placed."
Investment and jobs
The ultimate goal of the project is to boost community engagement and digital services, along with investment and jobs, while also increasing quality of life for all citizens.
Head of digital strategy for Limerick City and County Council Dr Mihai Bilauca said the local authority was aiming to build the area’s reputation as a digital ecosystem that would both empower communities and create new opportunities for the knowledge economy.
“It’s a coup for Limerick to be selected for this important case study as it can be a valuable stepping stone on our vision to make Limerick a sustainable smart city, region and community,” said Limerick mayor Cllr Kieran O’Hanlon. “Our goal is to make Limerick an increasingly attractive location for FDI [foreign direct investment] as well as indigenous investment which will boost jobs. At the same time, we want to make Limerick a positive experience for locals and visitors through better transportation solutions, reduced traffic, a cleaner environment and a safer community.”
