There is interest in smart solutions even during the coronavirus crisis
The third year of the URBIS SMART CITY FAIR conference focused on practical solutions for cities. He also advised on how innovations can be used in the post-pokoravir style. The focus, especially on the professional part, proved to be effective, as 600 visitors passed through the E pavilion on 2 and 3 September. Another 300 joined online.
The conference addressed six main topics - the environment, digitization, services, governance, the future and benefits. More than fifty Czech and foreign experts talked about them at EXPO STAGI. Among them were, for example, the founder of the Institute of Circular Economics Soňa Jonášová, Roman Nekula from Brno Roads, Michal Lakomski from Poznań and David Koppitz from the Ministry of Regional Development of the Czech Republic. Those who could not come joined at least virtually.
The conference was also enriched by the program at MAIN STAGE, where a meeting of the European Platform for Smart Cities and Communities EIP-SCC took place. It was virtually launched by the greeting of the European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson. "Climate change is a defining challenge of our generation. And this cannot be solved without the cities where most of humanity lives. The European Commission's intentions therefore have a large urban dimension," she emphasized.
International projects and useful workshops
Other important points included the presentation of outputs and experiences from Lighthouse projects in support of Horizon 2020. A meeting of the C-Roads project took place at the exhibition center, led by Martin Böhm from AustriaTech in Austria and Martin Pichl from the Ministry of Transport. This project will be driven by intelligent transport in the coming years. And how? You can come and see this in Brno in June 2021, where the URBIS event will include the international event "C-ITS Road Show", which will show how vehicles can communicate with each other and with the transport infrastructure. The EU Commissioner for Transport will be coming to this important show, including other important guests!
Visitors also enjoyed practical workshops on the future of autonomous cars in cities and the stories of successful cities involved in the URBACT program. The experts also presented the concept of a sustainable district of Chytré Líchy, which is being built in Židlochovice, as well as the planning and development of the smart district of Špitálka, which falls under the RUGGIDISED project.
In addition to the speakers, 31 exhibitors presented themselves in Pavilion E on an area of 409 square meters. They presented software solutions, as well as smart urban furniture. The smart city simulation was also visible on the open area in front of the pavilion.
Excursions offered practical solutions
A novelty of this year's conference was the third day of excursions, which took place outside the exhibition grounds. SAKO Brno, Technical Networks Brno, Teplárny Brno, Dopravní podnik města Brna, Brno Communications, FEEC BUT and CEITEC BUT opened their gates. More than a hundred people came to see the smart solutions in practice.
The prizes were awarded to speakers and exhibits
This year, eight exhibits competed in the GOLD MEDAL URBIS 2020 competition. The second place went to the solution for monitoring portable traffic signs LocSense from the company Sensority. The bronze was won by the Wristband Dispenser WBD RFID wristband sales and dispensing device from Surf Point. This solution was presented in Brno by the company e-Point communications.
For the first time, the URBIS SPEAKERS AWARD was also awarded to inspiring speakers. The winners were chosen directly by the visitors by voting in the BVV Trade Fairs mobile application. The conference participants liked the contribution from Petr Selník the most, Radka Vladyková took the second place and Soňa Jonášová won the third place.
Conference on emergency measures
This year's URBIS SMART CITY FAIR conference was held with increased hygiene measures. However, the interest in the event proved that they feel safe in the hall and are interested in professional conferences. Exhibition staff regularly disinfected entire areas, people had antibacterial gels available and were required to wear drapes.
Next URBIS SMART CITY FAIR
will take place 2-3. 6. 2021.
They said about the conference
Jiří Kuliš, CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Trade Fairs Brno, a.s.
URBIS SMART CITY FAIR is an important conference with an exhibition that supports new technologies for cities and municipalities. The current restrictions on travel have made it impossible for foreign guests and speakers to participate, but we have responded to the current situation and thus maintained the overall format of this professional conference. We are glad that it could have taken place even in restrictions under metallic conditions to such an extent.
František Kubeš, Brno City Hall
URBIS is unique in the combination of an attractive conference program and the opportunity to visit the stands, where you can see specific projects of exhibiting companies. I evaluate this year positively. I am pleasantly surprised by the participation, many representatives of other cities also came.
David Koppitz, Deputy Minister for Regional Development
Because I only came to the lecture, I can't evaluate the event as a whole. In addition, we perceive that URBIS takes place in unusual conditions. So we are glad that we can all be here this year. It is important to meet each other and discuss the topics from different perspectives and explain and be willing to invest in smart city projects. For us, it is essential to ensure greater state of action of the state and to go against cities and municipalities.
Vladimír Jurik, Smart Cities Club Slovakia
I participate in URBIS every year. For me, it is the only Central European platform where representatives of the national level, cities and municipalities, as well as technology suppliers, meet. Together, they can informally share their experiences and discuss burning issues. I believe that this concept will continue.
Tomáš Apeltauer, Brno University of Technology
URBIS is an absolutely crucial project for smart cities. Brno is trying to become a leader in this area, so it is an ideal place for such an event. Participants can gain a lot of inspiration here, which is more important in this area than in other fields. Smart feelings as such do not have a fixed definition, everyone imagines something different under this term, so without the exchange of experiences it would not work at all.
Vít Prýgl, Transport Company of the City of Brno
The Transport Company of the City of Brno and I personally participate in URBIS every year. We even enter some of our solutions in the Golden URBIS competition every year and we are very successful so far. I think that meeting people who work in this field is very important. Excursions to companies this year are very inspiring, where participants will see smart solutions in practice. URBIS is a hope for us - after half a year, we all finally met and met face to face. It's more intimate this year, but it seems to me that the right people have arrived, the ones who really cared.
Roman Nekula, Administrative Director of Brno Communications
I very much welcome the fact that the URBIS SMART CITY FAIR conference is a discussion between academia and research institutes, but also business. I would welcome more practical demonstrations next year so that we can be inspired by the implemented projects of foreign partners, which are useful for the cities themselves.
Soňa Jonášová, founder of the Institute of Circular Economics
I see URBIS as an opportunity for discussion across sectors between experts, this is called bubble interconnection. Each of us is dedicated to something different - very specific, however, if we connect these solutions with the word "smart", then there is an opportunity for synergies. For me, URBIS and similar events are an opportunity to understand new technological solutions that need to be implemented in our projects built on visions from the beginning. As we communicate with other conference participants, we see that our visions are realistic. It is an interesting and pleasant clash with technological practice.
