25/01/24

The city of Dubai as a source of inspiration for smart cities throughout the world

Author MIC Team

The peace agreement with the United Arab Emirates introduced Israelis not only to a new tourist and cultural destination but also to one of the world’s leading cities in technology and innovation, the city of Dubai.

The ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, Sheikh Muhammad Bin Ra’id, launched the initiative back in 2014 when he created an ambitious vision that would turn a city of four million inhabitants – and over twenty million visitors each year – into the smartest city in the world. The Sheikh noticed a link between the measurement of happiness and comfort of residents and visitors, to the development and use of innovative technologies from around the world, to improve and upgrade the quality of life in the city of Dubai.

The main areas of investment and development of smart city technology in Dubai include:

Solar Energy
Although Dubai is an integral part of the UAE, and the second-largest emirate, in control of vast oil resources, in order to conserve their precious resource and maintain economic resilience, Dubai is investing heavily in solar energy fields – transforming solar rays into electricity, since it is a hot and sunny region. Dubai aims to reach a situation where no less than a quarter of the country’s energy is derived from solar energy, in a relatively short period of time: by 2030.
So far they are already able to provide all local public lighting on city roads through the use of solar energy.
As well as financial savings and economic efficiency, the use of solar energy to replace industrialized energy reduces air pollution and helps create a green city.

Safety and security
The city of Dubai is comprehensively networked with smart cameras, which are programmed to detect unusual incidents, traffic offenses, incidents of violence, vandalism, and similar incidents. The cameras broadcast directly to dozens of control centers and include smart mechanisms for real-time alerts about events that require police and/or municipal intervention. Thanks to the comprehensive network of cameras, the crime rate in the city is particularly low, and they also help with maintaining public order and traffic laws. Very few police officers and inspectors can be seen on the streets because of the efficiency of the smart technologies, and so police are only in places where their physical presence is required.

Transportation
The road and transportation system in Dubai is one of the most advanced in the world, with close to a thousand electric taxis from Tesla already in use, for which there are many convenient charging stations throughout the city. Increasing the scope of taxis has been made possible thanks to benefits and tax exemptions along with direct encouragement from the local authority, all with the aim of creating a smart and green city and reducing air pollution.
In addition to these, the city has an electric metro system, which passes through an open urban route as well as an underground route, significantly reducing the amount of congestion and traffic jams in the city.
Dubai also has a monorail train – a single-track, electric, self-propelled train without a driver. This train runs on a structured and dedicated fifty-kilometer track route across the coastline and into the artificial islands.
These solutions together with other systems enable a city without traffic jams, with reduced air pollution, and with a convenient and efficient transportation system for residents and visitors.

Education
As an economic power and a technological leader, Dubai and the UAE as a whole have elevated education markedly, making the best use of technology and curriculums, and making decisions from an international perspective designed to provide quality education at high international standards, from age 5 through to university. In Dubai, English is considered to be the second language and is taught throughout the education system. The city is home to many different types of schools as well as eleven leading universities, offering academic programs to residents and foreign students.
The education system boasts research laboratories, international programs for the development and training of teachers and staff, hybrid learning, computerized systems for mapping difficulties and challenges, and for developing personal assistance programs.

Trade and Economy
Dubai has spectacular tourist attractions in the field of commerce, including huge malls, floating shopping centers, leisure and entertainment complexes, culinary centers, and more. The rapid development of construction in the city, along with the use of advanced technologies to improve service and manage loads, inventory, and events for the benefit of visitors, has resulted in business complexes that present promising models of economic viability, and are an integral part of the affluent city.
Many cities around the world are showing interest in possibilities for developing a smart city, creating a framework for economic savings and streamlining services, and producing solutions to known urban problems such as infrastructure, waste management, construction, transportation, and traffic jams.

MIC – The Municipal Innovation Center, partners with local authorities and companies in Israel, introducing them to a whole new world of advanced technologies in a variety of fields, to help create smart cities in order to improve residents’ satisfaction, build a renewed urban tourism industry and provide a variety of advanced solutions to local challenges and needs.

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14/01/24

Brazil’s Permanent “Green” Carnival

Author MIC Team

When we hear the word “Brazil” the first image that comes to mind is a carnival full of colors, with people dancing and rejoicing in fancy costumes decorated with feathers. But what if we tell you that there is a city in Brazil that is a carnival of green all year round? A city worth learning from, even if you don’t dance all day, and carnival colors are replaced by shades of green?
Welcome to Curitiba, the green city of Brazil. It is located in the southeast of the happiest country in the world and within a span of less than three decades, has managed to transform from a remote city into a modern metropolis with one of the highest levels of quality of life in the country. How? All it takes is listening to the needs of the residents, expanding the city’s green lungs, and placing the main emphasis on public transportation.
Okay, so maybe it’s not that simple. Urban engineers have moved mountains, literally, to create roads and parking lots, while trying to take into account the location of homes, industry and the residents’ needs.

But all too often, urban engineers are forced to sacrifice environmental interests for this purpose. After all, we don’t hear any complaints from the environment … But actually, the environment does have some complaints, and if the environment is not able to voice those complaints, the residents and environmental activists do so.
In Curitiba, they decided to do things differently. It stands out in the Brazilian landscape mainly because it presents a very different picture from the Brazilian reality one expects. Low crime rates, high levels of education and low air pollution. Or in other words: high quality of life. In even simpler words: we want what they have!

So what’s special about this city?

Obviously you have heard of promoting public transportation. But it is one thing to declare a preference for public transportation, and quite another to do so. In Curitiba urban planners not only talk but also act. As well as the roads, which have been paved with planning that takes into account ground conditions and landscape, public transport itself is efficient and convenient at levels that are rarely seen elsewhere in the world. Neighborhood bus lines complement the express lines, there are many convenient bus-stops, and even the payment system enables a saving in travel time. Instead of creating delays by paying the driver upon boarding the bus, Curitiba has a system for paying for the trip in advance. Enabling the driver to concentrate exclusively on driving, and not working as a ticket-vendor, saves about a third (!!!) of travel time. In addition, the buses have a capacity of up to 270 people, reducing the number of vehicles needed without inconveniencing the passengers.

So why have they stuck with buses when everyone is talking about subways? The calculation is simple: while the cost of one kilometer of subway ranges from $60 million to $70 million, the cost of a kilometer of road is only about a quarter of a million dollars. It makes mathematical sense, doesn’t it? Talking of money matters, the monthly expenditure of residents on public transportation is minimal and amounts to only about 10% of the average wage, so the percentage of its users remains high, preventing road congestion, limiting air pollution and avoiding parking problems. In addition, to encourage residents to travel by public transport and also increase recycling, Curitiba’s mayor, Jaime Lerner, initiated an ingenious system in which a resident who brings household garbage for recycling receives vouchers for free bus travel. That’s a WIN-WIN plan!

But Curitiba didn’t stop at public transportation. It has also significantly increased the green spaces, and has earned the nickname “the green city”. In the 1950s, the city was hit by terrible floods from the adjacent Iguazu River. In the 1960s, the municipality decided to put an end to the issue and stopped all building permits in areas on the banks of the river, establishing public parks there instead, and digging artificial lakes to drain the excess water. In this way, the problem of floods, which had frequently disrupted the lives of the residents, was solved, whilst also increasing the green lungs of the city. There is no doubt that Curitiba is a green paradise.

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20/09/23

Desert Wisdom

Author MIC Team

It’s no secret that Be’er Sheva, the capital of the Negev, is also becoming the capital of cyber and high-tech. Now it is also becoming one of the smartest cities in Israel, which is another reason to be very proud of it!

Once upon a time, when you heard the name “Be’er Sheva”, you would probably think of camels, and the predominant color was yellow – the color of the desert. But today Be’er Sheva has much more to offer. After all, it is the cyber capital of Israel. As such, it is not at all surprising that it is ranked fourth in the index of smart cities by Reichman University (IDC Herzliya).

Social Change

In Be’er Sheva, they are going all out and intend to harness technology for the benefit of social change in the city. The ultimate goal is to improve the city’s welfare services. The Be’er Sheva office of innovation hopes that through technology, they will be able to improve resident services and lead to eligible populations being able to access their rights. At the same time, they hope to improve coordination between the various welfare service providers, which will lead to a significant change, and a considerable improvement of services for those that need and are entitled to assistance.

The Resident in the Center

The Be’er Sheva Municipality has begun an open-data project and an information-based decision-making project. What does all this jargon mean? In short, it means two things: transparency and participation of residents in the decision-making process. Local authorities often make the mistake of thinking of their residents as customers, when in fact the more correct thinking is to see the resident as a partner. The goal is to motivate residents to take action on issues such as recycling, cleanliness and city security, education and more.

Security! Security! Security!

The city has implemented a “strong” system, which assists the municipality in managing emergency situations, personnel and more. These are smart control and monitoring systems that include remote control of alarm systems, traffic light management throughout the city, communication networks and other smart systems handled remotely via the municipal control center. In addition, hundreds of security cameras will be installed in the city that will provide information on everything that is happening in the city and will also be managed by the municipal control center. simultaneously, various real-time video analytics systems will operate that track and process important data to improve the city’s security for the benefit of the residents. The project will enable the Municipality of Beer Sheva to optimally manage and evaluate activity on an ongoing basis. This highlights the importance of using technology as a tool for improving the quality of life of residents.
There is no doubt that Be’er Sheva is embracing innovation and caring for its residents by making incredible use of smart digital solutions. All that remains for us to say to the Be’er Sheva municipality is: “keep dreaming of making the Negev bloom, even in the technological-sense. The 21st century is proud of you!”

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09/08/23

Back to the Drawing Board

Author MIC Team

Humanity as we know it has completely changed. That sounds dramatic, doesn’t it? That’s because the situation is dramatic. Very dramatic. But we don’t just mean the last few years, but all the many, different and varied revolutions that have happened throughout history and changed the world completely. Most recent of those drastic changes is the Internet revolution, followed closely by the digital revolution. So what is this digital transformation that everyone’s talking about? If you also feel that you are being spoken to in Double-Dutch, you will find all the answers in this article.

Let’s start from the end: Digital transformation is the application of new technological changes to solve problems and create business opportunities and achieve a competitive edge. Sounds complicated and scary? It really doesn’t have to be. Ultimately, the aim of technological solutions that surround us is to produce efficiency and creative solutions to existing problems that expand on the traditional methods used by different organizations.

By 2020 many organizations had compromised on the way they worked over the previous decade, simply to be able to remain within their comfort zone. This does not necessarily translate to the best customer service, but in most cases, clients agreed to accept the level of service offered to them, even if they sometimes wondered to themselves: “What year are we in?”

Then came the Corona and forced all those who had remained in their comfort zone to expand their horizons and take steps towards the future, (or rather: towards the present!) and incorporate new technologies into their organizations, whether within the organization itself or when working with customers, to enable their business to continue to exist during lockdown.

But make no mistake, even with all this technology, this is not yet a digital transformation. Why? Because in the end, what actually happened was that many organizations “put a band-aid” on the wound until the rage passed. This does not necessarily mean that they really adopted the change or that they embraced a new organizational strategy.

True digital transformation requires management to devote time to formulating a new organizational strategy to suit this digital age. A band-aid is not enough; what is needed is complex internal surgery! This “surgery” will include an analysis of market trends, exploration of digital technologies and their potential, including any new opportunities or risks involved, and so on.

Did you think that was it? We’ve only just begun! In addition to this analysis, in order for your organization to undergo the best possible digital transformation, you will need to dig and explore almost every area related to your organization. From designing the customer experience and researching the consumer journey, through to establishing a smart, efficient and digital process infrastructure, examining the current organizational model and promoting the application of innovative organizational models, implementing data production processes for a broad and comprehensive picture, and flexible technology systems. This also involves training employees and developing their digital literacy, nurturing and preserving their talents, and developing their skills to deal with the challenges of the new digital environment.

If you ask us, we’ll admit that the work in the process of digital transformation is not simple or easy in any way, but hand on heart, we can definitely say it’s worth it!

The MIC Municipal Innovation Center assists the various authorities in the digitization process, and accompanies them all the way to achieving their goals.

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03/08/23

Education and Distance Learning

Author MIC Team

Education and Distance Learning

The term “distance learning” was familiar to us even before the Corona crisis, but in this era, the concept took on a new meaning and seemed to be a teaching method that the education system sought to implement even earlier, and no doubt a method that will remain long after the threat of COVID19 passes from the world.

Due to the history of the State of Israel, which includes wars and security incidents, it was expected that the system would be able to cope in an emergency situation. Although the Israeli education system conducts distance learning exercises from time to time, in readiness for a time when it may be needed for any reason, the real-time results were far from satisfactory. The operational and technological difficulties, together with general unpreparedness, were met by students and parents who had difficulty adapting. The result was a tangled mess that resulted in teachers, students, and parents being tied to screens for an unfamiliar routine, which included surfing between several systems and little actual learning.

In discussions with teachers and educators, parents and students, a number of key challenges were found in the distance learning platform:

The technological challenge
The technological difficulty affected teachers, parents, and students alike, with unfamiliar and fault-ridden digital systems. Some teachers displayed low technological capabilities and needed help themselves and were struggling without the ability and tools to get technical support. Parents found themselves facing connection failures again and again and would simply give up.

Creating an adapted curriculum
In frontal learning, a variety of tools, learning configurations, and technologies are used to create an enriching and achievable curriculum, which will provide children with the databases of knowledge and life skills they need. In distance learning and the limited technological format created, many educational institutions decided to allocate resources to core subjects only, in learning processes that require mainly repetition and practice, and which present substantial difficulties in creating effective or new learning. This leads to disconnection from the existing curriculum without providing any promising alternatives.

Creating an educational and social interaction
Schools and educational frameworks are intended for learning, but no less important is the existence of social interactions, integration, and the acquisition of tools for conducting oneself in social frameworks. All of these lose their power sitting in front of the computer at home. The possibility of silencing an entire class at the push of a button may be every teacher’s dream to create a quiet and a learning atmosphere, but it is a delusion as silence does not guarantee that the student is quiet and attentive. Moreover, it also eliminates the possibility of responding, asking freely, and having a natural discussion. Of course, the break times, enrichment classes, and social activities that were canceled during distance learning also created the social disconnect that directly affected learning motivation.

Distance Learning Post COVID-19

The gradual return to routine and the reopening of kindergartens and schools have not negated distance learning, and it can be said that the opposite is true. The need for advanced technological tools that correspond with the needs of the field has become clearer than ever. It is clear that whether it is a recurrent outbreak of the virus or for other reasons, Israeli students need an effective, experiential and fun distance learning system that will address the challenges we face.

MIC, Municipal Innovation Center, presents technological solutions in education, some of which are already implemented in Israel, and provides a solution to the needs of distance learning and improving the education infrastructure in general.

Amongst the solutions, you will discover the “class me” system that operates on a mobile platform, using an application that enables both educational and social communication in the palm of every student. The virtual space in the app allows direct communication with professional teachers, integration of classes on a variety of topics, access to individual support at an affordable cost, discussions, and enrichment in virtual classes, tools for teachers and principals to analyze the level of study and create advanced curricula and more. The system operates successfully in leading educational institutions in the United States and in one hundred and fifty schools in Israel.

As part of the desire to adapt the education system to the twenty-first century, both at the technological level and at the content level, another example presented at the center is “Eton.News”, designed to establish a true journalistic process among students and connect them to the media, providing tools for research and critical thinking, promoting creativity and developing writing skills, for teamwork and other important tools. The app works while creating a two-way interface between students and the local authority and allows students to research what is happening in the city and even publish columns and articles on local media channels.

The Municipal Innovation Center helps local authorities incorporate advanced technological tools in education and is a leading mediation agent between local authorities and the arena of technological innovation.

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20/06/23

The Giving Tree

Author MIC Team

Becoming a “smart” city is not only about innovative technology. Sometimes it’s the simplest things, the things that you are so used to seeing that you don’t pay them any attention, like plants and trees. But make no mistake – they are very, very important.

No matter what city you live in, or visit, wherever you walk, whether it’s on the way to work, shopping or just to see friends, you will always see trees and greenery along your path in one form or another. It’s not just because the mayor is a green enthusiast, although that’s also possible! The truth is that it is an effective, and simple method of contributing to an economic, social ,and environmental city. A green environment encourages people to walk rather than drive, which moderates the temperature, helping to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as improving the personal well-being of residents and more.

An End to the Global Warming Heatwave

Well, no, the heatwave isn’t over, and we have not yet solved the problem of global warming, but trees certainly have a significant effect on the temperature around them, so in cities suffering from extreme heat, it is advisable to incorporate tree planting as part of planning in urban spaces. Trees reduce the temperature around them by an average of 2–5 degrees Celsius. This is a very significant difference, especially in a hot country like Israel ,and all the more so during the global warming crisis in which we live. Ficus trees, for example, are highly recommended for this purpose and they can lower the temperature around them by up to 5.5 degrees.

Have a Nice Trip

Another advantage of trees in the urban space is that it leads to a preference for public transport over traveling by private car. How? The truth is that this solution is very simple! Trees in the vicinity of a bus-stop, for example, will provide a wider shade area than the shading of the bus stop itself. This shade offers a cooling environment for those waiting at the bus stop, by reducing the sun-rays and also reducing heat release from surfaces near the bus stop. The result effects on the willingness of residents to use public transportation, walk, and cycle. Of course, trees are not the only factor, and many other aspects are needed to ensure the success of public transport in the city, but that’s a different matter.

Take a Deep Breath

Take a deep breath before you continue reading. How does the air feel? Fresh and clean? We want to remind you that trees purify the air. How do they do that? Trees don’t reduce the amount of pollution that is emitted, but they can absorb air pollution and emit oxygen instead, thus cleansing the air that the residents breathe. It is no secret that air pollution has a huge impact on our health, so addressing it offers a significant benefit in maintaining public health. In addition, let’s not forget the dangers of exposure to solar radiation, which is also reduced by trees planted in urban spaces.

And what about financial benefits? The three issues we have raised so far are just some of the advantages of using trees in urban spaces, and if you put them all together, the result is financial gain. How? Think about the household energy savings due to shade, the impact on air and water quality in the city, the increase in house value. If that’s not enough, trees also boost domestic and foreign tourism, and once you’ve brought in the tourists, then what about shopping? – Studies show that consumers are willing to pay between 9% and 12% more in stores on streets where there are trees.

Well, what do you think? It’s worthwhile, isn’t it?

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22/05/23

London waits for no-one: it just keeps going!

Author MIC Team

London has always been, and probably always will be, a great tourist destination. Its unique climate, amazing architecture and long history win the hearts of millions of tourists every year. But London isn’t only about history; it is a city which is constantly being updated.

There really is no need to introduce London, the ultimate choice for a holiday for millions of tourists every year, and yet it has aspects that only residents are aware of. It’s worth taking a moment to find out about those aspects, because, as the famous israeli singer Chava Alberstein once wrote, in London “despair becomes more comfortable”. Not that we are desperate, but Londoners are definitely more comfortable and there are reasons for that.

London is one of the “smartest” cities in the world. What is a smart city? Glad you asked.
The truth is that it’s difficult to define and there’s no single definition that everyone agrees on, but what’s certain is it involves the use of technologies that streamline citizen services, reduce costs, lower air pollution, improve resident and municipal work and provide safe public spaces.
Today, when the growth-rate of cities is high and the influx is almost constant, the existing infrastructure is becoming overburdened and therefore the integration of smart urban technologies is extremely critical.

How does London make use of smart technologies?

Here are three interesting examples that can be adopted in other countries:

In London, sharing has become more convenient
London has a completely free database open to the general public. It stores vast amounts of information about the capital city for the use of the entire public, whether you are a city resident, a business owner or even an app developer. This incredible information portal contains more than 700 data sets that can easily help anyone who is interested in getting to know and understand this spectacular city better, and more importantly – develop and offer solutions to the urban problems that exist in it.
The site’s developers created it to facilitate urban improvements, and upon entering the site, residents, business owners and app developers are invited to submit their ideas simply and conveniently, after surveying the city via the information portal.

“Hello, I’m going” (that’s a quote from the Chava Alberstein song!) – just pay attention to where and when exactly you are going, OK?
Recently, we have also heard the term “congestion charge” here in Israel. Before we get upset just from the name itself, it’s important to understand what it’s about. First of all, our Transport Minister is really not the one who invented the idea and in fact it has been around in London for many years. The congestion charge is a toll that is collected in specific areas of the city, which have been marked as congestion areas for particular vehicles.
What is it really good for? – The goal is, of course, to reduce traffic congestion, whilst at the same time also fund investment in the city’s transportation system.
The fee in London is currently £12.50 per day for particular vehicles entering the congestion charge area, during congestion hours. If the fee is not paid, the resident will be fined between £60 and £180. In addition to the congestion charge, and as part of London’s fight against air pollution, about three years ago the municipality decided to update and extend the list of vehicles banned from entering the “low emissions zone”, and it now also includes vehicles manufactured in 2015 which were not necessarily previously defined as heavy pollutants.

It is important to remember that in London this change is possible, and even welcome, because the public transport network works exceptionally well seven days a week, with convenient and accessible options for all passengers, both in terms of payment and in terms of connections throughout the city. In fact, public transport in the city is not only a suitable transport alternative, but often preferable to traveling by private car. Food for thought as to how our tiny country could be improved. Because before any changes can be made, it is essential to examine the infrastructure system that will support and enable those changes in such a way that they will not become an obstacle for the residents instead of fulfilling their main goal – to make life easier for them.

Sweetheart, we need to talk …(another quote for the song!)
Usually, when you hear a sentence like this, you can be sure that it is bad news, but this time you can breathe easy (more-or-less … we’re still talking about London and the soot may interfere with breathing a bit!). London has an internet community that was established at the initiative of the municipality called “Talk London”. This online community was established in 2012 and its ultimate goal is that the city can easily hear from Londoners about the issues that are most important to them, whether it’s about clean air, municipal budgets or recovery from COVID-19 and returning to routine. Another feature of the online community is to submit ideas to the municipality. New ideas can be posted which can then be commented on or even added to by other residents.
The site staff collects the ideas, researches them, and brings the best ones to fruition.

Overall, it can be said that the City of London loves the idea of collaborating with its residents in everything related to urban living and resident comfort.
Our score: four “Big Bens” out of five!

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22/04/23

Earth Day – The responsibility of local authorities to protect the globe

Author MIC Team

Earth Day is an international initiative held on the twenty-second of April every year, in order to raise awareness of the need to protect the globe and preserve a green and sustainable environment.

Public awareness of the factors that pollute the Earth and harm it is important as it leads to a reduction in the use of non-perishable waste, along with an increase in use of products and systems with a high energy rating and energy savings. However, awareness by itself is insufficient when it is not supported by an orderly policy, raising the issue in local authorities, state authorities, organizations and companies.

Awareness alone is not enough to attain the ambitious goal of protecting the planet from threats including climate change and global warming, loss of energy sources, greenhouse gas emissions and ozone expansion, rising sea-levels due to melting glaciers and water volume changes due to global warming and pollution.

Genuine protection of the planet is achieved through legislation, together with initiatives undertaken by local authorities, using innovative technological systems in a variety of fields.

How can a local authority contribute to protecting the planet and creating a green urban environment?

The local authority is responsible for a variety of measures for protecting the environment, with many tools at its disposal, both in the treatment of waste and sanitation, as well as being responsible for buildings, infrastructure and transportation, education, safety, water resources and resident services

MIC (Municipal Innovation Center) presents a wide range of systems and tools, which make use of the latest technologies to enable local authorities to improve the resident services, whilst also offering economic savings and maintaining a green urban environment with energy efficiency. Here are some examples:

Water economy management
An advanced system from Aquarius Spectrum allows the municipal authority to anticipate and locate leaks and latent leaks, and to evaluate the condition of the pipes at any time. The system is based on “cloud” technology that enables documentation, storage and comparison of data. The system supports all types of pipework and infrastructure, and is designed to locate leaks, even those which originate from holes with a small diameter, which significantly reduces the costs of water loss and pipe malfunctions as well as the costs of maintenance and repairs as needed.

Smart transportation
Israeli software company Axilion has developed a quality solution for managing traffic for local authorities in Israel , to address the challenges of congestion and traffic jams, and for managing a smart, efficient and safe transportation system. The company develops and implements networks of smart traffic lights that help regulate traffic, identify hazards, congestion and unusual events, prioritize and manage means of public transportation and optimal pedestrian infrastructure. The systems, which are already being implemented in a number of cities in Israel and around the world, boast an increase in safety of tens of percent, a significant reduction in traffic jams, and a reduction of travel times in urban areas of nearly fifty percent.
This translates to a reduction in fuel and energy use, reduced pollutants and gas emissions from vehicles and improved quality of life for residents.

Public health
A smart system for monitoring noise, abnormal radiation levels and air pollution in educational buildings, education centers etc enables rapid treatment of any problems and helps to maintain the health of citizens and residents. The system from the Israeli company RADGREEN combines a large number of sensors for monitoring a variety of factors and is already prominent in its efficiency and contribution to the urban environment, in cities in Israel and abroad.

Waste disposal
The ECOCAL system from Maskal operates smart bins within a municipal framework, which provide savings and increased efficiency, using sensors that monitor the weight of public bins, the level of acidity and their temperature, while transmitting the data in real time to the municipal control center.

The sanitation departments in the authority receive guidance and management of employee efficiency, as well as help in creating routes for the prioritization of waste disposal, leading to a saving in manpower and prompt removal of bins that emit toxins and constitute a sanitary hazard, whilst maintaining transparency and full control.

The question often arises as to what is actually the responsibility of a local authority in the field of preserving the environment, the contribution to global ecology, and the impact on the interactions between the man-made and serviceable systems, and the existing natural systems. Over the last decade, there has been a growing understanding that the connection exists in synergy, which actually enables municipal and local authorities, by making the right choices and investments in systems and infrastructure developed with environmental vision, to increase residents’ level of happiness and satisfaction, make savings on expensive operating costs and contribute to preserving the planet. .

MIC, The Innovation Center from Mashkal, offers an innovative experience and a glimpse into a green, efficient and innovative future world, where you can find solutions and advanced systems in all areas of life in the public sphere. Come and visit, we’re looking forward to meeting you.

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13/04/23

Focusing on Israeli “smart cities” Spotlight on Ashdod

Author MIC Team

Nearly 90% of Israel’s population lives in urban areas: in central cities, suburbs and peripheral cities. Despite the great interest in national politics, the factors that most influence the quality of life of the residents in Israel are actually the local authorities. The local authority provides residents with services in the areas of education, leisure, waste management and recycling, traffic, transportation and mobility, employment, the environment, security and infrastructure. The correct management by the authority will have a positive effect on the lifestyle of residents and their measure of happiness, and will lead to direct economic savings for them. It is important to note that the concept of a smart city refers to a wide range of issues, and by rating each of them, IDC in Herzliya has created a uniform and objective index that takes into account several areas of activity that define a smart city:

● Safe city – management of safety systems; infrastructure that emphasizes road safety; efficient municipal and police service; civil protection systems.

● Digital city – digital services which reduce bureaucracy for residents. Option to choose between different digital means. Accessibility of services.

● Sustainable city – environmental sustainability; recycling; waste disposal by advanced means.

● Efficient city – energy efficiency and savings to local authority expenses; efficiency in employee management and placement of technological service alternatives.

● Learning city – ensuring professional currency; network of modern systems and tools; appointment of key people in the local authority to teach and familiarise staff about smart city technologies.

The city of Ashdod is a southern coastal city, the sixth largest city in Israel with a population of close to 230,000 residents.
In the Smart Cities Index set by the IDC, the city of Ashdod stands out in its urban strategy for smart and sustainable cities, smart and information-based urban management, construction, sustainability and smart infrastructure, and indices of innovation, education and local economy.

Among the prominent projects in the city of Ashdod that make it one of the smartest cities in Israel are the following:

Smart Transportation Center – Ashdod boasts the most advanced smart transportation center in Israel, REWAY, which implements advanced technologies in the field of smart and autonomous transportation. Transportation planning in the city is based on the city’s hubs such as the port, the coastal strip and logistical resources, as well as the development of smart roads for real-time traffic management, which enables solutions that encourage the use of shared and public transportation.

Technological hothouse – In collaboration with the Strauss Group, the Ashdod Municipality has established a leading technological development hothouse, the purpose of which is to invest in groundbreaking technological ventures in the food industry. This venture aims to improve the production of quality and healthy food, and generates investments and professional guidance in various projects, creates awareness and attraction for scientific education for the city’s young people, and creates employment and jobs.

Mafte’ach Center – The city of Ashdod has implemented a center for employment development for the ultra-Orthodox, one of the largest demographics of the city, which integrates men and women from the sector into the labor force, tailoring the jobs to their specific needs and according to their skills. The project is being carried out in collaboration with IBM.

HUB Complex – a complex located in the urban youth center, providing a collaborative work environment, a regional business center, the business accelerator program of the Agency for Small and Medium Businesses in the Ministry of Economy, support and business consulting.

Digital services for residents – Ashdod Municipality prides itself on streamlining services for residents through a variety of digital means: the “Ashdodit” app that provides residents with access to information and performance; an extensive website emphasizing optimal user experience which offers many services including enrollment in educational institutions and leisure activities, online payments, forms for downloading, inquiries and so on.

Mashkal, invites the employees of local authorities in Israel to the innovative and exciting MiC – the innovation center, where they can discover a variety of systems and technologies through visual and experiential means, and learn about the principles of smart cities in Israel including improving services to residents, energy efficiency, creating a greener city, water systems and many more.

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03/04/23

Daylight Saving Time and its Impact on Local Authorities

Author MIC Team

Every year, from March to the end of October, daylight saving time is implemented in Israel, by adjusting the time one hour forward, providing an extra hour of light during working hours. While in Europe daylight saving time is 211 days a year, and in the United States 239 days a year, in Israel daylight saving time is 182 days on average (the exact dates change from year to year).
Here are some reasons and benefits for switching to daylight saving time:

Energy saving – Adding daylight to the day in the afternoon reduces the use of industrial lighting. This includes savings in street lighting and public facilities, which leads to improved energy efficiency and economic savings for the authority.

Tourism – Foreign and domestic tourism are a means of growth for the local economy. Extra hours of light brings more tourists to public facilities, beaches and swimming pools, restaurants and malls, which provides a boost to the local economy.

Leisure culture – Adding an hour of light each day contributes to improving the quality of life and well-being of the individual, encouraging more family and community leisure time. Daylight saving time allows for a better family life, because upon returning from work, there is still light outside, so parents can go out for an activity with their children. The residents also participate more in recreation and leisure activities in public spaces, which on the one hand helps the local businesses and the economy, and on the other hand requires the local authority to address the need for leisure and entertainment activities in public spaces.

Transport – Adjusting the clock to correspond with European countries helps to increase road safety and improves energy savings. Daylight saving time is also important in the fight against road accidents, because it is always preferable to travel during daylight.

Employee output – Organizations report an increase in employee output during the months of daylight saving time compared to a decrease in winter, as there is a direct link between daylight hours and sunshine and the influence they have on the mood, activity level and efficiency of employees.
It is important to note that these advantages involve parameters which are non-quantifiable and there is no measurable benefit, and therefore some argue that where there are benefits of daylight saving time, there are also disadvantages due to the dark early-morning hours.
The local authorities in Israel are the ones who implement government policy, with the transition between the clocks being one of the parameters that affect the local authorities and require them to prepare accordingly.

The responsibilities of the local authority with regards to daylight saving time include:
• Changing and adjusting lighting in streets and public areas
• Coordinating with the electricity company to check reserves and ensure a steady supply of electricity in the city.
• Checking and adjusting work schedules, with an emphasis on city-improvement employees as well as cleaning and maintenance employees, who work in outdoor conditions.
• Expansion of leisure activities for residents
• Emphasis on road safety during the period of switching between clocks.
• Adjusting hours of operation in religious institutions such as kindergartens, synagogues, mikvahs, etc.

It is important to note that advanced technologies and innovative developments of systems that benefit local authorities in Israel, help increase energy efficiency, maintain safety and public order, improve resident services and offer optimal control of lighting and other systems in the city whilst maintaining flexibility and the ability to adapt according to demand, and without being obligated to correspond to any particular time zone. At the MiC Innovation Center, you can discover more about smart lighting and energy systems, management of commercial buildings, solutions in the fields of transportation, parking, cyber security and cameras, garbage and water, and a variety of innovations that enable savings and increase efficiency, that do not depend on changing the clock and make a significant contribution to the city in many fields.