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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22/04/23

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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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.