From my first week of working with this talented and friendly team, I knew I had landed in the right place. Where else could I facilitate the application of the latest telecoms and technologies to make cities (and hence the habitat of most of the world's population) more efficient and livable? And if the expression "as goes London, so go the cities of Europe" has factual merit, then my colleagues and I can derive even more motivation from our potential influence.
It has been over a month since the climate change activist group Extinction Rebellion took over the streets of London, amongst other cities, demanding that national governments take immediate action to address climate change. This sort of action is not unfamiliar to the country, however, as the UK Government has been under intense pressure to reduce its carbon emissions and to revisit its current carbon reduction target.
I’m the newest member of the DG Cities team, having joined as a Project Officer just last week. Walking into the office on my first day I was both impressed and slightly intimidated, though within mere minutes I felt welcomed as part of the crew. Almost instantly I began to understand why the team works so well together: each individual member brings a slightly different background and skillset to DG Cities, which enables such success in their work and collaborations. With engineers, physicists and architects already on board, I hope that my strong sustainability focus and modelling experience will prove to be a valuable asset to the team!
Here at DG Cities we’re in the fortunate position of having a remit that includes staying abreast of the latest developments in new technology. That said, when you are immersed in this field, it admittedly is quite easy to become a little bit desensitised to it all. This is in part because there are just so many exciting developments and products constantly emerging in the world of technology and innovation - so to stand out from the crowd a new idea has to be pretty transformational.
Well, it’s certainly been a while since I checked in. For those who didn’t read my first blog post, I joined DG Cities as a Project Officer just shy of three months ago. When I last wrote, I was excited and daunted in equal measure. From day one I found myself surrounded by an endlessly kind, sharp (though admittedly intimidating) team, and immersed in a seemingly ever-growing list of puzzling acronyms and complex technological terms. Luckily, I have since found my sea legs.
If you’re in London, you’ve probably noticed signs scattered throughout the city hoping to catch the attention of busy passersby to remind them that the ULEZ is coming. Perhaps you’ve spotted one during your morning commute on the tube, or seen one fixed to the side of the bus as it whizzed past you on your way home. But what actually is the ULEZ? …
Today is my second day at DG Cities and my excitement is only gaining momentum. Two days into the role and already I envision this team of 11 growing in size, quickly becoming a sea of hundreds, all eagerly brainstorming and collaborating to reshape and improve our cities. Or perhaps these are the musings of a graduating millennial wishfully getting ahead of himself. But how could I not, when the setting is so compelling?
It’s been nearly four months since I joined the DG Cities team, and while I had no idea what was in store for me when I first started, I have certainly learned a lot in my time here. I’ve had the chance to work on a number of exciting and diverse projects, all of which have reminded me, more so than ever, of just how rapidly technology is shaping the towns and cities we live in.
Transport conferences, or as they are commonly referred to these days, ‘future mobility’ conferences, are becoming increasingly exciting. They are an opportunity to discuss and dissect a range of technologies and innovations, from self-driving cars to fleets of robo-taxis. The buzz and excitement of such environments and the technological novelties being exhibited propels one’s imagination, sometimes far beyond today’s realities, and into a perfect world of the future.
It was released in the news last month that Google will be monitoring air quality within the Greater London Area, mapping real-time pollution levels using their StreetView cars. The new monitoring programme forms part of Breathe London, an initiative made up of a consortium of partners including various health and scientific experts as well as the Mayor of London. Breathe London aims to develop policy responses that help to improve the wellbeing and air quality of London and other cities worldwide.
