Six Belgian communes scooped awards during the Smart City Awards dished out by the technology federation in Agoria yesterday (Thursday). These were Comblain-au-Pont, Houffalize, Brugelette, Courtrai, Hasselt and Bonheiden.
These awards, dished out during the Smart City Forum, cover four categories: energy, transport, digital and life in society. They award “smart city” initiatives, these being intelligent cities allying sustainable development and inclusion by means, in particular, of innovation.
The Comblain community dwelling received a prize for its “smart energy” pole which achieved autonomous local community organisation, using energy thanks to an electric turbine, photovoltaic cells and LED lights.
In Houffalize, the Letsgocity application allows citizens and tourists to connect to communal services and traders. The commune won a prize in the category “Living”.
Brugelette and the Wallonia Public Service were rewarded in the “digital” category for their data analysis of mobile telephones, which has made it possible to develop an efficient traffic plan around the Pairi Daiza park.
The commune of Bonheiden scooped the main prize of the competition, thanks to the registration of school pupils’ bicycles coupled with a reward system which allowed for an increase in bicycle journeys from 12% to 62% between home and school.
The Brussels Times
