Smart in the City – The BABLE Podcast

In this episode of Smart in the City, we sit down with Hashem Alhendawi, Head of the UITP MENA, to discuss the rapid evolution of urban mobility in Dubai and across the broader Middle East and North Africa region. Hashem explains how cities in MENA are transitioning from car-centric designs to integrated, network-based public transport systems. We explore the concrete steps Dubai has taken over the past decade to build a multimodal network that includes the Metro, buses, and marine transport. Looking ahead to the upcoming UITP Summit 2026 in Dubai, Hashem highlights the practical challenges cities are prioritising, such as financial sustainability, workforce skills, and climate resilience. Join us to learn why the future of Smart Cities relies on reliable operations and connecting people to essential opportunities. Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:10) - Teaser question: Can you describe UITP's mission using only three emojis?(00:03:16) - Guest background(00:06:04) - UITP Mission And Goals(00:09:20) - Dubai Summit 2026(00:13:35) - Dubai's Mobility Shift(00:18:16) - MENA Mobility Shifts(00:21:54) - MENA Innovation Opportunities(00:25:43) - Future Summit Topics(00:30:09) - World Public Transport Day(00:31:34) - Segment: Inspire us(00:33:42) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

Dans cet épisode de Smart in the City, nous nous rendons en région parisienne pour échanger avec Eric Legale, directeur général d'Issy Média. Depuis plus de trois décennies, Issy-les-Moulineaux se positionne à l'avant-garde de la transformation urbaine, ayant lancé son premier site web municipal en 1996 et s'adaptant continuellement aux nouvelles vagues numériques. Nous explorons dans cet entretien comment la ville crée de la valeur concrète pour ses habitants à travers deux initiatives majeures. Nous discutons également du lancement d'IssyGPT, une IA générative souveraine conçue pour aider les citoyens dans leurs démarches administratives tout en garantissant la confidentialité des données. Notre invité détaille également le « Budget Climat » de la ville, une stratégie inspirée des modèles nordiques qui suit les émissions de carbone avec la même minutie que les dépenses financières, menant à une réduction de 37 % des gaz à effet de serre depuis 2005. Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:40) - Teaser question: si vous deviez décrire Issi-les-Moulineaux en utilisant uniquement trois mots, quels mots vous choisiriez et pourquoi?(00:02:51) - Parcours de l'invité(00:05:18) - L'Assistant virtuel Issy-GPT(00:08:22) - Fiabilité de l'IA(00:10:30) - Sensibiliser les citoyens(00:14:58) - Le Budget Climat(00:21:03) - Données et transition(00:26:32) - Les projets européens(00:29:23) - Déployer des expérimentations(00:35:16) - Collaborer avec la ville(00:39:19) - Les prochains défis(00:42:16) - Éducation au numérique(00:44:33) - Segment: Inspire Us(00:47:52) - Ending question: “Pour vous, qu'est-ce qu'une Smart City ?”

In this episode of Smart in the City, we travel to the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg in Germany to explore how a mid-sized municipality is driving digital transformation through a human-centric approach. Petra Schwerdtfeger, Smart City Officer for the City of Aschaffenburg, shares details on the city’s "Dialog City" strategy. This initiative focuses on integrating digital and analogue worlds to ensure technology serves the common good and remains accessible to everyone. The conversation highlights the successful implementation and replication of the Smart Data Dashboard and the AschaffenBürgerGIS, both built on Open-Source technology. Petra provides insights into the practical benefits of city-to-city collaboration, explaining how Aschaffenburg adapted existing solutions from Münster and Hamburg to save costs and avoid reinventing the wheel. We also examine the realities of municipal decision-making, the importance of data sovereignty, and the challenges posed by limited internal resources when accelerating urban change. Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:57) - Teaser question: If Aschaffenburg were a type of plant, which plant would it be and why?(00:03:08) - Guest background(00:04:21) - Aschaffenburg's Dialogue City Strategy(00:06:16) - Replicating Smart City Dashboards(00:08:57) - AI and Digital Twins(00:11:59) - Open Source GIS Implementation(00:15:25) - Balancing Storytelling and Utility(00:18:18) - Tech Sales to Municipalities(00:19:56) - Avoid Reinventing the Wheel(00:21:43) - Public Sector Staffing Challenges(00:24:15) - The Smart Start Program(00:25:30) - Segment: Shout Out(00:27:32) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

Innovation is not exclusive to dense megacities. In this special episode from our Major Cities of Europe 2025 series, we head to the UK to speak with Kurt Frary, Head of IT and CTO at Norfolk County Council. Kurt shares how Norfolk navigates the unique challenges of a large, mixed rural region to build robust digital foundations. We discuss practical applications that save real time and money, from an IoT network that automatically manages flooded roads to AI tools that reduce social care documentation from hours to minutes. The conversation also covers the strict "human-in-the-loop" philosophy, tech scepticism, and the importance of data privacy. Tune in to discover how Norfolk is scaling innovation effectively and what public and private sectors can learn from each other. Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:02:04) - Teaser question: If you had to describe Norfolk county state of innovation with just three emojis, which would they be and why?(00:02:50) - Guest background(00:05:22) - Geography of Norfolk County(00:07:19) - Innovating in Rural Areas(00:08:52) - IoT Network and Flood Safety(00:12:48) - Overcoming Innovation Challenges(00:14:19) - Scaling Up Successful Pilots(00:15:41) - Designing for User Groups(00:17:37) - AI Program and Governance(00:22:44) - Addressing Technology Skepticism(00:25:13) - Data Privacy and AI(00:28:24) - Collaboration of Data(00:32:38) - Working with Private Partners(00:35:10) - Cyber Security and People(00:36:50) - Segment: Hot Take of the Day(00:41:09) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

In dieser Folge von Smart in the City reisen wir nach Luxemburg in die Gemeinde Leudelange. Moderator Alexander Schmidt und Co-Moderator Michael Agostini von Drees & Sommer begrüßen Bürgermeister Lou Linster, um über die Herausforderungen eines einzigartigen demografischen Profils zu sprechen: eine Gemeinde mit 2.800 Einwohner:innen, aber über 10.000 Arbeitsplätzen. Bürgermeister Linster gibt offene Einblicke in ein kürzlich durchgeführtes lokales Referendum über ein gemeindeweites Tempolimit von 30 km/h. Er spricht über das Ergebnis, die Bedeutung der Bürgerbeteiligung bei radikalen städtischen Veränderungen und wie das Feedback der Öffentlichkeit zukünftige Mobilitätspläne formt. Das Gespräch beleuchtet auch die ambitionierte Investitionsagenda von Leudelange, einschließlich der Umgestaltung des Dorfkerns in einen Shared Space, Strategien für bezahlbaren Wohnraum und die Integration von Geothermie-Systemen. Diese Folge bietet einen praxisnahen Blick darauf, wie kleinere Gemeinden Smart-City-Initiativen vorantreiben und gleichzeitig schnelles Wirtschaftswachstum bewältigen können. Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:00:00) - Einleitung(00:02:19) - Hintergrund des Gastes(00:06:28) - Teaser-Frage: Wenn du eine Superkraft hättest, die dir bei der täglichen Arbeit helfen würde, welche Superkraft würdest du dir dann wünschen?(00:07:57) - Struktur und Besonderheiten Leudelanges(00:09:41) - Zukünftiges Wachstum und Stadtplanung(00:15:09) - Referendum zur Verkehrsberuhigung(00:24:35) - Lehren aus der Bürgerbeteiligung(00:33:05) - Radwegenetz und bezahlbarer Wohnraum(00:46:56) - Segment: Hot Take of the Day(00:49:16) - Abschlussfrage: „Was ist für dich persönlich eine Smart City?“

In this episode, recorded live at the neext 2025 in partnership with Drees & Sommer, we travel to the historic "Square Mile" with Alderman Gregory Jones KC of the City of London, UK. As a barrister and elected representative, Gregory provides a unique perspective on the intersection of planning law, heritage preservation, and urgent sustainability goals. We discuss the City's "retrofit first" presumption and the specific challenges of upgrading buildings in a dense, historic financial district. The conversation also explores the complexities of whole-life carbon, the reliability of current tools for measuring retrofit savings, and the importance of designing flexibility into new structures for future resilience. Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:40) - Defining the City of London(00:05:20) - Teaser question: Which one would you choose and why?(00:06:41) - Guest background(00:09:32) - Retrofitting in council work(00:11:36) - National Planning Policy Framework(00:13:29) - Local development plan challenges(00:17:04) - Presumption of retrofit first(00:21:33) - Whole life cycle carbon(00:25:04) - Designing for flexibility(00:27:41) - Measuring retrofit savings(00:34:59) - Advice for other councils(00:41:50) - Segment: Inspire Us(00:45:24) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

In this episode, recorded at the Smart City Expo World Congress 2025, we travel to the City of Hamburg with Dr. Nora Reinecke, Project Manager for the Connected Urban Twins project. Nora explains how Hamburg is moving beyond the buzzwords to implement digital twins that address real urban challenges, from climate resilience and flooding to complex urban planning scenarios. She discusses the collaborative approach among Hamburg, Leipzig, and Munich, emphasizing the need for open-source tools and demand-driven strategies rather than technology for its own sake. The conversation also covers the practical application of GeoAI, the importance of citizen participation, and how to mitigate bias in urban data to ensure inclusive outcomes for all residents. Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:02:14) - Teaser question: If you had to describe Hamburg with these three emojis, which would you use and why?(00:03:29) - Guest background(00:05:13) - Hamburg's Current State(00:06:27) - Connected Urban Twins Project(00:08:27) - Solving Urban Challenges(00:10:26) - Digital Twin Use Case(00:11:59) - Are Digital Twins Overhyped?(00:12:40) - Understanding GeoAI(00:14:33) - Mitigating AI Bias(00:15:41) - Advice for Cities(00:18:00) - Procurement vs In-House Development(00:19:23) - Remaining Bottlenecks(00:21:56) - Importance of Citizen Participation(00:23:43) - Segment: Trial and Error(00:25:17) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

In this episode, recorded live at the Smart City Expo World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, we travel to France to explore a pragmatic vision for sustainable urban development. We are joined by Gérard Wolf, Special Advisor for Smart & Sustainable Cities to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, who shares the French approach to building resilient cities based on four essential services: energy, water, waste management, and transportation. Gérard discusses why simplicity must be prioritised over complex technological fixes and how this mindset drove the massive decarbonisation efforts behind the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. We also delve into the importance of the circular economy, specifically the strategic shift from demolition to retrofitting existing buildings. Finally, the conversation highlights a crucial human-centric challenge: ensuring that Smart City progress does not leave behind those living in informal settlements, making inclusivity a global priority. Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:46) - Four Essential Urban Services(00:05:31) - Teaser question: Impact, Simplicity, Cost or time?(00:06:46) - Guest background(00:09:07) - Integrating Essential Services(00:11:30) - Fast Wins vs Deep Transformation(00:14:20) - Decarbonizing the Paris Olympics(00:19:45) - Scaling Circular Solutions(00:24:16) - Retrofitting and Material Reuse(00:29:13) - Addressing Slums and Inequality(00:33:18) - Segment: Shout Out(00:38:05) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

In this episode, we travel to Italy with Francesco Leonardo Nelli, Coordinator of the International Relations Unit at the City of Bologna. Recorded live at the Smart City Expo World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, we discuss how the city leverages its strong cooperative spirit to drive modern innovation. The conversation highlights Bologna's distinct approach to technology. Rather than purchasing standard solutions, the city is developing a homegrown Digital Twin from scratch to ensure it fits local needs, with initial use cases focused on mobility. Francesco also discusses the role of the Foundation for Urban Innovation in bridging the gap between the administration and residents, illustrated by the "School Squares" project that reclaims space for children. Join us to learn how Bologna balances its rich history with future-ready strategies through city diplomacy and active civic listening. Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro(00:02:02) - Teaser question: If Bologna were an animal, which animal would it be and why?(00:03:27) - Guest background(00:05:36) - Bologna's Unique Atmosphere(00:06:39) - Civic Participation in Bologna(00:07:38) - The Role of City Diplomacy(00:08:59) - Listening to Citizen Needs(00:10:23) - Developing a Local Digital Twin(00:12:05) - Digital Twin Use Cases(00:14:01) - Facing Global Urban Challenges(00:15:21) - Governance and Taking Risks(00:17:05) - School Squares Experimentation(00:18:49) - How Companies Can Collaborate(00:21:51) - Segment: Inspire Us(00:23:54) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

In this episode, recorded live at Smart City Expo World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, we are joined by Eddie Copeland, Director, and Genta Hajri, Digital Innovation Delivery Lead at the London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI). London consists of 33 separate administrative areas, which can often lead to fragmented public services. Eddie and Genta explain how LOTI acts as a collaborative layer, helping boroughs use data, technology, and innovation to solve shared challenges together. The conversation covers impactful initiatives such as 'Get Online London', the city's digital inclusion service, and how improved data sharing is ensuring vulnerable children are auto-enrolled for free school meals. We also explore the practical application of AI in social care to support workflows while maintaining human accountability, and the team's unique use of immersive theatre to build empathy and better partnerships between the public and private sectors. Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:00:00) - From the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona to London(00:03:22) - Our guests' backgrounds: meet Eddie & Genta(00:06:17) - What LOTI does (and how it makes collaboration actually happen)(00:10:13) - Digital inclusion, made real: the Get Online London playbook(00:13:49) - Better data, better outcomes: tackling rough sleeping & free school meals(00:17:45) - AI beyond the hype: practical wins, real risks, and public trust(00:26:23) - What’s next for LOTI: constraints, advice to suppliers, and lessons learned(00:34:36) - Podcast Segment: Flip the Script(00:38:41) - Recurring Question: To you, what is a Smart City?

In this episode, recorded live at Smart City Expo World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, we sit down with Darío Moreno, Mayor of the Municipality of Sagunto, Spain. He shares the story of how his city secured a historic €3 billion investment for a Volkswagen battery gigafactory, positioning Sagunto as a key player in Europe's reindustrialisation. Our guest explains the "leap of faith" required to develop 5 million square meters of industrial land in record time and how this project is transforming the local economy. He also discusses the unique challenge of governing a city with two distinct souls, the 3,000 year old historic centre and the industrial port, while managing housing pressures and mobility. We also dive into his background as a United Nations lawyer, his call for stronger multilateralism, and why he compares Sagunto's bright future to a blooming orchid. Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:01:38) - Teaser question: If you would have to describe Sagunto as a plant, which plant would it be and why?(00:02:13) - Guest background(00:05:02) - 00:05:02(00:07:02) - Managing Two Urban Identities(00:10:34) - Volkswagen Battery Gigafactory(00:16:13) - European Reindustrialization Strategy(00:18:37) - Mediterranean Electromobility Hub(00:21:49) - Negotiating Large Investments(00:26:55) - Challenges in Housing and Mobility(00:29:44) - Segment: Shout Out(00:33:55) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

Dans cet épisode, Guillaume Ruet, maire de Chevigny-Saint-Sauveur et conseiller départemental de la Côte-d’Or, partage sa vision d’une ville à taille humaine qui refuse d’être une simple cité-dortoir en périphérie de Dijon. La conversation aborde ses quatre grandes priorités : sécurité et tranquillité du quotidien, transition écologique ambitieuse (écoles rénovées, patrimoine décarboné, milliers d’arbres plantés), soutien aux familles et aux aînés avec la démarche « ville amie des aînés », et lutte contre le décrochage civique l’incivisme par une « démocratie implicative » où chacun contribue. Il revient aussi sur l’aide aux commerces locaux en temps de crise, le rôle du sport comme politique de santé et de cohésion, et sa définition très humaine de la Smart City : anticiper les besoins de demain, impliquer les habitants et refuser le « ce n’est pas possible ». Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub

In this episode, Isaac Silveira, Municipal Director of the Department of Communication, Technology and Image at the Municipality of Cascais, Portugal, paints for us the portrait of Cascais as a “human” Smart City, where technology is a tool to strengthen relationships, build trust and improve daily life for residents, workers, students and visitors. Our guest explains how the Cascais Operations Centre and Cascais BI enable real-time, data-driven decisions, while the open GeoCascais platform empowers citizens with transparent spatial information. He also discusses tourism management, sustainability on the Atlantic coast, breaking silos inside the municipality, and his vision of being “smart with a soul” – combining digital intelligence, social inclusion and environmental resilience for future generations. Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:02:40) - Teaser question: If Cascais were an animal, which animal would it be?(00:04:20) - Guest background(00:07:11) - Cascais’ Unique Smart DNA(00:10:06) - Implementing Smart City Strategy(00:12:22) - The Cascais Operations Center(00:16:24) - Citizen-Centric Innovation(00:21:36) - Solutions for Resilience and Sustainability(00:25:33) - Geo Cascais Digital Platform(00:30:15) - Governance and Breaking Silos(00:32:40) - Measuring Impact Through Data(00:36:31) - Future Challenges and Collaboration(00:39:13) - Segment: Top or Flop(00:42:40) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

In this episode recorded live at the RethinkCities Summit 2025, Allan Pilgaard-Jensen, Managing Director of ProjectZero for the City of Sønderborg, Denmark, and Drew Turner, Director of Global Decarbonisation Solutions at Danfoss, share how Sønderborg is working towards carbon neutrality by 2029 through a long-standing public-private partnership. The conversation explores why successful energy transitions are “80% people and 20% technology,” highlighting the importance of governance “hotspots,” stakeholder ownership and clear business cases for every project. They discuss Sønderborg’s “lighthouse” initiatives that link hospitals, data centres and industries through district energy and heat recovery systems, showing how concept designs and shared master plans avoid silos and build momentum. Allan and Drew also reflect on replicating this model in larger cities, the economics of the final 10% of decarbonisation, including carbon capture, and why collaboration and realistic payback are crucial to scaling climate action. Throughout, they stress that Smart Cities thrive when plans turn into projects with shared benefits for people and business alike. Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:02:47) - Teaser question: If Project Zero were a band or an orchestra, which instrument would you play?(00:04:12) - Guest background(00:06:14) - Describing Sonderborg Municipality(00:07:34) - Project Zero's Ambitions(00:10:48) - Danfoss' Role and Challenges(00:12:48) - Creating Lighthouse Projects(00:14:31) - Sustaining Long-Term Commitment(00:17:40) - Governance and Stakeholder Management(00:21:07) - From Strategy to Implementation(00:22:36) - Replicating in Larger Cities(00:25:40) - Approaching Cities Correctly(00:28:53) - Overcoming Financial Barriers(00:36:44) - Segment: Flip the Script(00:40:38) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

In this episode recorded live at the ReThink Cities Summit 2025, Markus Paulsson, Energy Strategist at the City of Lund, Sweden, walks us through how Lund couples visible delivery with system change. District heating supplies around 90% of demand and went fossil-free two years early, helping halve emissions from 1990 to 2020. We unpack EnergyNet, a bottom-up, digitally controlled, self-steering architecture that links building to building and pushes capability to the edge. We also explore CoAction Lund, an ecosystem model bringing property owners, employers, infrastructure operators and solution providers into shared action beyond the city’s formal mandate.   Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:01:40) - Teaser question: If you had three magic wishes, that magic wand, how would you use them to sustainably advance Lund's energy transition?(00:03:05) - Guest background(00:05:53) - Lund's Decarbonization Journey(00:08:20) - The CoAction Lund Initiative(00:13:00) - Advice for Solution Providers(00:14:46) - EnergyNet Architecture(00:17:02) - Addressing Cybersecurity Risks(00:18:56) - Internalizing Climate Action(00:21:19) - The Digital Energy Revolution(00:23:10) - Segment: Trial and Error(00:26:09) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

In this episode recorded live at the ReThink Cities Summit 2025, we hear from Deputy Mayor Adam Pustelnik about the next moves of the city of Łódź, Poland: uncovering a historic river segment in the city centre to catalyse place-making, with works already underway, and visible momentum on reindustrialisation as factories and industrial parks rise on large sites. At the same time, the team confronts urban sprawl: an area where benefits are long term while the near-term impacts are often political and socially sensitive. The discussion also tackles the green transformation head-on, arguing that the greatest obstacles are political and that leaders must reach beyond their familiar bubbles to build broader support.   Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:02:22) - Teaser question: Do those words still resonate with you or do you have different words?(00:04:00) - Revitalizing Rivers and Industry(00:08:03) - Impact of City Recognition(00:10:18) - Political Bubbles and Sustainability(00:16:30) - Segment: Inspire Us(00:18:41) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

In this episode recorded live at the RethinkCities Summit 2025, Sunniva Fossen Haugen, Climate Advisor at the Municipality of Trondheim, Norway, shares their journey from offshore oil and gas into climate policy and city logistics. The discussion tackles why commercial fleets lag behind passenger EVs (touching on incentives, payload limits, charging logistics and grid constraints) and how consolidation hubs guided by the ABC localisation principle can cut urban mileage. Sunniva outlines Trondheim’s six focus areas for zero-emission logistics, explains new procurement requirements (zero-emission/biogas vehicles in municipal contracts), and stresses the need for shared data platforms and co-operation with industry. A municipal pilot combining local food purchasing with low-emission deliveries shows how to align multiple sustainability goals. Throughout, they argue for fairness, predictability, and holistic Avoid-Shift-Improve planning to embed freight into mainstream mobility strategy.    Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:02:13) - Teaser question: If Trondheim were a type of weather, which weather type would it be and why?(00:03:37) - Guest background(00:05:41) - Overview of Trondheim(00:07:49) - Challenges with Commercial EVs(00:12:33) - Piloting Consolidation Hubs(00:16:04) - Leveraging Public Procurement(00:18:31) - Data Availability Bottlenecks(00:20:44) - City Logistics Strategy(00:22:13) - Holistic Logistics Planning(00:25:50) - Fairness in Decarbonization(00:29:49) - Understanding Municipal Decision Making(00:32:37) - Sustainable Food Logistics Project(00:35:06) - Segment: Roll with the Punches(00:38:48) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

Bu podcast bölümümüzde, Şanlıurfa’nın iklim dirençli kent olma yolculuğunu Şanlıurfa Büyükşehir Belediyesi İklim Değişikliği ve Sıfır Atık Daire Başkanı Mehmet Demir Bey ile konuşuyoruz. Genç nüfus yapısından  hareketle şehrin fırsatlarını ve kırılganlıklarını masaya<...

In this episode, Sherelle Fairweather, Digital Strategy Lead at Manchester City Council, UK, and Minu Tegethoff, Senior Expert Digital Services & Technologies at Drees & Sommer, unpack how Manchester is moving from digital strategy to delivery. They outline the city’s four pillars (people & inclusion, “what’s in the ground” connectivity, tech for good, and sustainability & resilience) then explain how a recent digital maturity assessment shifted focus from glossy plans to building a deployable network. You’ll hear why aligning definitions across departments matters, why governance, ownership and budgets are the real unblockers, and how a small advisory “front door” can speed fit-for-purpose projects. They also dig into data stewardship and discovery as the backbone for impact, the often-overlooked risk of operations and maintenance, and partnership models that help cities learn beyond pilots.   Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:02:11) - Teaser question: If you could describe your current work with one song, which song would it be?(00:04:52) - Guest background(00:11:22) - Manchester's Digital Strategy Context(00:17:10) - Digitalization Maturity Assessment Findings(00:22:36) - Governance and Strategic Next Steps(00:26:25) - Procurement and Partnership Models(00:30:46) - Managing Implementation Risks(00:36:44) - The Data Consolidation Challenge(00:42:17) - Diversity and Responsible AI(00:47:47) - Segment: Flip the Script(00:55:18) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

In this episode of our mayoral series, Zartoshte Bakhtiari, Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Marne, France, and Vice President of the Greater Paris Grand East administration, explores citizen-centred municipal leadership, directing investment to improve daily life and long-term resilience. Themes include ROI-minded energy renovations, tree-planting and greening to reduce bills and mitigate flooding, alongside creating new revenues through a riverside nature-tourism hub that restores urban nature. He details the “Pass for Young Citizen”, which rewards 12–20-year-olds for civic missions and volunteering, and discusses balancing a strong national vision with local flexibility. Running through it all: protect core services without overburdening residents and define “smart” as enabling people to flourish and contribute.   Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:01:49) - Teaser question: What is one fun fact or little known fact about Nuyi?(00:02:50) - Guest background(00:06:10) - The Role of the Mairie(00:09:58) - Securing Financial Resources(00:14:17) - Decentralization and State Responsibility(00:16:31) - Creating a Nature Tourism Hub(00:19:39) - Pass for Young Citizens Program(00:23:10) - Promoting Unity and Social Mix(00:25:41) - The Necessity of Civic Engagement(00:27:18) - Segment: Inspire Us(00:29:43) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”