Cisco Systems has unveiled a high-tech, green initiative for cities, named Intelligent Urbanization, focusing on public safety and security, transportation, buildings, energy, health care, and education.

This enhanced strategy targets those important sectors in terms of business, but also as a way to improve the quality of life for city dwellers. John Chambers, Cisco CEO made the former clear when he said, “Each of these market segments has the potential to generate over $1 billion in revenue opportunities for Cisco.” At the same time, Intelligent Urbanization could be the future of utilities, combining  integrated city management, better quality of life for citizens, and economic development.

This new global framework is a collaboration, involving Cisco, their partners, and a variety of technologies. It was unveiled during a media event at the Cisco Globalization Centre East in Bengaluru, India. Also announced was a pilot program with the State of Karnataka to develop the plan for an intelligent, smart, and sustainable Bengaluru city.

This new initiative draws together a number of features from existing Cisco programs worldwide. Similar, but smaller initiatives are already in place in cities like San Francisco, Amsterdam, Seoul, and Singapore. Each of these programs is aimed at some segment of the problems involved in urbanization, with the aim of promoting sustainable, intelligent urban development practices.

The Bengaluru project is larger and more comprehensive than any of the previous endeavors, according to a CNET article. Chambers said, “We have started with a pilot project that will continue for the next three to six months. Later, we will extend it to education and health care sectors.” It is also Cisco’s plan to bring the Intelligent Urbanization initiative to additional Indian states over the next year.

Intelligent Urbanization will bring together a wide variety of Cisco products, services and partners. The primary focus of the initiative is global sustainable offerings. Cisco already has several offerings in this area for public safety and security, transportation, buildings, energy, health care and education. In Chamber’s words, “With the number of people living in urban areas projected to grow from 3 billion today to 5 billion by 2030, urbanization is a global trend impacting citizens, governments, and industries.”

Initiatives like this one can help bring sustainability to the large cities of the world, where green technology is needed the most if we are to minimize the footprint of global overpopulation. This would appear to be an initiative that mixes the needs of business with the needs of the planet, and it is one that should be watched closely over the next year.

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Entry was posted on Sunday, February 15th, 2009 at 3:14 pm under Green Technology, Technology.

Read more entries by Michael W. Jones.
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