Here’s How the DMV Region Is Excelling In the Smart Cities Discussion

Smart cities go beyond technological advances, and D.C. area governments understand that.

By Michelai Graham

It’s only right that D.C. was named as one of the top 12 smart cities in the U.S. since the region has been working on various projects to keep communities better connected both technologically and economically.

Specifically in the District, the Office of the Chief Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) manages an agency called Smarter DC, which is the District’s initiative to explore smart city technology to ultimately connect better data. The initiative lays out a plethora of efforts that D.C. government is working on to become a better, connected community and a better smart city. Surrounding cities in Maryland and Virginia have similar plans.

But what are smart cities? Digi.City defines smart cities as cities that “use connected technology and data to improve the efficiency of city service delivery, enhance quality of life for all, and increase equity and prosperity for residents and businesses.”

Eugene Grant has been on the forefront of some of these technological advances in the DMV region for the past decade. He’s been serving in the capacity of mayor of Seat Pleasant, Maryland, since 2004, and he previously ran an organization focused on youth leadership and community activism. From the perspective of Seat Pleasant, Grant defines a smart city as a “shared service hub,” which is a central location and depository of data.

“But that’s something that is widely debated because there is no one definition of smart cities,” Grant said about defining smart cities. “If you don’t have a central place where all data goes to in your city that can be shared with the community, then how could you call it smart? From that shared service hub, everything else can happen.”

Grant emphasized that the concept of a smart city doesn’t just center on technological innovations, though that’s part of the discussion. A lot of smart cities across the U.S. focus their initiatives on the transportation space, but being a real smart city goes beyond that to include economic advancements that focus on broadband connectivity, digital inclusion and overall creating a better quality of life. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) play into this as well, Grant said, because AI and ML technologies are being used in creative ways to collect and better understand data.

 “A city that is smart must be connected,” Grant said. “You’re connected through the Internet of Things to gather data to analyze it and gain insight to drive a decision. If you drive the decisions properly, you’re able to drive those decisions toward efficiency, effectiveness and creating a citizen-centric government.”

Unfortunately, the African American community is often left out of the smart city discussion since low-income communities still struggle to even get proper internet connection. The D.C. government reports that 25 percent of households in the District don’t have broadband internet service. This phenomenon is often referred to as the “digital divide,” which is the gap between people with useful access to digital and information technologies and those with little to no access at all. This definition comes from Connect.DC, the District’s digital inclusion initiative, which is working to lessen that percentage and get more D.C. residents more digitally connected, especially in Black communities.

“We have to make certain that we have people who are out here creating a platform and have discussions that demand resources to come into our communities to transform them,” Grant said. “Once you have more technology in these communities, we have to get residents to adopt it and use it.”

Another part of the smart city journey includes teaching citizens how to use technology, explain why certain data is being collected and where they can continue to follow these initiatives. One way Seat Pleasant residents are staying up to-date on smart city news is through an app managed by the city’s government. D.C. residents can follow the region’s smart city progress on this website, which details projects in different sectors from healthcare to energy and environment, public safety, urban planning and more. Residents can also see at which stage each project is in.

Virginia has also been doing some great work in the smart city arena, specifically in Northern Virginia with Smart City Works, a nonprofit business accelerator, which oversees the state’s smart city initiatives and partnerships. The region is also lucky to have the Center for Innovative Technology, which is leading the Virginia Smart Communities Working Group and calling for pilot projects focused on “community-driven innovation.”

As it shows, the DMV region has various smart city projects in the works and is poised to keep leading in this realm. The D.C. government is partnering with various local organizations including Events DC, Washington Gas, DC Water, the District of Columbia Public Schools and more to become a truly equipped and connected smart city. 

If you don’t know where to start, here are 10 smart city initiatives to follow in the District of Columbia:

• Smart Waste Management
• Downtown BID Waste Tracking Project
• Smart Devices
• Street Light LED Project
• Expanded National Mall WiFi

Michelai Graham is a freelance tech journalist and Washington, D.C. Bureau Senior Editor for bdpatoday. Ms. Graham covers technology, startups, business growth and entrepreneurship for AfroTech, Lifewire, and The Plug. Photo credits: Eugene Grant.

Continue the dialogue this week during BDPA's 5th Annual Earth Day Tech Summit, April 22-24, 2021, powered bdpatoday, moderated by Michelai Graham and Raymond Bell, Jr. This year's media partner is The Washington Informer.