2011 May | InnovCity

Archive for May 2011

QR codes on building permits in New York

by Adrien Geneste | 05.31.11

The New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced on February 22nd the launch of a program incorporating QR codes, short for quick response, on all building permits issued by the city.

The taxibus system of Victoriaville, Québec

Transportation | No comments

by Elsa Sidawy | 05.27.11

In October 2000, the Quebecois city of Victoriaville established a taxibus system, offering individualized public transport that corresponds to each user’s real needs. More flexible than classic transport route development, this initiative has won over many other municipalities.

Vincent Faudé

Innovator

Project leader | RATP

« A new orientation table guides users through the maze of La Défense station »

With Heliotrop, concentrated solar power has a bright future

Environment | No comments

Cleantech Republic | 05.26.11 | Quick Read

Is the conventional photovoltaic doomed? Faced with an industry beset by French regulations and all kinds of moratoria, new technologies are emerging, following the example of solar concentrators, lead in France by the young start-up Heliotrop.

Financing between private individuals comes to France

Social | No comments

by Elsa Sidawy | 05.24.11

The web has the priceless virtue of having helped democratize monetary exchange between individuals. Small lenders can now invest in projects that might have limited appeal to traditional banking institutions but speak to their hearts and heads. The intermediation platform Friendsclear developed using this crowd funding principle, is geared mostly to entrepreneurs, micro-businesses, and even individuals in career transition.

ChargeMap system that helps locate charging stations for electric vehicles

Transportation | No comments

by Elsa Sidawy | 05.24.11

The startup Saabre launched on May 9th the first community supported charging station locator for electric vehicles in France.

In Strasbourg, art comes to the aid of the city

Culture | No comments

by Adrien Geneste | 05.23.11

The Strasbourg association Creative Democracy (Démocratie Créative) was created in 2008 to promote in the streets artists that did not have the opportunity to exhibit in galleries. Today, the project is re-imagining the city and designing participatory and experimental ways that allow people to reconnect with their environment.

Frans-Anton Vermast

Innovator

Strategy Advisor Low Carbon Urban policies | Amsterdam Smart City program

« The city of Amsterdam wants to reduce by half the surface of its business premises thank to Smart Work Centers »

In Ireland, Carpooling is getting dynamic

Transportation | No comments

Cleantech Republic | 05.20.11 | Quick Read

To lesson the number of cars on the road, there was carpooling. In Ireland, the start-up Avego has launched with great fanfare Avego Driver, an application that links drivers and passengers in real time, thus inventing dynamic carpooling.

An innovative cane that stands alone and apart

Social | No comments

by Adrien Geneste | 05.19.11

Among people 65 years and older, more than one in three are victims of at least one fall every year, which sometimes results in a debilitating loss of mobility. A team of French and Dutch designers creating elegant and non-stigmatizing objects has launched an innovative self-supporting cane called “Tango.”

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China may be coveting the German system of suspended monorail

Transportation | Abair Heart | Il y a 74 jours et 11 heures

The Babayagas’ house, an alternative to old people’s homes and home care

Social | Janet Bardon | Il y a 89 jours et 14 heures

The Babayagas’ house, an alternative to old people’s homes and home care

Social | Michael Hawley | Il y a 92 jours et 12 heures

China may be coveting the German system of suspended monorail

Transportation | Ted Langs Sr. | Il y a 145 jours et 17 heures

Navigating the past and present with one’s body as the only tool

Education | John | Il y a 241 jours et 19 heures

Smart street furniture in Paris: the winners of the call for projects are finally unveiled

Urbanism | 1 comment

A poetic exhibition looks at the city’s place in comic strips

Culture | No comments

Cultural short breaks on board a 2CV soon in your city?

Tourism | 2 comments

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For sure if we aim to change our habits, urban areas have to be equipped in such a way the citizen don't feel like constrained in their everyday life.

John F. sur Electric car charging stations: DBT aims 25% of the French market | 1 comment

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15.07.11 | Urban Music Game’s enhanced ball

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Robert Spizzichino | Partenaires Développement

Greater Geneva: an economic and social project at the heart of innovation

Urbanism | 12.16.11

The Greater Geneva project represents an economic and social challenge for that area spanning France and Switzerland. The aim is to set in motion again a process that will stimulate job creation in the French part and strengthen residential services in the Swiss part. Innovative activities should find their place in that territory.

Jean Haëntjens | Urbatopie

Innovation lies also in the strategy

Social | 09.08.11

Is the proliferation of urban innovations counter-productive? While some cities are experimenting with abandon and with no real apparent logic, others have adopted a long-term strategy to combine innovations to serve a smarter, more sustainable city. Jean Haëntjens returns to this forum to talk about how important it is for cities to approach innovation with consistency and control.

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London’s transport system is transformed into a massive playground

And what happens when a public transport network becomes the scene of gigantic team games? Inspired by the principle of Fun Theory, which suggests that environmentally responsible behavior can be encouraged through attractive infrastructure, Chromaroma invites London Underground users to participate in an eco-citizen turf war.

Blogs review

Pop-Up City , the blog of Jeroen Beekmans

Rotterdam’s Crowd-Funded Pedestrian Bridge

Urbanism | 01.05.12

The International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) and Rotterdam-based architecture firm ZUS have launched the project I Make Rotterdam, a spectacular temporary pedestrian bridge between the city’s Central and the North districts that will be financed through crowd-funding.

Quinte & Sens , the blog of Olivier Genevois

In Caracas, mimes ease traffic tension

Education | 11.07.11

Venezuela’s capital Caracas plans to manage its traffic flow in an unusual fashion. In addition to traffic police, 120 mimes dressed up as clowns were sent into the city’s streets. Their role? Curb the risky behavior of pedestrians and drivers, not by force or repression, but through silence.

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Agenda Innov'in The City

May 9 to 11
Energy Cities annual meeting, Guimarães, Portugal.

May 12
International Workshop on Open Data, Nantes, France.

May 12
Stockholm Summit on Service Innovation in Cities, Stockholm, Suède.

Innovative city zoom

Toulouse has tackled issues ranging from urban lighting to public cleanliness with experimental innovation often on a shoestring budget, but the results continue to inspire many other cities in France and worldwide. A portrait of a city embracing urban innovation, helped along by the enthusiastic investigator Alexander Marciel, follows.

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15.07.11 | Urban Music Game’s enhanced ball

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London’s transport system is transformed into a massive playground

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