'Smart City' electricity project begins in London

ISTANBUL

REUTERS photo.

A new test platform called "Urban OS" has been developed by Living Plan IT, in order to serve as a connection service for future smart cities in the Greenwich district of London, the BBC has reported.

The operating system will serve as a connection point between water, transport, and energy services, through a partnership between Hitachi, Phillips and Greenwich council.

Thousands of sensors will be placed in new office blocks, allowing smart lightning and heating systems to serve according to internal and external conditions.

The project also plans to develop new technologies such as smart lamp posts and smart vests, including microsensors.

"The development of smart cities in the future is a crucial commercial opportunity for Britain, and London is the right place to be doing it," David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science said.

"We are entering a phase when everything becomes connected, from healthcare to transportation," said Living Plan IT chief executive Steve Lewis. "This is about connecting things that previously were."

The smart city regeneration projects in urban spaces will cost up to £13tn up to 2020, according to Living Plan IT.