Newcastle's record works program and smart city boost

Newcastle City Council will deliver a record $100 million works program in 2018–19, including $19 million on projects designed to advance the city’s environmental sustainability and smart city plan.

Specifically, $8.2 million is allocated for Newcastle’s Smart City program and $7.9 million for a solar farm to be built at the Summerhill Waste Centre.

“Newcastle’s transformation into a smart, livable and sustainable global city will gain momentum in 2018 and 2019,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.

“We remain committed to delivering our vision for the city through sound financial management while matching spending priorities with the needs and desires of the community.

“Over the next 12 months, people will really start to see what it means to be a smart city,” the Lord Mayor added.

“The way we think about and interact with technology will completely change to reshape how we use public transport and locate parking, and improve services Council provides, such as rubbish collection.”

Newcastle’s smart city strategy was described in an in-depth GovTech Review article published last month.

Substantial renewable-energy generation will begin following construction of the five-megawatt solar farm at Summerhill.

“The nearby solar farm will be [a] highlight — it will produce enough energy to run the equivalent of 1300 households, meaning significant environmental returns for ratepayers and millions of dollars in savings on electricity costs,” the Lord Mayor said.

“We are building sustainability into everything we do given Council’s commitment to generate 30% of our electricity needs from low-carbon sources and cut overall electricity usage by 30% by 2020.

“Increasing our renewable energy capability and finding more energy-efficient solutions is an integral part of our long-term vision to become a smart, livable and sustainable city.”

Pictured: Newcastle Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes. Credit: Fairfax Syndication.

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