You can’t keep a Smart City down

RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT

We last left you with the hope that by the time this next edition landed in your inboxes, we’d be further along a flattened curve. That is certainly the case in some regions, yet other areas continue to grapple with plateaus and spikes. As we’ve seen, there is no unilateral agreement as to what this means for cities reopening.

Managing physical distancing is an escalating challenge for many reasons: weariness of staying home; warmer weather, reactance bias – the list goes on. We’ve seen people flock to parks and beaches over Memorial Day weekend in the U.S. and Victoria Day weekend in Canada. In Toronto, home to InnerSpace, 10,000 people flooded an urban park, prompting waves of indignation – and, as a result, new painted circles on the grass. Meanwhile, concerns over a second wave loom – as many experts have warned across the world.

Right now, most provinces and states are now in various stages of reopening parts of their economy. (Here’s a look at the current state in Canada.) While some businesses have the green light to re-open, many are choosing not to due to safety concerns. Others stuck in limbo are confronting the stark challenge of deciphering not only when they might open, but how: how to run operations safely and profitably while managing everything from physical distancing and sanitizing restrooms to testing employees and navigating what steps to take should an employee become ill.

Having no answers is hard for a society where people have grown to expect immediate information vs. what now feels like an everlasting present.

FORGET IT: LET'S WORK FROM HOME

Companies are built on answers and forecasts and, in lieu of them, many are writing off plans to return to the office in 2020. Google, Facebook and Kobo won’t return until the end of year at the earliest while Twitter and Shopify may be working from home indefinitely. Others, such as Coinbase, Salesforce and Zillow are leaving it up to employees whether they want to work in an office or not once the pandemic is in the rearview mirror. But while COVID-19 has laid bare that remote work is possible, the lasting impact on work and productivity remains unknown.

For those who are, and will be working from home for much of 2020, we can’t help but to highlight some modern tech helping our WFH needs. Digital assistants can make calls, send emails or even take notes, adaptive WiFi can help allocate bandwidth throughout a home accordingly (choppy video calls, anyone?) along with countless project and time management solutions, homes have the connectivity of offices (but they often come with children and a flurry of other distractions). Heck, live large and you can even source cafe-quality coffee to that home office.

BUT, WAIT ... HOLD THE PHONE

While working from home has a few clear benefits (beyond pyjamas and no commute), it is not precisely ideal, or even possible, for many workers. While some reports highlight that the work day has increased as a result, we may simply be less efficient as we are in the office. One obvious change is the loss of informal collaboration, desk-side chat, or happenstance brainstorms and ideation that simply can’t be replicated on a video call. P.s. there are far more platforms now than Zoom!

Companies and employees alike are wondering: what will a return to work look like? With vaccines a ways away – and even then, unlikely to eradicate COVID-19 completely – it won’t be like before. We’re already getting glimpses of the new normal. Staggered schedules and major flex work. Two-person elevator rides. Lowered capacity. Returning to cubicles and office doors. No-touch tech and HVAC overhauls. The era of ignoring crowded airplanes, meeting rooms, arenas, and so much more is gone.

SMART CITY, SMART BUSINESS

What some call “urban tech” will be vital to cities and businesses bouncing back from the pandemic. This Fast Company article points out: “The larger takeaway is that urban technology will play a crucial role in determining which cities thrive, and which ones falter, in the wake of COVID-19.”

This will mean getting creative to ensure that everyone is safe. Contact tracing – the process of identifying, telling and monitoring people who may have come into contact with an infected person – must be a collaborative effort. In our new position paper, we confirm what urban tech is best to combat this challenge, and what governments should consider as they implement contact tracing strategies.

The key takeaway is that methods that require Bluetooth to work – as the Apple/Google proposed solution does – are inherently flawed. Effective solutions must respect individual privacy, avoid requiring people to download an app, include the ability to track indoors , and provide indirect transmission exposure in addition to direct contact. For these reasons and more, we called on governments and hubs like Innovate Cities to leverage the ubiquity of WiFi to rapidly advance Smart City strategies.

Tapping existing WiFi infrastructure, it’s possible to gather anonymous data that can measure traffic and identify high risk areas, enforce physical distancing, tailor cleaning and maintenance schedules, and more. Wanna know more? Well you’re in luck, as we wrote an ebook all about it. (Stay tuned for a step-by-step guide to returning to work this coming month.)

IN OUR SPACE ...

How will employees know they are safe at work? As mentioned, we have a shiny new ebook that answers that question and more.
Our CEO James Wu joined an expert international panel to discuss how “Real estate-as-a-Service” will transform the industry.
We’re proud to be among many awesome organizations recognized for rising to the pandemic challenge.
Check out how our location data supports public safety in the latest Facility Executive issue.

“The only thing a cat worries about is what’s happening right now.” ---Lloyd Alexander