Cristián Fierro, Chilectra

Santiago de Chile --- (METERING.COM) --- January 25, 2013 - Chile’s first smart city Smartcity Santiago was officially launched earlier this month in the office park development, Ciudad Empresarial, in the eastern sector of the city.

Participants included the director generals of Chilectra and Ciudad Empresarial, Cristián Fierro and Jorge Labra, and the energy and environment ministers, Jorge Bunster and MaríaIgnacia Benítez.

“Smartcity Santiago is an experimental opportunity to improve the quality of life of its users, making available improved facilities and the benefits of cutting edge technologies to transform our homes and workplaces into those of the future,” said Fierro.

Smartcity Santiago will integrate various initiatives to test future technologies combining innovation, efficiency and sustainability, stated Chilectra in a statement.

Technologies that will be implemented include smart metering and an advanced metering infrastructure, smart home automation, solar water heating, photovoltaic generation, public transport (buses and taxis) electrification, LED street lighting, and free public Wi-fi and broadband access.

Smartcity Santiago follows other smart city projects implemented by Chilectra’s parent, the Enel-Endesa group. Among these are in Genoa and Bari in Italy, Barcelona and Málaga in Spain, and Búzios in Brazil.

In the months since Smartcity Santiago was set out, a start has been made on implementing several of the projects, and the initiative is expected to move into full operation during the second half of this year. Construction is also under way of an interactive showroom from where the initiative will be monitored and which will also serve the community for academic and research purposes.