Daily issues faced by Hong Kongers include crowding, parking, litter and water quality. To ease up on congestion and cleanliness, for residents as well as visitors, Kowloon East will be trialling some new apps and approaches.
Hong Kong authorities are grooming Kowloon East as the city’s second core business district as well as a pilot area for introducing smart city development.
The 488-hectare area includes Kwun Tong, Kowloon Bay and Kai Tak Development Area.
Daily issues faced by Hong Kongers include crowding, parking, litter and water quality. To ease up on congestion and cleanliness, for residents as well as visitors, Kowloon East will be trialling some new apps and approaches.
Said Brenda Au Kit-ying from Energizing Kowloon East Office (EKEO), “With the results of our study, we looked to other cities and considered opportunities for Kowloon East to come up with a proposed framework. [After the public engagement exercise] we hope to move on to the implementation strategy, proof of concept trials and formulation of proposals.”
A “smart parking” app will launch in January to help drivers find parking spaces, with a monitoring system facilitating kerbside deliveries later on in the year.
Smart waste bins will alert authorities when they need emptying, reducing the need for manpower.
A smart water quality system will report E. coli levels.
An exhibition of the smart city applications – 21 to be exact – will open to visitors at the Energising Kowloon East Office (EDEO) for in-depth perusal.
The apps will also add smart phone booths, smart refuse disposal and electric vehicle charging, among others.
Locals and visitors alike will be able to look forward to a cleaner and greener city if trials succeed.