IoT program for councils to be extended

Internet of Things (IoT) deployment company, Thinxtra, is extending its Smart Council Program, launched last year to a selected group of 50 councils, to a further 50 councils.

The program, with support from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, provides Sigfox network coverage free of charge for three months, to demonstrate applications of IoT for councils and their communities.

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation is committing up to $10 million to Thinxtra as it scales up its IoT network to target sustainable and energy conserving uses.

CEFC CEO Ian Learmonth said: “Councils across Australia administer a vast network of street lights, community centres, libraries, sport and recreation facilities and other public access buildings. Measures that can help them better manage energy efficiency across all these assets can reduce costs as well as make an important contribution to their sustainability goals. It makes great sense for councils to draw on the internet of things to help them do this.”

The Smart Council Program is led by Regis Berdaa, previously at NBN and Cisco.

Thinxtra has released eight offers for councils, in partnership with Australian IoT system integrators to enable Councils to trial the benefits of IoT to their operations and their communities.

These include:

• Water metering and leak detection

• Manhole monitoring to prevent overflow

• Unobtrusive in-home elderly care monitoring

• Rodent infestation control

• Asset management and geolocation for Council’s assets and goods

• Sites & buildings security monitoring

• Smart City ideation workshop

• IoT platform for Councils

Further solutions for the Smart Council Program to be released in 2018 include:

• Environmental monitoring (rain, wind, temp)

• Air quality monitoring

• Connected AEDS

• Smart Parking solutions

• Smart Bin monitoring

• People counting – footfall

• Digital connected water meters

• HVAC monitoring

• Flood monitoring (rivers, lakes and reservoirs)

• Water tank monitoring

Councils wishing to learn more should contact Thinxtra by email at smartcouncil@thinxtra.com