Bristol is aiming to become the UK’s first Internet of Things (IoT) demonstrator city-region in a move that could generate an investment of nearly £17m and help tackle the city’s poor air quality.
The project aims to show how the IoT can be implemented on a large scale by using everyday objects that are connected to a network. The data this captures can benefit citizens by helping to improve the environment as well as services such as transport and healthcare. 
The competition is being staged by Innovate UK on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which will invest £10m for a single collaborative research and development project.
This will be match funded by partners with Bristol leading the bid on behalf of other West of England local authorities and businesses.
Bristol is Open (BIO), a joint venture between the University of Bristol and Bristol City Council, is already pioneering the introduction of smart city technology under which data can be collated through city-centre sensors linked to a high-performance computer. Bristol is viewed as well placed in terms of having the experience, resources and expertise to take the IoT project forward.
The IoT demonstrator bid will propose new ways of meeting the challenges of air pollution faced by major cities face. With the cost of air pollution in the UK nearing £54bn per year and 29,000 people dying early from air pollution, it is imperative the issue is tackled.
Bristol will be working in partnership with leading businesses including Japanese IT company NEC, professional services firm EY, multinational digital industrial company GE (General Electric) world-leading design, engineering and project management consultancy Atkins Global, technical service provider Imtech UK, technology company Esoterix Systems, data aggregation and communication platform Zipabout, as well as relationship business management company Zuora.
The group hopes to develop better and cheaper environment measures, deploying innovative mobility technology that lower emissions, and create apps and services for people with health conditions aggravated by air pollution.
The application comes after Bristol, as part of a consortium with San Sebastián and Florence, was recently awarded €25m to create integrated smart city solutions to tackle familiar urban problems such as traffic congestion, poor air quality and unsustainable energy use.
The project will primarily focus on East Bristol and aims to look at how the city can further develop technology to create efficient, integrated and interactive urban environments which empower citizens.
The award is part of a Smart Cities and Communities funding call through the EU’s Horizon 2020 innovation programme that sought two or three high-impact cities – so-called ‘lighthouses’ – which arrive at key findings and successful ways of working which can be replicated by ‘follower cities’ to find solutions to urban problems.
The consortium – REPLICATE (REnaissance of PLaces with Innovative Citizenship And TEchnologies) – was given the highest score of all the entries for its innovative proposal to integrate energy, transport and ICT at scale in the city.
Academics from both the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England (UWE) will be involved in the project research and evaluation work, engaging with a large number and diverse range of local and international industry, SME and third sector partners
