Urban Innovation at the Front Line: February at DG Cities

The shortest month of the year has lived up to expectations and flown by at record pace. Despite the relentless nature of lockdown, time really does seem to have flown and it’s been nearly a year now since the full team was together in our Greenwich office.

The car park is dead; long live the car park

The car park is dead; long live the car park

Our world is changing, and within that, our urban environment must change to accommodate an influx of people changes in their behaviours and demographics, technological advances and new forms of power.

Connectivity Needs for Today and Tomorrow

Connectivity Needs for Today and Tomorrow

The Royal Borough of Greenwich - where DG Cities is based - is one of a growing number of councils with a brilliant, ambitious digital strategy that will help transform how services are provided and how people interact with their council. But delivering on this will need every resident to have the right connection, devices and confidence in using online services.

Urban Innovation at the Front Line: January at DG Cities

Urban Innovation at the Front Line: January at DG Cities

We made it through January and the first month of Lockdown 3! While this has undeniably been the toughest lockdown so far, 2021 has certainly got off to a flying start here at DG Cities and we continue to be working on a wide variety of exciting innovation projects and client work.

COVID-19: the great trend accelerator

COVID-19: the great trend accelerator

As January rolls round, the inevitable calls for “new year, new you” flood our social media, TV and minds. But here at DG Cities we’re taking a slightly different slant on things and have been thinking about what 2021, the year after the year like no other, could mean for our urban environments.

Today therefore we’re sharing our top predictions for what we’ll see happening in 2021 and our hopes for what we’d like to see; which thankfully are often the same thing.

New Year, New City

New Year, New City

As January rolls round, the inevitable calls for “new year, new you” flood our social media, TV and minds. But here at DG Cities we’re taking a slightly different slant on things and have been thinking about what 2021, the year after the year like no other, could mean for our urban environments.

Today therefore we’re sharing our top predictions for what we’ll see happening in 2021 and our hopes for what we’d like to see; which thankfully are often the same thing.

Where to next with Project Endeavour user research?

Where to next with Project Endeavour user research?

Over the coming months DG Cities will be conducting more user research as part of Project Endeavour which will look even closer at the attitudes and perceptions of the general public towards autonomous vehicles. In this blog we will explore some of the gaps we’ve identified from a literature review of academic research, and outline what’s next for Project Endeavour.

How will citizens make the most of AV technology? The first findings from Project Endeavour

How will citizens make the most of AV technology? The first findings from Project Endeavour

As part of Project Endeavour, DG Cities conducted an online survey with members of the public to understand their views on AVs and AV Ride-Sharing Services. We’re pleased to share the results of this survey in our Public Attitudes and Perceptions of Autonomous Vehicles and Ride-Sharing Report. This report provides a pre-COVID19 baseline of data which will enable Project Endeavour to map changing trends over time.

Making the business case for repowering fleets

Making the business case for repowering fleets

Today, we’re excited to publish a new Social & Environmental Business Case Report for repowering fleets. This report helps local authorities and fleet providers take the most cost effective and sustainable approach when transitioning their fleets from diesel to electric. Unlike other similar and existing research, the costs and environmental emissions highlighted in this report are based on real-time data collected from the operation of the refuse vehicles, making this piece of research the first of its kind.

Are Cities Ready for a fleet-led EV revolution?

Are Cities Ready for a fleet-led EV revolution?

The UK Government’s highly anticipated ten point plan for a green industrial revolution. Top of the list - and the aspect that achieved the most coverage in the media - was the commitment to ban all new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.

Could Bin Lorries Power Our Cities?

Could Bin Lorries Power Our Cities?

Earlier this week we looked at the work we’ve done as part of the eRCV project, to repower bin lorries. But what could this mean for our cities? Well the UK currently has between 12-14,000 refuse collection vehicles (RCVs), making daily rounds in the neighbourhoods they serve to collect the rubbish left outside the 23 million homes we live in. And apart from a handful of trial projects like eRCV, all these vehicles are running on diesel, contributing to pollution and CO2 emissions. But we think in the next phase of their evolution they could be part of a holistic solution against climate change.