Urban Transformation: How Technology is Reshaping Society. Peachtree Corners, Georgia and their Curiosity Lab is Setting the Blueprint for Smart Cities Across the U.S. | A Conversation with Brandon Branham | Redefining Society Podcast with Marco Ciappelli

Guest: Brandon Branham, Assistant City Manager and CTO, Executive Director at City of Peachtree Corners and Curiosity Lab [@CuriosityLabPTC]

On LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-branham-cpm-8413b925/

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Host: Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society Podcast

On ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/marco-ciappelli
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This Episode’s Sponsors

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Episode Introduction

Welcome to another fascinating episode of Redefining Society on ITSPmagazine, hosted by the ever-curious Marco Ciappelli. Fresh off the RSA Conference, Marco plunges us headfirst into a captivating conversation about smart cities - a blend of technology, reality, and just a dash of fantasy. This episode takes us on a virtual tour of Peachtree Corners, a city near Atlanta, Georgia, where the synergy between technology and humanity is transforming our vision of urban spaces.

Here, Marco chats with Brandon Branham, City CTO and Assistant City Manager, who shares insights on the development of Peachtree Corners. A city that's only 10 years old, yet serves as a regional job hub, a startup incubator, and a smart city testbed. Branham’s journey, from being instrumental in the city's formation to now steering its innovation initiatives, is bound to spark your curiosity.

Branham details the meticulous work that goes into retrofitting an existing city with modern technologies, creating a walk phase for emerging tech to coexist and evolve within an urban environment. This isn't merely a discussion about smart cities; it's about seeing the tangible transformations brought by technology, improving daily life, enhancing public services, and redefining our notion of city living.

This episode promises to reveal a myriad of smart city initiatives – from smart parking systems that help manage event congestion, sensors in trash cans to optimize waste management, to water sensors in fire hydrants that aid in preserving water resources and managing theft. Furthermore, you'll learn how the city is using technology to enhance pedestrian safety, a vital aspect of city planning often overlooked.

But the journey doesn’t stop there. As Marco and Branham delve deeper, they also explore the role of decision-making in smart city planning. Who gets to decide the path a city takes as it integrates technology into its infrastructure? How are city-wide, holistic decisions made, and who has a say in these choices?

This podcast episode is a must for everyone passionate about envisioning and creating a more technologically integrated, human-centric future. So sit back, relax, and let Marco and Brandon guide you through the winding streets of Peachtree Corners. You'll discover a city that, though young, holds valuable lessons for all of us about the symbiosis of technology and society.

Let this conversation inspire you to think about our smart cities' future, and how we can shape technology to improve our lives rather than letting it dictate our future. And, as always, remember to share this podcast, subscribe to Redefining Society, and join the ongoing dialogue about our ever-evolving world.

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Resources
 

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To see and hear more Redefining Society stories on ITSPmagazine, visit:
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