Taiwan municipalities won big at the 2020 IDC Smart City Asia Pacific Awards, claiming four top prizes in the 14-category competition, according to organizer U.S.-headquartered International Data Corp. May 28.
Among the winning projects were Taipei City Government initiative Omni Smart Education and New Taipei City Government undertaking Smart Community App 2.0. The former won for education while the latter took home the award for civic engagement.
Under the smart education plan, Taipei created a digital learning platform for colleges, universities and high schools to share courses online, while New Taipei is working to enhance community management and civic participation in public affairs through its app, which can be used to pay bills and report municipal issues.
Joining the winning initiatives from the two northern metropolises, Tainan City Government’s Smart Flood Prevention Network Construction Plan triumphed in the smart water category. The Participatory Care and Telemedicine Program created by Kaohsiung City Government in collaboration with the governments of southern Taiwan neighbor Pingtung County and outlying Penghu County also triumphed for public health and social services.
Launched in 2015, the flood prediction plan utilizes sensors installed at flood gates to monitor water levels and analyze the city’s precipitation levels and trends. The data is used to create a near-term flood possibility forecast, helping officials more effectively plan and deploy response measures.
Kaohsiung’s remote care program was launched in 2018. It comprises 120 health check stations where residents can have their temperature and blood pressure monitored, with the results linked to an app for use by doctors providing telemedicine services.
Established in 2015, the SCAPA recognize public and private organizations that excel across categories such as administration, sustainable infrastructure and urban planning and land use. This year’s winners were selected based on company analyst benchmarking, public voting and expert judging, according to IDC. (YCH-E)
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