3.5 Evolution into a ‘Smart Rouse Hill’

To ensure that Rouse Hill keeps pace with technological advancements and strategies being employed in other major employment destinations, this Precinct Plan aims to facilitate discussion and feedback on the types of infrastructure Council, or the private sector, may wish to pursue over the coming years as Rouse Hill grows and evolves.

Achieving a Smart Rouse Hill will assist in cementing the Rouse Hill Strategic Centre as a thriving retail, employment and entertainment destination. The delivery and use of evolving technologies can also improve operational efficiency, better meet the needs of our community, boost economic investment and improve sustainability measures.

What are Smart Places?

There is no global definition for smart places, as this can vary from place to place, tailored to the unique local situation at hand and having consideration for the following:

• Converging technological advancements with place making.

• Helping business thrive and attract highly skilled talent.

• Fast and efficient movement of data, not just people.

• Fostering collaboration, innovation and creativity.

• Encouraging future education opportunities.

• Driving competitive advantage.

• Prioritising amenity, liveability and the overall user experience with people at the heart of decisions.

Given technology is quickly becoming a part of everyday life, this Precinct Plan presents potential options that Council or other key stakeholders may wish to pursue moving forward. These will be further explored in a future Council-Led policy which will supplement Council’s Strategic Centre Precinct Plans and guide the delivery and use of evolving technologies in the urban environment to provide better connected and informed communities.

It is intended that this policy will serve as an overarching guiding document that will assist in establishing partnerships between Local, State and Federal Governments, along with the private sector, to maximise investments in smart initiatives.

Early planning and consideration of how to integrate these technologies during master planning will make it easier and more cost effective for the private sector to deliver these technologies as they become more widespread. Ensuring the right digital plumbing (being the necessary digital infrastructure provision) is in place early in the process will be critical in digitally futureproofing Rouse Hill, to ensure opportunities to integrate smart technologies within developments remains achievable and viable for Developers and other key stakeholders moving forward.

This is further discussed in Section 4.5 of this Precinct Plan.

Case Study: Smart Mobility, City of Newcastle

The City of Newcastle is striving to create a city with connected technology-enabled infrastructure. This idea of ‘smart mobility’ focuses on how people move around the city and use technology to support transport network design/function and to promote active and multi-modal travel.

City of Newcastle will have a lead role in various areas, including the deployment of traffic monitoring systems, collecting cycling data, delivering wayfinding systems and developing a strategy for transitioning Council’s fleet to electric vehicles and providing E-bikes for staff for work trips.

City of Newcastle will also uphold key supportive, advocative and collaborative roles in achieving a smart city. It is anticipated that it will collaborate with key stakeholders (such as developers and research partners) to pilot new programs and test new mobility technologies.

- LSPS Action 22.1

It will also investigate opportunities to integrate technologies into Council’s everyday operations. This includes investigating opportunities to include rideshare (e.g., GoGet) as part of Council’s fleet to reduce fleet costs and vehicle use.

Governance

Collaboration across government, industry and business.

• Develop a series of smart places training programs to build awareness, understanding and confidence in the use of data and digital technologies.

• Work with local businesses to integrate smart technologies that support economic recovery and sustainability.

• QR codes for planning application notices and other uses.

• Virtual and augmented reality apps that can enable citizens to see and experience proposed developments and projects to inform their feedback.

• Pedestrian counters at Metro Stations to monitor pedestrian flows.

Living

Connects people and uses technology-enabled infrastructure.

• Outdoor benches which allow residents/visitors to charge their phones/devices.

• Smart signage which provide live travel information to pedestrians/ road users.

• Digital touch screens which help people find their way around and find out what’s on.

• Delivery of energy efficient and green buildings.

• Provision of electric vehicle charging points.

Economy

Digital infrastructure to support business growth, investment and sustainability.

• Investment in co-working spaces to support workers.

• Outdoor ‘work hubs’ which allow office workers or students to work outdoors, connect their laptops and connect to free Wi-Fi.

• Roll-out of 5G network to enable high speed internet and data.

• High-speed Wi-Fi throughout the public realm in Strategic Centres.

• Roll out of underground fibre optic cabling.

• Delivery of future education opportunities.

People

A strong and connected community using technology that enables everyone to participate.

• Develop an app that allows users to pay, start, stop or extend their parking with their phone.

• Install sensors in the streets of the Strategic Centres which help guide drivers to the best available parking near a destination.

• Sensor-based interactive lighting to create a dynamic public domain and provide entertainment and bring innovation to the streets.

• CCTV to improve safety after dark and encourage greater numbers of businesses and creative organisations to participate in the night-time economy.

• Interactive play features in our local parks (e.g. sensor based interactive lighting and water features).

Environment

Technology and innovation to improve the environment.

• Bin sensors to help improve waste management services.

• Council vehicles transitioning to electric vehicles.

• Provision of e-bikes to support sustainable transport options.

• Energy harvesting i.e. solar panels and wind generators as alternative energy sources for power.

• Sensors by plants and trees that send alerts when public gardens need to be watered.

• Access to environmental monitoring data to help. determine environmental quality, such as soil moisture, air quality and pollution monitoring.

Note: this page builds on the principles identified in Council’s LSPS and presents a list of potential indicative options that stakeholders may wish to consider moving forward. It does not commit Council or other stakeholders to delivering the above mentioned items, it just presents potential options to facilitate discussions moving forward.