University campuses as testbeds of smart urban innovation

In this chapter, the authors begin by interpreting smart urban development as a mode of urban experimentation where Information & Communication Technology (ICT) is being implemented to fundamentally alter the operation of cities. They focus on the role of university campuses in situating smart urban development. By drawing on literatures on urban laboratories and experimentation as well as universities and knowledge production, the authors explore how campus-based projects are reframing universities as testbeds of smart urban innovation. The experiences of Triangulum in Manchester highlight the opportunities and challenges of using university campuses to design, build, and assess smart interventions that combine energy, transportation, and ICT. The authors provide a case study of a European smart cities project that uses some university campuses in Manchester to trial an integrated suite of energy, transport, and ICT systems. Campuses provide a “protected space” where innovations can be designed and installed relatively quickly with a limited number of stakeholders.