North Raleigh Today

The City of Raleigh’s Information Technology Department has been recognized for its innovative project, "Using Microclimate Modeling and Digital Twin to Envision Raleigh’s Future," by winning a Smart Cities of North America award from IDC Government Insights. The project was awarded in the Urban Planning and Land User category.

City of Raleigh CIO Mark Wittenburg expressed his gratitude for the recognition, stating, "We recognize the multitude of impressive projects showcased by our colleagues in other communities and are pleased to have been named an award recipient this year." The award serves as a testament to the dedication and inventive nature of the team and partners involved in the project.

The collaboration between Raleigh’s IT department, Sustainability, Planning, Office of Strategy and Innovation, and external partner MITRE, allowed for the exploration of cutting-edge technology in addressing current challenges through microclimate modeling and Digital Twin. This approach enabled the team to assess environmental issues and envision Raleigh's future by applying microclimate data to a 3D digital twin.

According to Ruthbea Yesner, Vice President of IDC Government Insights and Smart Cities and Communities Strategies, the Smart Cities of North America Awards aim to recognize the best smart city initiatives and provide a blueprint for government officials. Yesner congratulated the winners for their dedication to leveraging technology to offer sustainable services and economic opportunities while enhancing the lives of citizens.

The City of Raleigh will be honored at the upcoming Smart Cities Connect conference, where they will showcase their award-winning project and contribute to the sharing of best practices in smart city development.