Smart City conference in Budapest

Within the framework of the SymbioCity 2013 program, the Smart City conference took place in the ‘Green House’ in Budapest this week focusing on sustainable urban environment with the participation of Swedish and Hungarian experts.

The Smart City conference was organized jointly by the Embassy of Sweden, the Swedish Trade Council (Business Sweden) and the Ministry of National Economy, with the support of leading Swedish companies. At the event, Swedish and Hungarian experts presented the most effective means of reducing energy consumption, of cost savings, and of the promotion and development of the sustainability of cities. The effectiveness of the ideas was demonstrated through their own experience and examples.

The event was opened by the Swedish Minister of Commerce Ewa Björling and state secretary in the Ministry of National Economy, Zoltán Cséfalvay. The conference focused on smart solutions that can contribute to the sustainable development of a city as well as energy savings and cost cuts.

Hungarian experts and Staffan Lorentz, Head of Development of Stockholm Royal Seaport, discussed the topic by providing concrete examples, such as Norra Djurgårdsstaden and projects in Southern Hungary. Besides a great amount of innovative thinking most of the participants tried to emphasize the significance of a change in people’s attitude to environmental issues in order to make these solutions possible and effective.