For local and state governments and other organisations, having an accurate and up-to-date understanding of what’s happening is essential for effectively managing resources, ensuring community safety and tackling challenges with greater efficiency. Embracing technology that offers real-time insights on the movement of people and vehicles in public spaces can support organisations in making better decisions while fostering more connected, secure and thriving communities.

As Australia’s population continues to grow, organisations must grapple with the changing dynamics of urban and regional areas. Addressing challenges such as environmental management, waterways and coastal management, traffic congestion, crime rates and the capacity to respond to emergencies becomes pivotal for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of residents. However, with increasing pressure placed on existing infrastructure and public services, governments need to navigate the balance between budgetary constraints and the evolving needs of communities.

Innovative technologies, such as Spectur’s Envirocoms, are helping address these challenges by providing more data and processing power to support better decision-making and resource allocation, and doing so in a cost-effective way.

The Envirocoms platform employs machine learning algorithms to create actionable insights from a variety of data sources including environmental sensors, manual data sources, external data sources and CCTV systems. A key feature of Envirocoms is the ability to process video data to undertake activities such as counting people and vehicles; monitoring changes in the environment or coastline such as shoreline width and wave height; and recognising different objects in surroundings. Having this data at hand offers a range of smart city benefits for state and local governments.

Targeting funding initiatives

When organisations don’t know how many people are utilising public spaces, funding decisions run the risk of being a guessing game. Envirocoms offers access to accurate data about what’s going on in urban or regional areas, providing another metric to inform funding initiatives. This ensures state and local governments are investing in projects and services that meet the actual demand and needs of communities, ensuring resources are directed effectively.

Grant applications

State and federal government grants can account for a significant portion of council revenue, and similarly, federal grants play a crucial role in supplementing state government budgets. These financial injections support community development, empower councils and state governments to undertake essential projects, and can serve as a lifeline for governments facing fiscal challenges.

However, grant programs are often competitive, with limited amounts of funding available compared to the diverse range of needs and initiatives across communities. By providing data that can showcase how proposed initiatives directly address the needs of communities, Envirocoms can enhance the credibility of grant applications.

Supporting safety in the community

Keeping communities safe through the deployment of security and safety personnel such as lifeguards is a fundamental responsibility of state and local governments or not for profit organisations. However, without accurate data on the number of people utilising spaces at certain times or in remote areas, there is a risk of allocating resources ineffectively. This can potentially result in inadequate security measures during peak periods or misdirected efforts in areas with lower demand.

Envirocoms can help understand the peak periods for specific areas, allowing organisations to proactively deploy security measures during these times. This ensures the safety and well-being of residents whilst optimising the use of resources.

Developing asset management strategies

Envirocoms supports the management of infrastructure by providing real-time data on asset usage. It allows state and local governments to target high-traffic areas helping to extend the lifespan of assets as well as support the design of upgrades by providing clear data on the usage patterns.

Additionally, understanding peak periods can help determine the best time to carry out maintenance works, ensuring minimal disruption to communities. Equipped with comprehensive road usage data, state and local governments can build a more resilient, safer and adaptable infrastructure.

Smarter surveillance

Envirocom’s ability to track vehicles and recognise number plates offers state and local governments a higher level of surveillance that is critical in high-traffic or sensitive locations where public safety is a top priority.

By monitoring and recording the vehicles present in specific areas, authorities can enhance security measures, investigate incidents more efficiently and deter potential criminal activities such as illegal dumping activities or refuge waste sites.

By providing accurate data on vehicles and people in public spaces, Envirocoms can empower governments to make informed decisions that optimise resources and align with the genuine needs of communities.