As urban areas face increasing challenges related to population growth, resource management, and environmental sustainability, the concepts of Smart Cities and Smart Buildings have become more crucial in the fight against climate change. Both leverage cutting-edge technologies like IoT, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy solutions to create more efficient, connected, and sustainable environments.
Smart buildings, in particular, play a pivotal role. With buildings accounting for over 20% of global emissions, integrating smart technologies within them is essential. In 2022 alone, a 1% rise in emissions from the building sector equated to the impact of 10 million more cars on the road. These figures highlight the urgent need to transform how we build and manage our infrastructure.
By optimizing energy consumption, improving resource efficiency, and reducing emissions, smart buildings not only contribute to the sustainability goals of smart cities but also significantly lower operational costs. Together, smart cities and smart buildings form a critical partnership in the global push to reduce carbon footprints and foster environmentally friendly urban development.
Our smart cities team is headed by David Hunt, CEO & Founder
David Hunt is a prominent figure and thought leader in the cleantech sector, with a specific focus on talent and growth. Recognized as a leading green entrepreneur by the Financial Times, David has spoken at renowned industry events such as EcoSummit, Solar & Storage Live, and Future Utilities. He also hosts the globally top-ranked Leaders in Cleantech podcast and serves as a mentor for several cleantech accelerators.
David began his executive search career in the buildings sector, working with organizations in HVAC, lighting, Building Management Systems (BMS), Access Control, and Facilities Management (FM). More recently, he sat on the Policy Board of the Renewable Energy Association (REA), advising on buildings and onsite renewable generation. With over 25 years of experience in executive search, as well as building his own multi-award-winning on-site renewable energy business.