Smart in the City – The BABLE Podcast

• #139 Wroclaw, Poland: Data, People and the Next Wave of Change

  In this episode, Jakub Mazur, Deputy Mayor of Wroclaw, Poland, maps how the city is moving from pilots to performance: using nanosatellite imagery to enrich property data and support flood readiness, pairing AI with sensors to predict water-pipe leaks, and shifting from hundreds of disconnected systems toward an e-office standard that cities can share. He reflects on data gaps around newcomers and why better public–private collaboration matters, the legal and procurement hurdles that slow local co-creation, and lessons from managing recurring crises such as floods. Above all, he argues for a human-centred Smart City that honours heritage, builds resilience, and turns evidence into everyday improvements.   Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub Chapters (00:01:23) - Teaser Question : “Imagine your city was a song. What genre would it be and why?”(00:03:45) - Guest background(00:05:51) - City snapshot(00:07:49) - From pilots to impact(00:08:55) - Nanosatellites (“minions”)(00:11:27) - Water resilience(00:12:50) - Mobility data(00:14:38) - E-office vision(00:21:11) - Data alignment(00:26:34) - Crisis management(00:28:20) - Flood resilience(00:33:20) - Looking ahead(00:35:30) - What’s missing(00:41:33) - Inspire Us segment(00:46:14) - Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?”

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• #138 Liepāja, Latvia: Citizen-centred digital services

  In this episode, Linda Alksne, IT Project Manager at Liepāja City Council, Latvia, shares a practitioner’s view of citizen-centred digital services—from a mobile app and e-service portal co-designed with residents to pilots that surface surprising. The conversation tracks lessons from an Interact Europe open-data project, early steps toward a digital-twin starting with energy consumption visualisation in municipal buildings, and inclusive approaches that keep non-digital users engaged through trainings and traditional channels. It also touches on behaviour-change work inside the administration and the realities of funding, licensing costs, and limited staff capacity in a small city.    Episode Overview: [00:01:20] Teaser: If Liepaja were an animal [00:01:59] Guest background [00:03:43] City snapshot [00:04:55] Making citizen–government links more direct, digital, and responsive  [00:06:20] User-centred features [00:08:49] Feedback mechanisms and early satisfaction [00:10:27] Pilots and data insight [00:13:18] Interact Europe open-data journey [00:15:50] Digital-twins and inclusion [00:20:12] Paperless Municipality [00:22:15] Challenges Liepaja faces [00:28:40] Podcast Segment: Shoutout [00:29:36] Ending Question: To you, what is a Smart City?   Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub

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• #137 Portland, USA: From Pizza to Policy – A Recipe for Urban Change

  In this episode, Art Pearce, Deputy Director of Planning, Projects and Programs at the Bureau of Transportation for the City of Portland, shares how a city’s internal culture can either hinder or propel urban transformation. Drawing from nearly three decades of public service, he discusses Portland’s deep-rooted legacy in sustainable transport and land use, and the strategic shift to viewing civic evolution through a change management lens. Art delves into co-creation, bureaucracy’s emotional “pizza dough,” and how psychological readiness shapes infrastructure success. The conversation spans curb management, equity, and rekindling confidence in public systems through intentional, people-centred design. Episode Overview: [00:01:49] Teaser: “Portland would be proudly a confusing pizza…” [00:03:04] Guest background: from housing advocacy to transport planning. [00:04:52] Housing and transport: interdependencies and equity. [00:07:10] Portland’s values-driven, process-heavy urban approach. [00:10:44] Defining change management for cities. [00:13:44] Change vs. transition: structural vs. psychological shift. [00:16:34] Lessons from Vision Zero and NYC’s public space evolution. [00:19:36] Co-creation examples: tactical urbanism and logistics decarbonisation. [00:23:07] Bureaucracy as pizza dough: internal cultural alignment. [00:26:26] Avoiding consensus paralysis while sustaining inclusion. [00:30:06] Curb management: a dynamic space for innovation. [00:32:45] Innovation checklist: why cities resist solutions without clear problems. [00:37:37] Challenges post-2019: mental health, homelessness, funding gaps. [00:41:07] Missing tool: sustainable funding models beyond gas taxes. [00:42:54] Empowering public sector staff for agency and impact. [00:46:46] Ending question: “To you, what is a Smart City?” Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page. And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub

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• #136 Olympia,USA: Turning Public Health into Climate Strategy

  In this episode, Natalie Weiss, Climate Resilience Coordinator for the City of Olympia, shares her path from environmental economics to landscape architecture and into public service. The conversation unpacks how cross-disciplinary insights inform Olympia’s proactive approach to climate adaptation—from downtown flood barriers to heat pump programmes for low-income households. Natalie explains the balancing act between long-term strategic planning and immediate public health needs, and how reframing resilience work as community investment strengthens local engagement. She also reflects on the power of neighbourhood connections, adaptive infrastructure, and the role of perception in climate preparedness. Episode Overview: [00:00:58] Teaser: “If Olympia had a climate resilience theme song…” [00:02:28] Guest background: from maths and biology to design-led climate work. [00:05:07] Olympia’s unique geography, identity, and community profile. [00:08:00] Best vs. worst case climate futures for Olympia. [00:10:40] Findings from Olympia’s climate risk and vulnerability assessment. [00:14:11] Sea level rise risks and downtown mitigation strategies. [00:16:51] Balancing urgency and long-term planning for sea level rise. [00:20:49] Heat pump group purchasing programme and community uptake. [00:23:13] Lessons in scaling local initiatives. [00:24:40] Justifying climate investment amid political scepticism. [00:28:10] Bottlenecks: funding and need for structural integration. [00:30:42] Importance of individual and community-level adaptation. [00:32:09] Fun Segment – “Hot Take of the Day”. [00:35:22] Ending Question: “To you, what is a Smart City?” Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page.  And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub

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• #135 Říčany: Empowering Youth Through Budgeting

  In this episode, David Michalička, Mayor of Říčany in the Czech Republic, shares how his town has embraced participatory budgeting as a transformative tool for civic engagement. Drawing from a background in civil engineering and renewable energy, David outlines his unexpected path into politics and the decade-long evolution of participatory approaches in Říčany. He highlights the impact of empowering both youth and seniors to shape their communities, the importance of patience and visibility in citizen-driven projects, and the town’s commitment to spreading this model through municipal training. From forest trails to railway lines, this conversation explores how simple, inclusive mechanisms can build smarter, more connected towns. Episode Overview: [00:01:44] Teaser: Říčany as a “bird flying high” – small, fast, and ambitious. [00:02:46] David’s background in civil engineering, energy, and railways. [00:04:03] Journey into public service: “no one else to do it” – grassroots leadership. [00:06:17] Unique positioning: near Prague but immersed in nature. [00:07:31] Local strengths: connectivity, livability, and community pride. [00:09:25] What is participatory budgeting? Encouraging year-round civic action. [00:11:00] Visible outcomes drive engagement over time. [00:12:33] Launching PB for youth: ChangeIt project in schools. [00:14:40] Innovation Awards finalist and future senior-focused PB plans. [00:16:22] Public perception and early scepticism. [00:17:42] Advising other municipalities: find a political champion. [00:19:47] Project examples: charity shop, nature seating, playgrounds. [00:23:38] Future tools: improving voting systems for accessibility. [00:24:48] Final message: “Don’t wait—just start.” [00:29:08] Shout Outs: Cascais, Portugal and Lindau, Germany. [00:30:18] Ending Question: “Smart city means doing things simple and that work.” Like our show? Remember to subscribe and rate it! Want to join us for an episode? Fill out the form on our Podcast Page.  And for more insights, visit our BABLE Smart Cities Knowledge Hub  

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