Urban Tech Xchange Facilitates Real-World Testing to Create Sustainable Urban Solutions
Nearly six months ago the Urban Tech Xchange (UTX) launched in Detroit – an innovative lab hosting a series of startups to advance smart city technologies. UTX is a collaboration between Bedrock, Bosch, Cisco, and KODE Labs and is operated by NextEnergy. The space provides a real-world test facility for the progression of sustainable urban solutions. Kevin Mull, senior director for the Office of Urban Strategy and Innovation at Bedrock, sat down with SBN Detroit to discuss the work being done there. Q: Impetus behind UTX? A: In 2021 Bedrock worked with Bosch, Ford, and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) to launch the Detroit Smart Parking Lab (DSPL) at our Assembly Parking Garage. This lab was specifically designed to accommodate open innovation, allowing startups to quickly and effectively deploy early-stage mobility technologies in a real-world testing environment. The concept has worked so well that we began to think about what’s next… being Detroit’s largest real estate developer, it made sense to try to apply those same methods to developing and deploying technologies for the built environment. The DSPL’s focus is mobility and transportation, which in many ways is dependent upon infrastructure, so the Urban Tech Xchange (UTX) was its natural progression. Q: In what ways does UTX help to foster a more resilient Southeast Michigan? A: I think it brings attention to the region’s entrepreneurial spirit and helps define Detroit as a place for innovation while adding another layer to its creator ecosystem. It also gives us a chance to further collaborate with stakeholders here in Southeast Michigan. Between the DSPL, TechTown, Michigan Central, Centrepolis Accelerator, and others like those, and our universities and colleges, and now UTX, we have an emerging set of platforms for continuing to attract and cultivate new ideas and advance open innovation throughout the state. Q: Why the combination of Bosch, Cisco, Bedrock and KODE Labs? A: Bosch and Bedrock are natural cofounders as they have complementary business concepts. Bosch is a lead innovator in energy and building management, while Bedrock is a city builder whose development projects throughout the central business district range from residential and commercial development to hospitality and retail. Cisco is a globally recognized brand and a huge player in smart infrastructure deployment, while KODE Labs is uniquely positioned as a Detroit-based startup focused on smart building technology that has recently experienced tremendous growth. The four companies together bring all the expertise for supporting a sustainable innovation platform, and importantly, maintain a strong Detroit presence. Q: How will Bedrock data be used to design sustainable solutions? A: This is the first-in-the-world kind of opportunity that’s driven by the uniquely dense portfolio we have in Detroit. We have this construct we are working on called a data lake, which is the aggregation of the data that comes from Bedrock’s 17 million square feet of real estate across Detroit. Its access to this unique operational data, combined with publicly accessible information like that from Census Data and the U.S. Energy Information Administration, provides lab participants with the unique opportunity to tie into a broad real estate ecosystem. We encourage and want anyone who engages with UTX to integrate their data as well, and under the right governance, we can offer this data lake to third-party developers for innovation. Q: In what ways are energy usage and decarbonization being looked at? A: Technologies like those being tested and deployed through the UTX platform allow us to track energy usage in real-time and better understand asset optimization. This provides us with the ability to cut back quickly and efficiently on carbon intensity. For example, heat pumps are a great technology but in certain situations, traditional heating systems might actually create less carbon. Real-world and real-time testing will help reveal this. The more data we get, the better decision-making we have and that can support AI applications as well. So first, it’s about understanding where a building is using energy, then understanding how the building responds to energy usage profiles. Q: Elaborate on how UTX is forming best practices for ensuring equity in urban tech solutions. A: When we set out to develop UTX we engaged several stakeholders such as community organizations, local government, public schools, and other platforms to all weigh in. Our work is fully transparent and there is a lot of communication in terms of where we are applying the technologies. For example, we are currently deploying tech in an area of Detroit to better understand air and noise pollution. We are working side-by-side with the community to make sure businesses and residents understand where we are doing this, how we are doing it, and in what ways the information will be used. Communication is paramount when trying to achieve equity in tech deployment. Q: In what ways does all of this work being done here impact businesses in Southeast Michigan? A: I look at it as a bidirectional flow. By establishing the UTX platform, we are helping to attract the best and brightest to deploy their innovations locally. Conversely, established local businesses have the opportunity to plug into a platform that provides a potential global spotlight. Q: What are some examples of new technology that’s being developed there? A: There are several examples of building automation systems, such as using smart blinds that automatically adjust to provide maximum natural sunlight based on occupancy and interior temperature. What I find very interesting are new systems for tracking and automating accessibility. One such deployment is smart communication between power wheelchairs and elevators. … The elevator is automatically called when the wheelchair arrives! Q: Do you think UTX is a differentiator for Detroit? A: Yes. Again, it puts Detroit on the map as a place that’s committed to, and capable of driving innovations and setting benchmarks and best practices for sustainable urban solutions. UTX is putting a stake in the ground for sustainable tech in an urban environment. Detroit is where the innovation is happening. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates
Bosch and Sustainability in Detroit
Bosch is a Germany-based global supplier of technology and services that employs 421,000 employees worldwide in over 60 companies. It has technical centers in Farmington Hills and Plymouth. We spoke to Tracy Rosol, carbon neutrality coordinator for the U.S. and Canada, about how the company approaches and manages sustainability. Q: How does Bosch approach carbon neutrality? A: In 2019, our leadership announced that Bosch would become 100% carbon neutral. We established committees in a multitude of countries and put key people in place to procure new green energy and carbon credits to offset emissions. We created a database where locations worldwide submit information like how much energy, water, and gas each is using. Q: What is your role in this? A: Germany is our hub and all initiatives roll out from there and cascade down. My main role at Bosch is operations support analyst – and I am also the carbon neutrality coordinator for the US and Canada. We have a carbon neutrality coordinator in every country. Q: What are your goals in this role? A: We had requirements to be 100% carbon neutral, and we reached that goal in 2020. It was not an option to fail. The entire company – over 400 locations worldwide – has reached this goal. Q: Tell us about some of the internal initiatives Bosch has implemented to protect the environment. A: Bosch works to invent things to make life better. We are working on different fuel systems, working on recycling programs, and composting programs. Within the facilities, there are many initiatives to ensure we are landfill-free. We work with local amenities for plastic pickup. Our cafeterias use compostable items and composting bins. What trash we do have is incinerated. We are working on technologies to reduce energy usage in our plants and also in homes. All of our lighting has now been changed to LED and we use motion detectors. We are working to install solar on sites. Bosch purchases carbon credits on behalf of all employee flights in an effort to offset flight emissions. It’s built into travel costs. This is all driven globally. Q: What is the sustainability approach when it comes to products? A: Let’s just use a pen as an example of a product. Bosch’s goal, as well as the OEM’s, is to make sure the entire process of developing this pen is sustainable. This involves what materials are being used, where the materials are procured from, what ink is being used, the packaging, the transport … all along the chain every piece needs to be sustainable. We are also pushing all other businesses we do business with to utilize sustainable practices. Q: What are the challenges? A: The biggest challenge is ensuring where our renewable energy credits come from and making sure all locations are being issued the credits for the recs. The challenge is tracking it. This involves handling a lot of data across all locations. Additionally, the market is challenged because so many companies are looking to procure renewable energy. This causes the price to fluctuate, and it’s a constantly changing market. We don’t want to over-purchase or under-purchase so it’s a challenge to manage this. Q: How are partners vetted when it comes to sustainability? A: We have a third-party vendor that is directly connected to the markets so they do this for us. We also have an external legal company. Bosch is not an expert in these areas and won’t pretend to be, so we go to the experts and use them to assist us in all of this. Q: What advice do you offer to businesses looking to contribute to sustainability overall? A: Begin with low-hanging fruit. Take a look at where you are wasting energy and start to make a change. Things like putting in motion detectors and switching to LED are good places to start. Reduce where you can. Utilize composting. Put recycling processes in place. From there, find a reputable company to walk you through it. Companies like Honda have partnered with Detroit Edison to put on webinars. Attend the webinars and begin to learn. Find ways to lean on experts and use their resources. Bosch did not do this overnight. We started in 2016 and worked at it over time. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates on sustainable business practices in and around Detroit.
Automotive Leaders Discuss Navigating the Shift to Mobility
Automotive always has been a technology-driven industry, but in the next ten years, there is likely to be more change in the industry than there has been in the last hundred. And much of that change will be taking place in Michigan. That shift – which moves automotive toward becoming a more sustainable industry – was the topic of a Sept. 15, 2023, breakfast, “Navigating the Shift to Mobility – With Detroit as a Leader,” hosted by Inforum, a nonprofit focused on accelerating women’s careers. The themes included diversity, new opportunities that come with and from young and emerging talent, the power of partnerships, and the future of mobility. Panelists were: Aruna Anand, President and CEO, Automotive Group Sector; head of architecture and networking, Continental North America Kristen Tabar, group vice president, Advanced Mobility Research & Development, Toyota North America Paul Thomas, president, Mobility in Americas, Bosch (effective Jan. 1, 2024), and Alan Wexler, senior vice president, strategy, and innovation, General Motors Justine Johnson, chief mobility officer for the State of Michigan, moderated the discussion. Our takeaways follow: Thomas: When you look for talent, look for talent that looks different from you. Different countries, beliefs, and perspectives, you have to look for talent that has diverse opinions on solutions. The world isn’t as simple as you think it is sometimes. Taber: When students look for a job, remember that it is not a one-and-done deal. You may think this is your passion and you work in this space, but what we see is that people evolve. That cross-pollination and common way to move throughout your career and experience different aspects of this new mobility solution. It’s a completely different landscape that requires different skill sets and backgrounds. Anand: We need to see ourselves in those positions that we are aspiring to be. If you do not have representation, then you don’t know what it’s like and you don’t have the confidence to do something because it is not done. We need to increase the pipeline. Then you understand the reasons why you can’t do this or what else you can do to fix it. Wexler: We see a world with zero crashes, zero emissions, zero congestion. Taber: It is about the products that we put out, how we operate our businesses, and the ripple effect on our supply chains. We need very clear, measurable methods so we are using similar yardsticks. Thomas: We want to invest in communities, we invest in Detroit and the Midwest very heavily to bring mobility people into our companies. We are also always on the diversity journey. You will never know when you are done because diversity is something that you always must work on. Anand: We tend to want to be perfect before we try new things. We find reasons to not be good at things. What is stopping us? We need that coaching, mentoring, role models, all of that together to build that pipeline better. Wexler: (Talent recruitment) really starts with the “why.” … We need skillsets from other industries. We’re becoming more technology-oriented … we pioneer the innovations that move and connect people to what matters, so it’s who wants to be part of that purpose and do something impactful. Taber: We have to understand that none of us is going to be able to move the technology forward by ourselves. It is going to take partnerships that we probably wouldn’t have thought of ever before. Anand: If we can provide an environment that is flexible, then the talents will be able to grow. Thomas: The ecosystem is so large and the opportunities to do different things are available to each one of you in the room. There is so much information out there on how to get involved in mobility. Wexler: There isn’t another industry that has the same opportunity to heal the planet. Experience the full event here. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates on sustainable business practices in and around Detroit.
