As urban environments continue to evolve, the integration of technology into our cities and buildings is changing the way we experience and interact with our surroundings. Smart cities and smart buildings represent the next frontier in creating spaces that are more responsive to the needs of their inhabitants. These advancements promise to enhance the quality of life by optimising energy use, improving connectivity, and fostering more resilience and adaptability. However, the path towards realising the full potential of smart cities and buildings is complex, involving a delicate balance between innovation and practicality. Critical issues that are shaping this transformation, from the challenges of interoperability and data management to the overarching vision of what the future holds for our increasingly connected world are present before, during and after the implementation of any technology that is to integrate seamlessly with our surroundings.  So we need to chat with someone who can iron out some of these issues and help us create a cohesive urban environment. Georgios Grigoriou is a Principal Consultant in Building System Integration and Digital Twin Graph technologies, specialising in strategy, design, delivery and intelligence of energy efficiency and smart buildings.  Georgios is leading and coordinating the digital readiness, data acquisition and analytics activities, driving innovative, data-driven solutions for sustainable and holistically efficient environments at Arcadis. Committed to sustainability and better quality of life, Georgios strives to positively impact people, places, and the planet. He’s also been shortlisted for the Best Digital Engineer Award in 2022 and 2023 and is a Committee Member (Digital Media Manager) of the CIBSE Intelligent Buildings Group, where he leads initiatives related to Ontologies. What we cover in this episode - Cohesive urban environment (smart cities and smart building integration) - Data privacy and security in a smart world - Challenges and opportunities in achieving interoperability - Data overload? Speed of info knowledge within the industry - Are the possibilities endless? Is there an end result? Links Adobe Express 30-day Free Trial: https://prf.hn/l/ZYdd028  Website: https://www.builddifferent.marketing/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/builddifferent Further Links Verdantix highlights Arcadis leadership and innovation in Environmental Services and Building Decarbonization Consulting: https://www.arcadis.com/en-gb/news/global/2024/8/verdantix-highlights-arcadis-in-green-quadrant-reports Ontologies presentation Dec 23: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHrJiJHMZ0k Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index 2024: https://www.arcadis.com/en-gb/news/global/2024/6/cities-have-just-2000-days-left-to-achieve-critical-sustainability-goals#:~:text=The%20Arcadis%20Sustainable%20Cities%20Index,evolving%20understanding%20of%20urban%20sustainability. Arcadis ranked among the top architecture firms in the world,...