SMART Infrastructure Facility is one of the largest research institutions in the world dedicated to helping governments and businesses better plan for the future. SMART’s work is augmented by collaborations with experts across the University of Wollongong’s (UOW) Faculties in infrastructure-related fields such as energy generation and storage, water sustainability, environmental engineering, spatial geotechnics and social planning.
When the $62 million SMART building opened in 2011 as Australia’s first multi-disciplinary applied infrastructure research and training facility, it represented a commitment by the Australian and NSW Governments to apply a more scientific approach to infrastructure planning.
Since opening, SMART has built an international profile working with government agencies in Australia and around the world and has developed a strong network of global collaborators. SMART brings together experts from fields such as rail, infrastructure systems, transport, water, energy, economics and modelling and simulation and provides 30 state-of-the-art laboratories to facilitate this important research.
SMART in collaboration with UOW is leading the digital revolution in the Illawarra with the creation of the Digital Living Lab, a smart city initiative using IoT technology. SMART and UOW have deployed a radio communication network across the region using LoRaWAN technology in a bid to improve the quality of life for people in the community.
The Facility provides specialist teaching laboratories for 200 postgraduate research students and over 5000 undergraduate students per week.
Global connections
SMART is involved in key international partnerships and collaborations addressing some of the big challenges in infrastructure. The Facility also boasts a high profile, international network of Honorary and Visiting Professors. SMART is a founding member of the International Symposium for Next Generation Infrastructure with University College London, the University of Oxford, Delft University of Technology and Virginia Tech, and hosted the group’s first international conference in 2013.
Laboratories
The SMART Infrastructure Facility consists of 30 state-of-the-art research laboratories. Many of SMART’s laboratories and research facilities are also open to outside researchers from industry, academia and other national laboratories.
SMART is also a member of the ICA-OSGeo Labs network – an international collaboration between the International Cartographic Association (ICA) and Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo).