A 400-acre site on the outskirts of Denver will be home to a mixed-use neighborhood heralded as one of the most innovative neighborhoods in development in the United States. Peña Station Next will act as a test lab for a multitude of new technology including transparent TVs, advancements in smart kitchen technology, and an intelligent bus stop with self-driving buses.
Panasonic is partnering with the city of Denver on the project and is providing the technology that will be used in the neighborhood.
The transparent television, for example, was shown off by Panasonic at CES 2017 and, essentially, transforms a clear window or an opaque surface into a TV screen, the Denver Post reports. Panasonic showed off working models of the TV technology that included the door of a sake-wine cellar refrigerator, a tabletop, and windows.
Many of the advancements Panasonic is looking to make to already intelligent kitchens are geared toward automating the process of cooking a meal as much as possible. Selecting a recipe on the sake fridge door will automatically set up the necessary appliances, such as preheating the oven to the desired temperature. Kitchen counters also double as induction stove tops with built in sensors that adjust cooking temperatures so as not to burn the food.
The smart bus stop is one of the first pieces of technology that will actually be installed at Peña Station Next. The stop is integrated with two LCD displays showing information such as bus schedules and how far away the next bus is. The stop will be powered by solar energy. The same self-driving buses that are already in use in Helsinki will also be used in the Peña Station Next development.
The neighborhood has already been equipped with 53 intelligent LED streetlights and a parking lot covered with solar panels. Blanket WiFi is expected by spring and the smart bus stop should be in place by summer. The autonomous shuttles are expected to arrive at some point in February.
Related Stories
| Jun 3, 2011
BIM software helps Michigan college students improve building performance
With Autodesk Revit Architecture, Western Michigan University students model campus buildings for energy analysis, renovations and retrofits
| May 10, 2011
Solar installations on multifamily rooftops aid social change
The Los Angeles Business Council's study on the feasibility of installing solar panels on the city’s multifamily buildings shows there's tremendous rooftop capacity, and that a significant portion of that rooftop capacity comes from buildings in economically depressed neighborhoods. Solar installations could therefore be used to create jobs, lower utility costs, and improve conditions for residents in these neighborhood.
| Mar 10, 2011
Taking ‘PIM’ Beyond E-mail
Newforma enhances its Project Center information management platform with a Revit add-in’ and mobile capability.
| Feb 10, 2011
Medical Data Center Sets High Bar for BIM Design Team
The construction of a new data center becomes a test case for BIM’s ability to enhance project delivery across an entire medical campus.
| Feb 10, 2011
Zero Energy Buildings: When Do They Pay Off in a Hot and Humid Climate?
There’s lots of talk about zero energy as the next big milestone in green building. Realistically, how close are we to this ambitious goal? At this point, the strategies required to get to zero energy are relatively expensive. Only a few buildings, most of them 6,000 sf or less, mostly located in California and similar moderate climates, have hit the mark. What about larger buildings, commercial buildings, more problematic climates? Given the constraints of current technology and the comfort demands of building users, is zero energy a worthwhile investment for buildings in, for example, a warm, humid climate?
| Jan 28, 2011
Firestone Building Products Unveils FirestoneRoof Mobile Web App
Firestone Building Products Company unveiled FirestoneRoof, a first-of-its-kind free mobile web app. The FirestoneRoof mobile web app enables customers to instantly connect with Firestone commercial roofing experts and is designed to make it easier for building owners, facility managers, roofing consultants and others charged with maintaining commercial roofing systems to get the support they need, when they need it.
| Jan 25, 2011
Bloomberg launches NYC Urban Tech Innovation Center
To promote the development and commercialization of green building technologies in New York City, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has launched the NYC Urban Technology Innovation Center. This initiative will connect academic institutions conducting underlying research, companies creating the associated products, and building owners who will use those technologies.
