ICLEI Member Alba-lulia (Romania) has in recent years forged partnerships with several technology companies, such as Orange Romania and Microsoft to develop smart city solutions.

Through these partnerships, starting this year, Alba-Iulia will offer visitors and residents the opportunity to connect to WiFi hotspots in public places and on public transport and to run e-errands on the municipality's website.

Technology will also feature heavily in Alba-lulia’s approach to tackling climate change. Through their partnerships with tech companies, Alba-lulia will monitor air quality using the uRadMonitor; will manage its water and energy utilities using online platforms; and will monitor its energy consumption through the use of smart metres, sensors, network analysers and data concentrators. 

One of the interesting aspects of these partnerships is the fact that the private contractors cover the costs of the project.

Maria Seemann, a public manager at the municipality explains by saying: "by partnering up with us, we are offering private companies the opportunity to use the city as an 'urban show window' where they can showcase their sustainable development solutions. Since 2018 is the centennial of Romanian unity, our town will receive visits from thousands of mayors from around the country and tourists from Romania and abroad."

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