Author(s)

S. Mejía-Dugand, O. Hjelm, L. W. Baas

Abstract

This paper discusses the case of Medellín, a city that has received international attention in recent years due to its improvements in social and environmental aspects. The process of selection and implementation of foreign technologies for the achievement of collective goals such as sustainability in the city and how it is affected by the interaction between local and foreign urban imaginaries is discussed. The case of a waste management systems provider operating in an urban renewal project taking place in the city is presented. The importance of solid proof-of-concept projects that facilitate the understanding of the contribution of certain technologies to local goals and the transmission of crucial information is analyzed. It is found that besides cultural and political links, Medellín has found similarities regarding urban planning directives in Spanish cities where the system is implemented, and technical and emotional support to undergo its infrastructure transitions.

Keywords

environmental technologies, proof-of-concept, urban sustainability, local stakeholders, foreign technologies