Calling all "amantes del Internet libre," the Puerto Rico Government is sponsoring the first ever technology summit focused on raising the consciousness and use of government enabled Application Programming Interfaces (API). This is an unprecedented vote of confidence in the local software development community, which makes me super excited.
The Puerto Rico Tech Summit, is scheduled for June 6, 2013 in the Puerto Rico Convention Center. In conjunction with a program of workshops and tutorials, the summit will also feature the first ever Government Hackathon.
All of this follows the recent announcement of the Governor's MOU asking for Rest API's from all of the major government agencies, Governor Garcia Padilla has signaled a new era in software development in Puerto Rico. Led by Giancarlos González and Roberto Rosario, this new initiative breaths fresh air into an IT industry that is stagnated and smothered by monopolistic software industry practices.
Following the recent pledge by Puerto Rico's government to convert several of its public properties into "green" buildings, the Puerto Rico Convention Center and the Coliseum of Puerto Rico are to become the first properties on the island to be modified into eco-friendly buildings.
With an investment of $250,000, the Puerto Rico Convention Center and other developments within the 113-acre District will decrease the use of water by 30 percent and the use of electricity by 50 percent, for ongoing savings of $450,000 per year once the project is completed.
After completely incorporating these initiatives, the buildings hope to receive the US Green Building Council's 'Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)' Certification, considered the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.
Key elements of the Puerto Rico Convention Center “green project” include:
- The installation and use of automated control systems for air-conditioning and lighting of the facility, as well as the incorporation of natural lighting to reduce overall energy consumption.
- Providing preferential parking spaces around the facility for hybrid cars, as well as enhancing and encouraging the use of public transportation to the District.
- Replacing conventional lamps throughout the facility and District with lighting materials that consume less energy.
- Landscaping the District with native plants and other flora that require less maintenance and require less water, as well as utilizing an automated watering system to conserve the use of water.
- Implementing already-established eco-friendly policies and green standards for the Center. This includes utilizing green products such as recycled paper products and eco-friendly cleaning supplies in the use and maintenance of the facility, as well as requiring contractors to apply and adhere to green standards and practices in their work with the facility and District.
- Maintaining already-established waste reduction and recycling programs.