Editor’s Note: Technology Today and Tomorrow

Last year Boston was named the No. 1 Digital City in the U.S. by the Center for Digital Government in recognition of its best practices in communication technology and public sector information. Boston’s most recent green initiative is a public-private partnership between the Mayor’s office, MIT’s Media Lab and Verizon that’s resulting in solar-powered benches for the city’s parks and public spaces. This “smart” urban furniture will allow Bostonians to charge their smartphones and other devices while enjoying outdoor areas. Expect to see many more updates for the mobile generation in the coming months and years and new technologies designed to improve the living experience in apartment communities as well as owners’ bottom line. In this month’s Marketing feature, Holland Partner Group’s Josh McDonald explores lease-up innovations yet to come. “The advancements in first-person interactive gaming such as Xbox and PlayStation could provide our industry with a great opportunity to create a digital ecosystem where the pre-leasing efforts could consist of a prospect putting on eyewear or goggles and walking through the building [in] a computer generated tour,” says McDonald. “This may help them envision themselves living in their future apartment homes.” In this month’s Development & Design feature MHN Senior Editor Josh Ayers delves into a number of formerly fictional home automation technologies that are rapidly turning the smart home into a reality.

In Executive Insight Maryland Management Co.’s Bill Szczytko weighs in on pitfalls to avoid while doing business online. And on page 22 of this Technology Issue we announce the winners of the 2014 Technology Choice Awards. Congratulations to all! So much has changed during the decade since MHN launched the Technology Choice Awards to recognize the multifamily industry’s top technology products and service providers. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the awards, we’re hosting a webinar on November 12 moderated by MHN Senior Editor Jessica Fiur with Rick Haughey, Vice President Industry Technology Initiatives, NMHC; Philip Meyer, Innovations Manager, Camden Property Trust; and Mike Whaling, Founder, 30 Lines. Our panel of thought leaders will take an interesting look back on the game-changing technologies launched in the apartment space in the last decade and also explore multifamily technology predictions for the future. Thank you to our sponsors Spherexx.com, ApartmentFinder and On-Site. Save the date and don’t miss this great opportunity to get ahead of the curve with our experts’ commentary on what’s next for the apartment industry!

Diana Mosher, Editorial Director