Henry County Decision Support Tool

Henry County, along with its research partners at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Clayton State University, developed the Henry County Smart Resilience Decision Support Tool, in short “DST”.  The DST was designed as an interactive web-based platform to assist county planners, policymakers, and officials in assessing and exploring the impacts and potential of new greenspace, warehousing, and freight-related infrastructure projects. The initiative was guided by the following central question: How can Henry County reconcile its community objectives related to economic development, quality of life, and energy resilience? The DST pursued its objectives through two primary focus areas:

Smart Sustainability: The platform explored the interaction between proposed developments and quality-of-life indicators such as environmental impact, public health, and equity to support future resilience and inclusive innovation. One potential functionality included mapping the loss of carbon sequestration through greenspace inventorying.

Smart Energy: The platform mapped and monitored opportunities for growth in public services and buildings while evaluating their potential to function as intelligent energy infrastructure. For example, warehouse growth scenarios were used to assess roof-based solar harvesting potential, while roadway development scenarios explored opportunities for piezoelectric energy generation.

“We are so excited and honored that Henry County has been chosen to receive the Georgia Smart Award. We continue to look for ways to improve and enhance transportation for Henry County residents and this continued partnership with Georgia Smart allows us to do just that.” – Carlotta Harrell, Chair, Henry County Board of Commissioners

Through its sustainability and energy-focused analyses, the DST provided a decision-support framework that enabled stakeholders to evaluate growth scenarios through multidimensional and data-driven assessments. The project positioned Henry County to leverage its economic strength in logistics while advancing sustainable development objectives and proactive long-term growth planning.