What is a Smart City
The term smart city has only been around for a few decades. The concept signifies an urban area that harnesses technology to improve service provision and operations. While the concept of a smart city can have very different meanings in different places, it is an increasingly important concept in local governance.
What are smart cities?
Smart cities use digital technology and data analytics to improve quality of life for residents. Real-time data collection can allow governments to monitor trends as they change and to adapt to new demands and needs. The advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT), or web of interconnected physical devices, has made possible the creation and expansion of smart cities.
Smart cities tend to be highly advanced in infrastructure and communication. In these cities information technology is a primary component of service provision to residents. They utilize information and communication technologies (ICT) to provide efficiency and share information.
How does smart city technology improve quality of life?
An ever increasing percentage of the world population lives in urban areas. Urbanization could add another 2.5 billion people to cities in the next thirty years. Utilization of smart city technology can help accommodate all of these new residents while increasing the level of service and sustainability in the city.
Smart cities can improve life for residents in both obvious and subtle ways. Improvements in traffic through a smart traffic grid or the provision of public wifi are highly noticeable and visible improvements. Increased water quality and waste management can have huge environmental impacts that are less immediately obvious.
Studies have shown that smart city initiatives contribute directly and indirectly to a city’s economic growth. There are direct revenue possibilities for government and private businesses from smart city initiatives. Indirect benefits accrue from improved service provision, mobility, and connectivity.
What is the history of smart cities?
IBM formed its Smart Planet initiative in 2008 to promote systems becoming more interconnected and intelligent. The concept of the smart city arose from this large initiative and quickly spread across the world, especially in early adopters like China, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates.
Why are smart cities important?
Smart cities have a wide range of benefits to a variety of stakeholders. For city governments, smart city technologies help increase citizen engagement and optimize operations through data collection and analysis and the promotion of collaboration across the organization. For citizens, smart cities can lead to improved daily life through city services. They can experience improved mobility, connectivity, safety, and transparency. Businesses can benefit from increased visibility of customer activity and behavior as well as general economic development. Finally, developers and property owners will see improved process efficiency, engaged citizens, and increased economic viability.
What are the challenges of becoming a smart city?
Investment
While most smart city technologies are designed to create efficiencies and save money, there can often be a significant up front investment. Infrastructure improvements can be especially costly, though cities can generally find ways to amortize expenses through ongoing savings.
Participation
Especially in the realm of energy efficiency and saving, the success of smart city initiatives can depend largely on residents and visitors becoming actively involved in the implementation of new technologies. While technology can make energy saving and many other smart city initiatives easier, outcomes are still largely dependent on the behavior of end users.
Time
Smart cities are not created overnight. The replacement or enhancement of existing infrastructure can take years even when the money is available up front. Cities need to create a plan for phased implementation of smart city technologies to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.
Categories of smart city technologies
Air quality
Air monitoring and emissions regulation
Environment
Collection of real time environmental data allows for action and policy setting
Lighting
Cities can lower energy consumption, cut costs, and simplify maintenance.
Parking
Demand-based parking allows additional revenue and reduces parking space search time for citizens.
Public Wi-Fi
Citywide Wi-Fi provides citizens and visitors with reliable internet access.
Safety and security
Advanced monitoring allows cities to protect against crime and respond more quickly to emergencies.
Transportation
Reduce congestion and pollution through traffic management.
Urban mobility
Traffic and mobility data improves urban and transportation planning. Data monitoring can significantly improve mobility.
Waste management
Connected waste bins can greatly improve efficiency of waste collection and management.
Water management
Can promote and ensure safe and efficient provision of water.
Smart city examples
Singapore
Singapore is often noted as one of the most technologically advanced cities in the world. A wide range of smart technologies have been introduced and the city is constantly innovating. Their current initiative is a 42,000 home smart residential district.
New York City
Public wifi, traffic monitoring, and smart sensors throughout the city are all part of New York’s smart city program. New York even encourages the private sector to participate with contests and cash prizes.
Antwerp
Antwerp is a leader in collaborative government. They encourage citizens to participate in solving urban challenges. The city is also about to create Europe’s largest smart zone.