Table of Contents

First of all, What are Smart Cities?

8 Notable Smart-city Projects in Australia

Darwin Smart City Project

Brisbane Smart City Project

Perth Smart City Project

Adelaide Smart City Project

Melbourne Smart City Project

Lismore Smart City Project

Canterbury Bankstown Smart City Project

Sydney Smart City Project

Curious about smart solutions? We at Eco Renewable Energy can help you get started

With an increasing population and the need for sustainable development, the concept of smart cities has gained momentum globally, and Australia is no exception. Smart cities utilise technology and data to improve the quality of life for citizens, enhance economic opportunities, and reduce environmental impact. Some of the smart city projects include projects like smart mobility for infrastructure, energy management, smart waste management system, public safety, digital infrastructure, smart governance etc.

Australia has made significant strides in building smart cities, with various projects implemented across the country. These initiatives are guided by comprehensive smart city plans that emphasize sustainability, connectivity, and innovation. Major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane are at the forefront, incorporating advanced technologies to improve urban living.

Through their smart city plans, these urban areas are enhancing infrastructure, optimizing resource management, and fostering economic growth, setting a benchmark for urban development. Australia’s smart city development has been commendable over the years.

The way forward is a smart one. Smart cities in Australia serve as role models for their neighbouring cities as well as cities outside of the country. Through the responsible and creative use of smart technology, smart cities in Australia can deliver services to their citizens in a way that is a hundred times more efficient than they previously did.

In this blog, we will explore seven notable smart city projects in Australia that are leading the way in creating more livable and sustainable urban environments.

First of all, What are Smart Cities?

The term “smart city” means a city capable of solving its problems with a range of smart technologies. The Australian government has collaborated with various companies and local governments to integrate these technologies within the city to create more smart cities.

This premise applies to all things that make a city: transportation, social services, waste management, etc. To make this happen, concepts within the Internet of Things or IoT technology are applied. The Internet of Things is a system of connected devices or machines that interact through a cloud server. Data is processed through an IoT system to deliver a specific service. For example, a garbage bin that ‘messages’ the rubbish collectors when it’s full is deployed using IoT. Smart street furniture such as solar benches is also being used in parks to create smart green spaces around the city.

A city becomes smarter through various efforts from local governments and tech companies. Efforts like improving the city’s internet connectivity or developing an app where citizens can access all city council services. The term ‘smart city, therefore, is an umbrella term that refers to cities that direct their efforts toward smart solutions. A city is gearing up to become ‘smart’ as long as the city is making the daily lives of its citizens easier using smart technology and the internet.

8 Notable Smart-city Projects in Australia

A smart city uses information and communication technology (ICT) to improve operational efficiency, share information with the public and provide a better quality of government service and citizen welfare.

The main goal of a smart city is to optimise city functions and promote economic growth while also improving the quality of life for citizens by using smart technologies and data analysis. The value lies in how this technology is used rather than simply how much technology is available.

A city’s smartness is determined using a set of characteristics, including:

An infrastructure based around technology

Environmental initiatives

Effective and highly functional public transportation

Confident and progressive city plans

People able to live and work within the city, using its resources

The success of a smart city relies on the relationship between the public and private sectors as much of the work to create and maintain a data-driven environment falls outside the local government remit. For example, smart surveillance cameras may need input and technology from several companies.

Aside from the technology used by a smart city, there is also the need for data analysts to assess the information provided by the smart city systems so that any problems can be addressed and improvements found.

Contents

Definition

Technologies

Features

History

How do they work?

Why smart cities are important

Why do we need them?

Are they sustainable?

Challenges

Are they secure?

Examples

Conclusion

Smart City Definition

There are a number of definitions of what makes a city ‘smart,’ for example, IBM defines a smart city as “one that makes optimal use of all the interconnected information available today to better understand and control its operations and optimise the use of limited resources.”

However, in short, a smart city uses a framework of information and communication technologies to create, deploy and promote development practices to address urban challenges and create a joined-up technologically-enabled and sustainable infrastructure.

Smart City

Smart City Technologies

Smart cities use a variety of software, user interfaces and communication networks alongside the Internet of Things (IoT) to deliver connected solutions for the public. Of these, the IoT is the most important. The IoT is a network of connected devices that communicate and exchange data. This can include anything from vehicles to home appliances and on-street sensors. Data collected from these devices is stored in the cloud or on servers to allow for improvements to be made to both public and private sector efficiencies and deliver economic benefits and improvements to the lives of citizens.

Many of the IoT devices use edge computing, which ensures that only the most relevant and important data is delivered over the communication network. In addition, a security system is implemented to protect, monitor and control the transmission of data from the smart city network and prevent unauthorised access to the IoT network of city’s data platform.

Alongside the IoT solutions, smart cities also use technologies including:

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Cloud Computing Services

Dashboards

Machine Learning

Machine-to-Machine Communications

Mesh Networks

Smart City Features

Combining automation, machine learning and the IoT is allowing for the adoption of smart city technologies for a variety of applications. For example, smart parking can help drivers find a parking space and also allow for digital payment.

Another example would be smart traffic management to monitor traffic flows and optimise traffic lights to reduce congestion, while ride-sharing services can also be managed by a smart city infrastructure.

Smart city features can also include energy conservation and environmental efficiencies, such as streetlights that dim when the roads are empty. Such smart grid technologies can improve everything from operations to maintenance and planning to power supplies.

Smart city initiatives can also be used to combat climate change and air pollution as well as waste management and sanitation via internet-enabled rubbish collection, bins and fleet management systems.

Aside from services, smart cities allow for the provision of safety measures such as monitoring areas of high crime or using sensors to enable an early warning for incidents like floods, landslides, hurricanes or droughts.

Smart buildings can also offer real-time space management or structural health monitoring and feedback to determine when repairs are necessary. Citizens can also access this system to notify officials of any problems, such as potholes, while sensors can also monitor infrastructure problems such as leaks in water pipes.

In addition, smart city technology can improve the efficiency of manufacturing, urban farming, energy use, and more.

Smart cities can connect all manner of services to provide joined up solutions for citizens.

History of Smart Cities

The concept of smart cities began as far back as the 1960s and 1970s when the US Community Analysis Bureau began using databases, aerial photography and cluster analysis to collect data, direct resources and issue reports in order to direct services, mitigate against disasters and reduce poverty. This led to the creation of the first generation of smart cities.

The first generation of smart city was delivered by technology providers to understand the implications of technology on daily life. This led to the second generation of smart city, which looked at how smart technologies and other innovations could create joined-up municipal solutions. The third generation of smart city took the control away from technology providers and city leaders, instead creating a model that involved the public and enabled social inclusion and community engagement.

This third generation model was adopted by Vienna, who created a partnership with the local Wien Energy company, allowing citizens to invest in local solar plants as well as working with the public to resolve gender equality and affordable housing issues. Such adoption has continued around the world, including in Vancouver, where 30,000 citizens co-created the Vancouver Greenest City 2020 Action Plan.

How Smart Cities Work

Smart cities follow four steps to improve the quality of life and enable economic growth through a network of connected IoT devices and other technologies. These steps are as follows:

1. Collection – Smart sensors gather real-time data

2. Analysis – The data is analysed to gain insights into the operation of city services and operations

3. Communication – The results of the data analysis are communicated to decision makers

4. Action – Action is taken to improve operations, manage assets and improve the quality of city life for the residents

The ICT framework brings together real time data from connected assets, objects and machines to improve decision making. However, in addition, citizens are able to engage and interact with smart city ecosystems through mobile devices and connected vehicles and buildings. By pairing devices with data and the infrastructure of the city, it is possible to cut costs, improve sustainability and streamline factors such as energy distribution and refuse collection, as well as offering reduced traffic congestion, and improve air quality.

Why Smart Cities Are Important

54% of the world’s population live in cities and this is expected to rise to 66% by 2050, adding a further 2.5 billion people to the urban population over the next three decades. With this expected population growth there comes a need to manage environmental, social and economic sustainability of resources.

Smart cities allow citizens and local government authorities to work together to launch initiatives and use smart technologies to manage assets and resources in the growing urban environment.

Why do we need them?

A smart city should provide an urban environment that delivers a high quality of life to residents while also generating economic growth. This means delivering a suite of joined-up services to citizens with reduced infrastructure costs.

This becomes increasingly important in the light of the future population growth in urban areas, where more efficient use of infrastructure and assets will be required. Smart city services and applications will allow for these improvements which will lead to a higher quality of life for citizens.

Smart city improvements also provide new value from existing infrastructure while creating new revenue streams and operational efficiencies to help save money for governments and citizens alike.

Are Smart Cities Sustainable?

Sustainability is an important aspect of smart cities as they seek to improve efficiencies in urban areas and improve citizen welfare. Cities offer many environmental advantages, such as smaller geographical footprints, but they also have some negative impacts, including the use of fossil fuels to power them. However, smart technologies could help alleviate these negative effects, such as through the implementation of an electric transport system to reduce emissions. Electric vehicles could also help to regulate the frequency of the electric grid while not in use.

Such sustainable transport options should also see a reduction in the number of cars in urban areas as autonomous vehicles are expected to reduce the need for car ownership amongst the population.

Creating such sustainable solutions could deliver environmental and societal benefits.

Smart City Challenges

For all of the benefits offered by smart cities, there are also challenges to overcome. These include government officials allowing widespread participation from citizens. There is also a need for the private and public sectors to align with residents so that everyone can positively contribute to the community.

Smart city projects need to be transparent and available to citizens via an open data portal or mobile app. This allows residents to engage with the data and complete personal tasks like paying bills, finding efficient transportation options and assessing energy consumption in the home.

This all requires a solid and secure system of data collection and storage to prevent hacking or misuse. Smart city data also needs to be anonymised to prevent privacy issues from arising.

The largest challenge is quite probably that of connectivity, with thousands or even millions of IoT devices needing to connect and work in unison. This will allow services to be joined up and ongoing improvements to be made as demand increases.

Technology aside, smart cities also need to account for social factors that provide a cultural fabric that is attractive to residents and offer a sense of place. This is particularly important for those cities that are being created from the ground up and need to attract residents.

Smart City IoT

Are they Secure?

Smart cities offer plenty of benefits to improve citizen safety, such as connected surveillance systems, intelligent roadways and public safety monitoring, but what about protecting the smart cities themselves?

There is a need to ensure smart cities are protected from cyber attacks, hacking and data theft while also making sure the data that is reported is accurate.

In order to manage the security of smart cities there is a need to implement measures such as physical data vaults, resilient authentication management and ID solutions. Citizens need to trust the security of smart cities which means government, private sector enterprise, software developers, device manufacturers, energy providers and network service managers need to work together to deliver integrated solutions with core security objectives. These core security objectives can be broken down as follows:

Availability – Data needs to be available in real time with reliable access in order to make sure it performs its function in monitoring the various parts of the smart city infrastructure

Inegrity – The data must not only be readily available, but it must also be accurate. This also means safeguarding against manipulation from outside

Confidentiality – Sensitive data needs to be kept confidential and safe from unauthorised access.

This may mean the use of firewalls or the anonymising of data

Accountability – System users need to be accountable for their actions and interaction with sensitive data systems. Users logs should record who is accessing the information to ensure accountability should there be any problems

Legislation is already being put in place in different nations, such as the IoT Cybersecurity

Improvement Act in the United States to help determine and establish minimum security requirements for connected devices in smart cities.

Examples

Cities across the world are in different stages of smart technology development and implementation. However, there are several who are ahead of the curve, leading the path to creating fully smart cities. These include:

Barcelona, Spain
Columbus, Ohio, USA
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Hong Kong, China
Kansas City, Missouri, USA
London, England
Melbourne, Australia
New York City, New York, USA
Reykjavik, Iceland
San Diego, California, USA
Singapore
Tokyo, Japan
Toronto, Canada
Vienna, Austria

The city state of Singapore is considered to be one of the front-runners in the race to creating fully smart cities, with IoT cameras monitoring the cleanliness of public spaces, crowd density and the movement of registered vehicles. Singapore also has systems to monitor energy use, waste management and water use in real time. In addition, there is autonomous vehicle testing and a monitoring system to ensure the health and wellbeing of senior citizens.

Elsewhere, Kansas City has introduced smart streetlights, interactive kiosks and over 50 blocks of free Wi-Fi. Parking space details, traffic flow measurement and pedestrian hotpots are also all available to residents via the city's data visualization app.

San Diego, meanwhile, has installed 3,200 smart sensors to optimise traffic flow and parking as well as enhancing public safety and environmental awareness. Electric vehicles are supported by solar-to-electric charging stations and connected cameras monitor for traffic problems and crime.

Traffic monitoring systems are also in place in Dubai, which has telemedicine and smart healthcare solutions as well as smart buildings, utilities, education and tourism options. Barcelona also has smart transportation systems with bus stops offering free Wi-Fi and USB charging ports, along with a bike-sharing programme and a smart parking app including online payment options. Temperature, pollution and noise are also measured using sensors that also cover humidity and rainfall.

Conclusion

Creating smart connected systems for our urban areas provides a great many benefits for citizens around the world, not only to improve quality of life, but also to ensure sustainability and the best possible use of resources.

These solutions are dependent on a unified approach from government as well as the private sector and residents themselves. With the correct support and infrastructure, however, smart cities can use advances such as the Internet of Things to enhance the lives of residents and create joined-up living solutions for the growing global urban citizenry.

TWI has expertise in many of the underpinning technologies of a new smart future, including sensors, electrification and power generation solutions.

Contact us, please email contactus@twi.co.uk to find out more.



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SMART CITY WIKIPEDIA

Link

For the 2006 film, see Smart City (film)

For a list of smart cities, see List of smart cities

A smart city is a technologically advanced urban area that uses different types of electronic methods and sensors to collect specific data. Information gained from that data is used to manage assets, resources and services efficiently; in return, that data is used to improve operations across the city.[1] This includes data collected from citizens, devices, buildings and assets that is processed and analyzed to monitor and manage traffic and transportation systems,[2] power plants, utilities, urban forestry,[3] water supply networks, waste disposal, criminal investigations, information systems, schools, libraries, hospitals, and other community services.[4][5] Smart cities are defined to be smart both in the ways in which their local governments harness technology as well as in how they monitor, analyze, plan, and govern the city. In smart cities, the sharing of data is not limited to the city itself but also includes businesses, citizens and other third parties that can benefit from various uses of that data. Sharing data from different systems and sectors creates opportunities for increased understanding and economic benefits.[6][7]

The smart city concept integrates information and communication technology (ICT), and various physical devices connected to the Internet of things (IOT) network to optimize the efficiency of city operations and services and connect to citizens.[8][9] Smart city technology allows city officials to interact directly with both community and city infrastructure and to monitor what is happening in the city and how the city is evolving. ICT is used to enhance quality, performance and interactivity of urban services, to reduce costs and resource consumption and to increase contact between citizens and government.[10] Smart city applications are developed to manage urban flows and allow for real-time responses.[11] A smart city may therefore be more prepared to respond to challenges than one with a conventional "transactional" relationship with its citizens.[12][13] Yet, the term itself remains unclear in its specifics and therefore, open to many interpretations.[14] Many cities have already adopted some sort of smart city technology.

Smart city initiatives have been criticized as largely driven by unreliable corporations,[15][16] poorly adapted to residents' needs,[17][18] as largely unsuccessful,[citation needed] and as a dangerous move toward totalitarian surveillance.[19]

Throughout history, cities have served as hubs of innovation, yet the digital age has introduced fresh opportunities and hurdles for urban progress. Consequently, cities are undergoing a transition into "smart cities" to foster the creation of urban environments that are more efficient, sustainable, and livable.[20][21][22][23][how?] Importantly, this transformation extends beyond the urban domain and holds considerable social, cultural, and economic significance. It requires a fundamental overhaul of both internal and external city management and operations, prompting a rethinking of urban governance, citizen involvement, and the delivery of public services.[24]

The smart city approach underscores the importance of collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including government, businesses, and citizens, to co-create innovative solutions and address intricate urban challenges. By embracing this concept, cities aim to not only upgrade their infrastructure and service provision but also to nurture social inclusion, technological adoption, and economic advancement. Leveraging digital technologies facilitates the enhancement of residents' quality of life, the promotion of sustainability, and the stimulation of economic growth by fostering the emergence of new industries and job opportunities.[24][25][26][23]

The transition to a smart city entails internal changes in urban planning, management, and operation, with digital implementation serving as a driving force and objective.[27] Specifically within smart city trajectories, there is a heightened emphasis on utilizing data to inform decision-making processes. For instance, smart city technologies enable the monitoring of traffic flow, energy consumption, air quality, and various other parameters.[28][29] Subsequently, this data can be analyzed to pinpoint areas for enhancement and optimize urban services. Moreover, smart city technologies facilitate improved communication and collaboration among different departments and stakeholders.

Information and communication technologies

The concept of smart cities emerged from global cities' recent adoption[30] of information and communications technologies for urban use, which can be used to improve efficiency, sustainability, and livability in urban environments.[31][32] This usage is a central tenet of the smart city concept.[citation needed] Some examples include the use of sensors, data analytics techniques, and mobile applications to oversee and regulate urban systems, such as systems of transportation, energy, and waste management. According to the concept, the real-time data generated thereby then empowers cities to make better-informed decisions and refine the services they offer.[33][34]

However, the integration of ICTs into cities also presents challenges. These financial limitations in implementation, technical obstacles, and concerns relating to privacy and security. ICTs are also not always uniformly accessible across communities, contributing to the digital divide in which certain groups are marginalized with respect to their access to technology.[34]

Definition

While the term has gained widespread popularity, the concept of a "smart city" is amorphous and there is no shared understanding or commonly accepted definition of what the term encompasses.[20][35]: 71  This presents a paradox, as measuring the impact and outcomes of a concept without a clear definition proves challenging. The absence of a universally accepted definition of a smart city poses a significant challenge for policymakers, planners, and researchers. Without a clear understanding of its parameters, evaluating the effectiveness and impact of smart city initiatives becomes difficult. It also hampers the ability to compare and derive insights from various smart city projects and identify best practices.[36][37][27]

Deakin and Al Waer list four factors that contribute to the definition of a smart city:[38]

The application of a wide range of electronic and digital technologies to communities and cities.

The use of ICT to transform life and working environments within the region.

The embedding of such Information and Communications Technologies in government systems.

The territorialisation of practices that brings ICT and people together to enhance the innovation and knowledge that they offer.

Deakin defines the smart city as one that utilizes ICT to meet the demands of the market (the citizens of the city), and states that community involvement in the process is necessary for a smart city.[39] A smart city would thus be a city that not only possesses ICT technology in particular areas, but has also implemented this technology in a manner that positively impacts the local community.

Early definitions

Early examples of smart city definitions include:

Caragliu et al. (2011): “A city is smart when investments in human and social capital and traditional (transport) and modern (ICT) communication infrastructure fuel sustainable economic growth and a high quality of life, with a wise management of natural resources, through participatory governance.”[40]

Bakici, Almirall, & Wareham (2013): “Smart city as a high-tech intensive and advanced city that connects people, information, and city elements using new technologies in order to create a sustainable, greener city, competitive and innovative commerce, and an increased life quality.”[41] Nam and Pardo (2011): “A smart city infuses information into its physical infrastructure to improve conveniences, facilitate mobility, add efficiencies, conserve energy, improve the quality of air and water, identify problems and fix them quickly, recover rapidly from disasters, collect data to make better decisions, deploy resources effectively, and share data to enable collaboration across entities and domains.”[42]

These definitions underscore the significance of employing technology and data to enhance urban services and foster sustainable, liveable environments. They also stress the importance of citizen involvement and cross-sector collaboration. However, alongside these shared principles, there are notable disparities among the suggested definitions. For instance, while some definitions concentrate more on the economic advantages of smart city endeavours, others prioritize environmental or social benefits. Additionally, certain definitions give precedence to specific technologies or sectors over others.[24]

Research

The process of defining and conceptualizing smart city development is ongoing, resulting in a division within smart city research. Researchers are actively seeking interpretations that can unify and overcome the fragmentation created by the initial two decades of knowledge production in this field. The main issues surrounding early smart city debate the research include the following:[43]

The absence of intellectual exchange among researchers in the smart city development domain, which is crucial for advancing ICT-driven urban sustainability initiatives.

The inclination of smart city researchers to pursue subjective avenues of research in isolation from their peers.

The resulting division within the scientific community due to this fragmented approach to knowledge production.

The challenge faced by the community in establishing a shared understanding or common ground amidst the diverse knowledge generated by smart city research.[43]

Motivations

Population growth

An important motivation for smart cities is the large projected population growth in the future, with the UN forecasting the global population to reach 9.6 to 13.2 billion by 2100, with cities absorbing 80% of this growth. The surge in population poses daunting challenges for cities, which already grapple with meeting the needs of a growing populace sustainably.[why?] According to Mora and Deakin, novel approaches to urban sustainability, and leveraging digital technological advancements, are imperative in order to solve major inefficiencies caused by the growth of urban populations.[44]

Tragedy of the commons

An important goal of smart city initiatives is the use of information and communication technologies to address the problem of the tragedy of the commons, a phenomenom which happens when each individual acting in their own self-interest leads to the depletion of a communal resource; for example as in overfishing. As individuals capitalize on public resources for personal gain, these resources diminish, intensifying competition for access to them and overuse. For example, while each individual driver in a city saves time and flexibility by driving, excessive driving causes traffic congestion and environmental issues. This leads to a tragedy of the commons situation which is often worsened by reductions to public transportation services due to the high use of personal vehicles.[45][clarification needed]

History

Philosophical predecessors of the concept of smart cities can be found in utopian works such as New Atlantis in 1626.[46] Another was, among other utopian works at the time. Ebenezer Howard's concept of Garden Cities in 1898.[43] These were high-density size-limited cities founded in cheap countryside by private collectives, combining the benefits of the city and the country.[47] A number of conceptions like this were created, including by Edward Bellamy, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Le Corbusier, fueled by major problems plaguing Victorian cities.[43][47] Some critics of smart cities draw parallels between the weaknesses of these early utopian visions and the shortcomings of conceptions of smart cities today.[43]

The concept of smart cities emerged from global cities' recent adoption[30] of information and communications technologies for urban use, which can be used to improve efficiency, sustainability, and livability in urban environments.[31][32] The term "smart city" was a successor to other, earlier terms like "Wired Cities".[48] Some of the earliest cybernetic interventions in urban planning include the use of computational statistical analysis by the Community Analysis Bureau in Los Angeles in the late 1960',[49] and the establishment by Singapore of the National Computer Board in 1981.[48]

The concept of smart cities has gained increasing popularity over time, but it saw a major surge in adoption around 2005, particularly among technology companies. These companies sought to integrate smart city principles into urban infrastructures and services, creating sophisticated information systems to enhance operational efficiency within urban areas or cities.[50][51][52][53] Smart cities have been criticized as being largely led by this corporate sector, rather than the visions of architects and planners.[43]

Recently, a global movement has emerged advocating the adoption of technological solutions and an approach based on smart cities approach towards urban sustainability.[citation needed] This movement is associated with a burgeoning technology market projected to experience exponential growth.[54][55][56] The three largest sources of spending associated with smart cities as of 2022 are fixed visual surveillance, advanced public transit, and smart outdoor lighting.[54]

Timeline

IBM launched its “Smarter Cities” marketing initiative in 2008,[57] called Smarter Planet, which included the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge. In 2010, Cisco Systems, with $25 million from the Clinton Foundation, established its Connected Urban Development program in partnership with San Francisco, Amsterdam, and Seoul. In 2011, a Smart City Expo World Congress was held in Barcelona, in which 6000 people from 50 countries attended. The European Commission in 2012 established the Smart Cities Marketplace, a centralized hub for urban initiatives in the European Union.[58] The 2015 Chancellor’s Budget for the United Kingdom proposed to invest £140 million in the development of smart cities and the Internet of Things (IoT).[59] Other smart city competitions were launched in the 2010s by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the United States Department of Transportation (the latter won by Columbus, Ohio).[16] In 2016, AT&T launched an alliance with Cisco, Deloitte, Ericsson, General Electric, IBM, Intel, and Qualcomm, with municipal partners Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; and Dallas, Texas.[16]

Methods

Information and communications technologies

It has been suggested that a smart city (or other community) uses information technologies to:[citation needed]

Make more efficient use of physical infrastructure (roads, built environment and other physical assets) through artificial intelligence and data analytics in order to support a strong and healthy economic, social, cultural development.[15]

Engage effectively with local governance[60] by use of open innovation processes and e-participation, improving the collective intelligence of the city's institutions through e-governance,[11] with emphasis placed on citizen participation and co-design.[61][62]

Learn, adapt and innovate and thereby respond more effectively and promptly to changing circumstances by improving the intelligence of the city.[11][63]

They evolve towards a strong integration of all dimensions of human intelligence, collective intelligence, and also artificial intelligence within the city.[64]: 112–113 [65] According to Mitchell, the intelligence of cities "resides in the increasingly effective combination of digital telecommunication networks (the nerves), ubiquitously embedded intelligence (the brain), sensors and tags (the sensory organs), and software (the knowledge and cognitive competence)".[66]

The physical components of IT systems are crucial to early-stage smart city development. Wired infrastructure is required to support the IoT and wireless technologies central to more interconnected living.[67] A wired city environment provides general access to continually updated digital and physical infrastructure. The latest in telecommunications, robotics, IoT, and various connected technologies can then be deployed to support human capital and productivity.[68][69]

Forms of intelligence

Bletchley Park is often considered to be the first smart community.

Intelligence in smart cities has been demonstrated in three ways:[citation needed]

Orchestration intelligence:[11] Cities establish institutions and community-based problem solving and collaborations, such as in Bletchley Park, where the Nazi Enigma cipher was decoded by a team led by Alan Turing. This has been referred to as the first example of a smart city or an intelligent community.[70]

Empowerment intelligence: Cities provide open platforms, experimental facilities and smart city infrastructure in order to cluster innovation in certain districts. These are seen in the Kista Science City in Stockholm and the Cyberport Zone in Hong Kong. Similar facilities have also been established in Melbourne and Kyiv.[71]

Instrumentation intelligence: City infrastructure is made smart through real-time data collection, with analysis and predictive modelling across city districts. There is much controversy surrounding this, particularly with regards to surveillance issues in smart cities.

Examples of instrumentation intelligence are those implemented in Amsterdam.[72] This is realized through:[11]

A common IP infrastructure that is open to researchers to develop applications.

Wireless meters and devices transmit information at the point in time.

A number of homes being provided with smart energy meters to become aware of energy consumption and reduce energy usage.

Solar power garbage compactors, car recharging stations and energy saving lamps.

Energy usage

Smart cities use data and technology to create efficiencies, improve sustainability, create economic development, and enhance quality of life factors for people living and working in the city.[citation needed] A variety of different datasets may need to be integrated to create a smart energy infrastructure.[73] Employment of smart technologies enables the more efficient application of integrated energy technologies in the city allowing the development of more self-sustaining areas or even positive energy districts that produce more energy than they consume.[74][how?]

A smart city is powered by "smart connections" for various items such as street lighting, smart buildings, distributed energy resources (DER), data analytics, and smart transportation. Amongst these things, energy is paramount; this is why utility companies play a key role in smart cities. Electric companies, working partnership with city officials, technology companies and a number of other institutions, are among the major players that helped accelerate the growth of America's smart cities.[75]

According to David K. Owens, the former executive vice president of the Edison Electric Institute, two key elements that a smart city must have are an integrated communications platform and a "dynamic resilient grid."[76]

Smart grids are an important technology in smart cities. The improved flexibility of the smart grid permits greater penetration of highly variable renewable energy sources such as solar power and wind power.[citation needed]

Energy Data Management Systems (EDMS) can help to save cities energy by recording data and using it to increase efficiency.[77]

Data management

For a smart city to function, it is necessary for it to manage an enormous amount of data collected through the embedded devices and systems in its environment.[78] This is also important for the cities growth and security.[79] Smart cities use a variety of data collection, processing, and disseminating technologies, in conjunction with data security and privacy measures, in attempting to encourage innovation and improve citizens' quality of life.[78] This can relate to topics including utilities, health, transportation, entertainment and government services.[78]

Online collaborative sensor data management platforms are on-line database services that allow sensor owners to register and connect their devices to feed data into an on-line database for storage and allow developers to connect to the database and build their own applications based on that data.[80][81]

Electronic cards (known as smart cards) are another common component in smart city contexts. These cards possess a unique encrypted identifier that allows the owner to log into a range of government provided services (or e-services) without setting up multiple accounts. The single identifier allows governments to aggregate data about citizens and their preferences to improve the provision of services and to determine common interests of groups. This technology has been implemented in Southampton.[38]

Cognitive technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, can be trained on the data generated by connected city devices to identify patterns. The efficacy and impact of particular policy decisions can be quantified by cognitive systems studying the continuous interactions of humans with their urban surroundings.[82]

Transportation

Bicycle-sharing systems are an important element in smart cities.[83]

Intelligent transportation systems and CCTV systems are also being developed.[84]

Retractable bollards allow to restrict access inside city centers (i.e. to delivery trucks resupplying outlet stores). Opening and closing of such barriers is traditionally done manually, through an electronic pass[85] but can even be done by means of ANPR cameras connected to the bollard system.[86]

Human factors

According to McKinsey, smart city initiatives can have measurable positive impacts on the quality of life of its citizens and visitors.[87] The human framework of a smart city – its economy, knowledge networks, and human support systems – is an important indicator of its success.[88]

For example, arts and culture initiatives are common focus areas in smart city planning.[89][90] Innovation is associated with intellectual curiosity and creativeness, and various projects have demonstrated that knowledge workers participate in a diverse mix of cultural and artistic activities.[91][92]

Since mobility is a key area of smart city development, building a capable workforce through education initiatives is necessary.[88][clarification needed] A city's learning capacity includes its education system, including available workforce training and support, and its cultural development and exchange.[93]

Numerous Smart city programs also focus on soft infrastructure development, like increasing access to voluntary organizations and designated safe zones.[94] This focus on social and relational capital means diversity, inclusion, and ubiquitous access to public services is worked in to city planning.[69]

The development of a knowledge economy is also central to Smart city projects.[95] Smart cities seeking to be hubs of economic activity in emerging tech and service sectors stress the value of innovation in city development.[69]

Other technologies

Mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablets) are a key technology allowing citizens to connect to the smart city services.[96][97][98]

Smart cities also rely on smart homes and specifically, the technology used in them.[99][100][101][102][103]

Digital libraries have also been established in several smart cities.[104][105][106][107][108][109]

Additional supporting technology and trends include remote work,[110][111][112] telehealth,[113][114] the blockchain,[115][116] online banking technology,[117]

A "ubiquitous city", one concept of a smart city, provides access to public services through any connected device. U-city is an extension of the digital city concept because of the facility in terms of accessibility to every infrastructure.[118]

Criticism

The criticisms of smart cities are varied:[15]

The high level of big data collection and analytics has raised questions regarding surveillance in smart cities, particularly as it relates to predictive policing and abuse by law enforcement.

A bias in strategic interest may lead to ignoring non-ICT centered modes of promising urban development.[119]

A smart city, as a scientifically planned city, would defy the fact that real development in cities is often haphazard and participatory. In that line of criticism, the smart city is seen as unattractive for citizens as they "can deaden and stupefy the people who live in its all-efficient embrace".[120]

The focus of the concept of smart city may lead to an underestimation of the possible negative effects of the development of the new technological and networked infrastructures needed for a city to be smart.[121]

As a globalized business model is based on capital mobility, following a business-oriented model may result in a losing long-term strategy: "The 'spatial fix' inevitably means that mobile capital can often 'write its own deals' to come to town, only to move on when it receives a better deal elsewhere. This is no less true for the smart city than it was for the industrial, [or] manufacturing city."[15]

In the smart city environment there are many threats that affect the privacy of individuals. The technology is involved in scanning, identification, checking the current location, including time and direction of movement. Residents may feel that they are constantly monitored and controlled.[122]

As of August 2018, the discussion on smart cities centers around the usage and implementation of technology rather than on the inhabitants of the cities and how they can be involved in the process.[123]

Especially in low-income countries, smart cities are irrelevant to the urban population which lives in poverty with limited access to basic services. A focus on smart cities may worsen inequality and marginalization.[17]

If a smart city strategy is not planned for people with accessibility problems, such as persons with disabilities affecting mobility, vision, hearing, and cognitive function, the implementation of new technologies could create new barriers.[18]

Digitalization can have a significant environmental footprint and there is potential for the externalization of environmental costs onto outside communities.[124][125][126]

Smart city can be used as a slogan only for land revenue generation, especially in the Global South.[127]

Urban planning professor Jennifer Clark writes[16] that the 2010s smart city craze in the United States was largely created by companies trying to sell various technologies to municipal customers. She says the technologies actually adopted tended to not be those trying to change physical infrastructure citywide, but those that deliver digital services directly to residents (like ride-hailing services and online food ordering) or which solve a specific problem of municipal government.

As has been noted by Fleur Johns, the increasing and evolving use of data has significant implications at multiple levels of governance.[60] Data and infrastructure include digital platforms, algorithms, and the embedding of information technology in the physical infrastructure of smart cities.[60] Digital technology has the potential to be used in negative as well as positive ways, and its use is inherently political.[60] Care needs to be taken to ensure that the development of smart cities does not perpetuate inequalities and exclude marginalized groups in relation to gender,[128][129] age,[130][131] race, and other human characteristics.[132]

By country or region

China

China's smart cities movement began with a pilot program launched in 2012 through its Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.[35]: 58–59  The development of smart cities is addressed in China's National New-Type Urbanization Plan for 2014-2020.[35]: 59–60  It identifies six important aspects for developing smart cities: (1) information network and broadband, (2) digitization of planning management, (3) smart infrastructure, (4) convenience of public services, (5) modernizing industrial development, and (6) sophisticated social governance.[35]: 60 

As of 2016, there were approximately 500 smart city projects in China.[35]: 59  In 2021, China took first in all categories of the International AI City Challenge, demonstrating the national commitment to smart city programs – "by some estimates, China has half of the world’s smart cities".[133] As time goes on the percentage of smart cities in the world will keep increasing, and by 2050, up to 70% of the world's population is expected to inhabit a city.[134]

Commercial companies

Alibaba has created the City Brain.[135][136] Its first overseas implementation began in 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[137]: 82 

Baidu is working on Apollo, a self-driving technology.[138] Tencent is working on medical technology,[138] such as WeChat Intelligent Healthcare, Tencent Doctorwork, and AI Medical Innovation System (AIMIS).[139]

As of at least 2024, "Safe City" digital products have been increasingly marketed abroad by Chinese companies like Dahua Technology, Huawei, ZTE, and Hikvision.[137]: 80  Huawei has its Safe City Compact Solution which focuses on improving safety in cities.[140][141][142] In 2018, the Serbian government announced a Safe City project for Belgrade in conjunction with Huawei, through which a thousand cameras with advanced facial recognition and license plate recognition capabilities would be installed in the city.[137]: 82 

United States

The United States has allocated more than $160 million toward smart city initiatives aimed at leveraging ICT to address challenges within local communities. These challenges include alleviating traffic congestion, fostering economic growth, combating crime and climate change, and enhancing the delivery of public services. This decision aligns with the findings of a trend analysis conducted by the National Intelligence Council (NIC), a think tank focused on long-term strategic planning that reports directly to the President of the United States.[citation needed]

Canada

According to Mary Anne Moser, since the 1990s, the "smart communities" movement in Canada took shape as a strategy to broaden the base of users involved in IT.[93] Members of these Communities are people that share their interest and work in a partnership with government and other institutional organizations to push the use of IT to improve the quality of daily life as a consequence of different worsening in daily actions.[93] Again Moser explained that "building and planning a smart community seeks for smart growth"; smart growth is essential for the partnership between citizen and institutional organizations to react to worsening trends in daily issues like traffic congestion, school overcrowding and air pollution.[93]

Europe

Members of the EU have been working on smart city developments and ICT initiatives for over a decade. In order to optimize the benefits of digital technologies for both citizens and businesses, the European Union and its 28 member states have initiated the Digital Agenda for Europe. This strategic framework emphasizes the imperative for Europe to harness ICTs to confront numerous global challenges confronting modern society, and to foster the sustainability of urban environments. Within the 2014-15 budget of the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation program, the European Commission allocated approximately 200 million Euros to expedite advancements in the domain of smart cities and communities, as well as to expand the implementation of ICT solutions for addressing urban sustainability concerns.[143]

Europe's endeavours to adopt an ICT-driven approach toward urban sustainability align with its contributions to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda, both pivotal policy frameworks outlined by the United Nations (UN). These documents highlight the imperative for transformative actions aimed at fostering inclusivity, safety, resilience, and sustainability on a global scale. Specifically, the New Urban Agenda emphasizes the importance of supporting cities in facilitating smart city development, marking it as a fundamental commitment for the UN's 193 member states. This underscores the significance of addressing urban challenges through the deployment of ICT-related innovations. Such actions are crucial for: (1) fostering environmentally friendly, resource-efficient, safe, inclusive, and accessible urban environments; (2) sustaining economic growth grounded in principles of environmental sustainability and inclusive prosperity; and (3) ensuring equitable access for all to public goods and high-quality services.[144][145][146]

The European Union (EU) has devoted constant efforts to devising a strategy for achieving "smart" urban growth for its metropolitan city-regions.[147]: 337–355 [148]

Africa

In Africa, the advancement of smart city development stands as a central component of the national agenda for socioeconomic progress. The 55 member states of the African Union Commission, representing nearly the entire continent, have pledged to utilize ICTs to advance sustainable urban development.[citation needed]

Southeast Asia

ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) is a collaborative platform which aims to synergise Smart city development efforts across ASEAN by facilitating cooperation on smart city development, catalysing bankable projects with the private sector, and securing funding and support from ASEAN's external partners.[citation needed]

India

The Smart Cities Mission is a retrofitting and urban renewal program being spearheaded by the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India. The Government of India has the ambitious vision of developing 100 cities by modernizing existing mid-sized cities.[149]

Implementation

Dimensions

The characteristics of smart cities can be divided into different dimensions (e.g. economy, environment, mobility) for evaluation in a number of different ways.[20] These can be derived from studies of smart city projects, and can be used as an alternative to difficult-to-define broad definitions in order to clarify what smart cities are.[150] In general, the most common characteristics given for a "smart city" are having a networked infrastructure, which enables political efficiency as well as social and cultural development; an emphasis on business-led urban development; social inclusion of various residents; and an emphasis on the environment.[20] In general terms, smart cities are intended to be efficient, technologically advanced, green, and socially inclusive cities.[23]

According to Camboim et al, cities ought to establish comprehensive plans which address all dimensions of smart cities.[150] This allows them to synchronize the goals of each dimension. According to Marchesani, by taking into account smart city objectives during urban planning, cities can streamline resource allocation and save effort that would otherwise be duplicated. For example, cities can consider smart mobility goals for infrastructure while the infrastructure initiatives are planned.[34]

Partnerships

The effective implementation of smart city initiatives requires active collaboration and involvement from diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, businesses, community organizations, academia, and citizens. Collaborative partnerships enable cities to harness a wide range of expertise, resources, and perspectives to tackle complex challenges and devise innovative solutions. Involving stakeholders in decision-making processes fosters inclusivity, ownership, and a shared vision for the city's future. For instance, engaging citizens in co-creating smart city initiatives ensures that solutions are tailored to meet the community's specific needs and aspirations. Collaborating with businesses and academia brings technical know-how and research capabilities, driving innovation and the adoption of state-of-the-art technologies.[151][152][153]

These partnerships also facilitate the exchange of knowledge and insights among stakeholders. By sharing best practices and lessons learned, cities can expedite their smart city development efforts and circumvent potential challenges. Moreover, collaborations with community organizations guarantee that the social dimensions of a smart city, such as equity and inclusivity, are adequately considered in both planning and implementation phases.[34]

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