IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

The BCC Research report provides an examination of smart city projects around the world and related investments in smart city projects, including a study of regional trends, national programs and individual city projects. Includes forecast through 2019.

Use this report to:

• Learn about the main attributes that make cities smart and explore the role and potential of key information and communication technologies (ICT) infrastructure needed to enable smart city strategies in the identified market sectors.
• Identify smart city projects around the world and related investments, including a study of regional trends, national programs and individual city projects.
• Examine the evolution of the global smart city market, with impacts on key technology markets.
• Receive an in-depth analysis and forecasts of potential revenues for the various smart city sub-segments of technologies, solutions, services and regions.

Dive Brief:

• The growth of smart cities will depend on data governance, and many cities are finding resistance to smart initiatives because of poor data management plans, according to a new report from consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
• The report outlines a "seven layer model" to data management: categories, consent, collection, anonymization, storage, access and monetization. Public and private firms that work with publicly-collected data as part of a smart initiative need to address all seven to ensure public buy-in.
• A key part of the model is designing a plan that "offers individuals an easy way to understand who will do what with their data, along with clear benefits to them." That, as well as anonymization and secure storage, can help assure residents they will be protected.

Smart cities’ are harnessing the Internet of Things (IoT) to make more intelligent, efficient, and sustainable transport and other services. However, digital security investments in smart cities are severely lagging thus seeding the future vulnerabilities of the IoT ecosystem, it is claimed.

The Financial, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), and defence industries will account for more than half, 56pc of the US$135 billion projected total cyber security spend in critical infrastructure in 2024, finds the market advisory firm ABI Research. The remaining 44pc of the 2024 spend will be split between the energy, healthcare, public security, transport and ‘water and waste’ sectors – leaving them woefully underfunded and incredibly vulnerable to cyberattacks, according to the research report.

Singapore may be small in size, but it has a lot to offer the region.

As part of its agenda for its chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Singapore has envisioned the development of a smart city network spanning the region. The first cohort of 26 smart cities would be the starting point for region-wide collaboration towards the common goal of smart and sustainable urban development.

Current’s CityIQ platform will help Canada’s cities gain insights into parking, traffic, public safety and air quality

Nokia is partnering with Current, powered by GE, with the aim of improving operational infrastructure in cities across Canada and to deliver new services to citizens.

Smart city technology is bringing more opportunities and facilitates urban development when it is implemented correctly, U.S. officials said on Saturday.

Smart city technology is probably one of the biggest things that have benefited his city, said Mayor Alan Nagy of Newark city in Northern California on the sidelines of an international electronic summit held in San Francisco Bay Area.

Sri Lanka's state owned telecom authority, the Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), on Tuesday said that plans were underway to transform the north central district of Polonnaruwa into the country's first "smart city" following several projects launched to upgrade education, health and transportation in the area.

SLT Chairman Kumarasinghe Sirisena told local media that the government was currently discussing the transformation of Polonnaruwa by launching the smart health, smart education, and smart transportation concept, which will accelerate economic development and social progress in the district.

Exploring the Synergy between Smart Grid Technology and Smart Cities

As urban populations continue to grow, city planners and administrators are increasingly turning to smart city initiatives to improve the quality of life for their residents. At the same time, the energy sector is undergoing a significant transformation with the adoption of smart grid technology. The convergence of these two trends presents a unique opportunity to create a more sustainable, efficient, and resilient urban environment.

The era of smart cities is happening as we speak.

Do an online search for ‘smart city’ and you’ll find a plethora of articles about it, as well as examples of cities around the world such as Barcelona, New York, Dubai and Singapore that are transforming through the use of smart technologies such as smart data, smart mobility and smart transportation.

The UAE recognises the importance of building and developing future cities, relying on innovative and creative ideas in line with its development over the past years and its reputation on the global map in the coming years, Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Infrastructure Development, said in his inaugural address on Monday at the Arab Future Cities Summit 2017.

''We are committed not only to keeping pace with the latest developments but also to foresight challenges, develop and analyse visions concerning all vital sectors and design long-term plans that will achieve a qualitative leap at all levels. This can only be achieved through the development of cities and infrastructure to cope with the latest current developments,'' said Al Nauaimi, who is also Chairman of the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme.

Việt Nam is promoting the development of smart cities and this requires participation by all ministries, localities and enterprises and international experience, a conference heard in HCM City on Thursday.

Speaking at the "Smart City - Sustainable City", Trần Quốc Thái, deputy general director of the Ministry of Construction’s urban development department, said: "The Ministry of Construction is proposing smart urban development by 2025 with a vision to 2030 and this is an important project.”

In efforts to embrace the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0), cities and provinces in Vietnam are pushing smart city programmes, combining technology with internet-connected devices to enhance municipal management and economy.

Smart cities, with new technologies and integration based on sensor collection and analysis of data, are expected to drive economic, environmental and social benefits in many cities and provinces in Vietnam – optimising traffic flows in real time, reducing energy consumption and automating waste management.

HCM City needs Europe’s experience and solutions to create smart cities, a conference heard Friday.

Speaking at the “Cyber security, Internet of Things and Connected Services towards a smart city” conference, organised by the European Chamber of Commerce in Việt Nam (EuroCham), Võ Quang Huệ, vice chairman of EuroCham, said: “The Smart Cities subject is one of great importance for EuroCham Việt Nam. EuroCham believes its members have a lot to offer for Việt Nam’s sustainable development.

Humans are flocking to cities, and cities are rapidly evolving — not just to accommodate more people, but to help them flourish.

With the UN forecasting that 68% of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050, an increasing number of cities are turning to Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to make their streets, trains, taxis and government services “smarter” to improve efficiency and quality of life.

What’s the context?

The concept of 15-minute cities is gaining traction around the world, but so are conspiracy theories calling it the start of “climate lockdowns”.

• 15-minute cities aim to make towns more liveable
• Most things a short walk or cycle away
• But some call it a "climate lockdown"

Experts believe 15-minute cities, where most things are a short walk or bike ride away, could help tackle climate change and improve the quality of life, but conspiracy theorists see the idea as a bid to lock people up in their own neighbourhoods.

A smart city is an urban area that uses technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data to efficiently manage its assets, ultimately enhancing its residents’ quality of life.

Reduced congestion, pollution control and better energy efficiency are just some of the many advantages of living in a smart city – and ASEAN has 26 of them now under its ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) pilot cities initiative.

Work has started on Hanoi’s first smart city project in Dong Anh district, with an investment capital of more than $4.2 billion.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, leaders of ministries, branches and Japanese officials attended the event to mark the beginning of construction on Sunday.

In a bid to increase the country's competitiveness and be prepared for the Asean Economic Community in 2015, the Information and Communications Technology Ministry has rolled out the 'Smart Thailand' strategy.

Smart Thailand is part of the national ICT framework called 'ICT2020', a development blueprint for the country that will lead and guide all parts of the economy, especially the government sector, to move forward with ICT development.

The future of modern cities is anchored in data.

In 1999, a new device called a “smart phone” was just starting to hit the market—and it was a revelation. Smart phones, from the Simon Personal Communicator, launched by IBM in 1994, to the Blackberry, to the Apple iPhone, effectively changed the way we receive and distribute information. With smart phones, users could store several gigs worth of files in their pocket, communicate quickly through text and predictive typing, and access breaking news at the click of a button.

This new umbrella program maximizes the effect of Information Communications Technology (ICT) to improve the Filipinos’ quality of life and spur economic growth, declared Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Mario G. Montejo.