A lot of cities have this mistaken notion that if they automate some of their internal processes like business permits and licensing, they now join the ranks of cities considered to be smart. They may have taken the first step towards becoming one, but their journey still has a long way to go. It usually is not a smooth journey, with a lot of iterations along the way but the end goal will always have a lasting impact on the constituents if done properly. And if the city leaders think it is just about technology and should be delegated to their ICT staff, they are terribly wrong.
Digital connectivity plays a very important role in the cities’ journey. It is the platform necessary to enable their constituents to access services virtually, develop a digital culture that would allow them to take advantage of opportunities resulting from digitalization, and allow the cities to easily implement sustainability initiatives.
Is the platform revolution turning what we though we knew about smart cities on its head, and will it ultimately determine the future of urbanism?
That question was addressed by a panel of experts and policy makers during the Festival of Urbanism last week.
Audience members heard that digital platforms – like fast delivery services, Uber, AirBnb, social media, online gaming and location apps – are changing not only how cities function and are organised, but how citizens interact with them.
Citizens and governments will be connected in ways that we’ve never seen before. IoT will deliver huge opportunities and benefits to smart cities, but this level of interconnectivity will also bring its own set of challenges.
Smart cities, defined as areas in which technology is used for the betterment of an urban area, are already being utilized around the world to improve quality of life, efficiency, and reduce costs.
Weiterlesen: Smart Cities Are Already Online, And Getting Smarter
Besides saving energy and reducing costs, smart street lighting can provide a backbone for innovative and cutting-edge IoT city deployments.
Local governments are interested in smart city deployments and growth; the SmartAmerica Growth challenge estimates that local administrations will invest more than $40 trillion over the next two decades in internet-of-things technology for smart cities. And cities like New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Seattle are already heavily invested in smart city programs that focus on waste management, community engagement and reducing energy costs.
Weiterlesen: Can smart streetlights kick-start smart city progress? Yes, they can.
As continuing urbanization places further pressure on infrastructure, space and the environment, the successful cities of tomorrow are likely to harness smart technology to become intuitive entities, able to respond quickly to the evolving behavioral patterns and needs of citizens.
Cities are hubs of innovation and economic growth, but many are beset by strained infrastructure, polluted environments and growing social division. Pre-pandemic, research from the UN indicated that 68 percent of the world’s population were expected to live in urban areas by 2050, but changing attitudes to work and life are powering the big remote – urging individuals to reconsider their kinship with larger cities (1).