Debate around the social sustainability of urban communities is heating up. Cities are being challenged to guarantee inclusion and equitable access to essential resources and services and adjust urban design to improve safety and security.
During a panel discussion at the recent Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, the concept of making cities a home that people can appreciate was explored. According to Valentina Taddeo, marketing and communication leader at Paradox Engineering, a city becomes a home when it succeeds in making each resident feel a sense of familiarity, security and belonging.
At home the sense of familiarity derives from knowing where to find things, where the rooms are, how to move around even without switching on the lights, recognising objects, smells and atmosphere. When it comes to cities, it can derive from the data accumulated, processed and shared about services, facilities, and infrastructure. “Smart cities are harnessing the power of IoT applications by adding a layer of digital intelligence over a cityscape, deriving real-time data that should help local governments building a more transparent and data-driven governance,” said Taddeo. “Information sharing should be a priority in the government’s agenda: residents should know when a bus is coming, where public toilets or spaces dedicated to social gatherings are. Data can contribute to building more inclusive and familiar urban areas.”
When talking about security in the home, it’s mostly about locking doors, closing windows and installing cameras. IoT technologies can contribute to increasing the sense of security in cities. Take for instance intelligent street lighting: a well-lit road might prevent crimes from happening; a well-lit car park, with sensors and AI monitoring systems could deter crimes. Women walking alone at night should not have the feeling of being in danger or decide not to walk home because the streets are not safe. Having the opportunity to map their journey or find an emergency push button at street light poles could also be beneficial.
Finally, the sense of belonging comes from the personalisation of our homes, making them reflect our taste, habits, and needs. As much as we pride ourselves on our homes, we should be proud of our cities and become an active part of urban planning and design. “Local governments should sit at the table together with residents and plan not just for current but also future needs. The design phase plays an important role to make cities safer, but also to continually keep them tidy and attractive,” added Taddeo. “Again, IoT can come in handy. Through predictive analysis, for instance, smart waste could predict bins’ filling levels and optimise collection, contributing to cleaner, healthier and more sustainable cities that we can all take pride in”.
Cities can be the extended version of our homes as long as people acknowledge a sense of familiarity, security and belonging. IoT represents the enabling technology upon which local governments, together with the direct involvement of residents, should rely on to build and shape our cities. “The better conditions we create in our communities, the greater effects we have on the quality of life, so that our cities become more liveable, safer and homier,” added Taddeo.
About Paradox Engineering
Established in 2005 and headquartered in Switzerland, Paradox Engineering is the Internet of Things (IoT) Excellence Centre of MinebeaMitsumi Group. The company pioneers technologies to implement highly scalable IoT network solutions, from edge devices to management platforms, to control critical public services such as streetlighting, parking management, municipal waste collection, and environmental monitoring. Thanks to intelligent technology solutions, Paradox Engineering strives to unleash opportunities for people and communities, helping the transition towards more liveable, sustainable, and smarter cities.
For further information, please visit Paradox Engineering’s website.
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Quelle/Source: Cities Today, 15.11.2024
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