SMART CITY MODEL

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_city

A smart city is a technologically modern urban area that uses different types

of electronic methods, voice activation 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. This includes data collected from citizens,
devices, buildings and assets that is processed and analyzed to monitor and manage traffic and
transportation systems, power plants, utilities, water supply networks, waste, crime detection,
[1]
 information systems, schools, libraries, hospitals, and other community services.[2]
[3]
 Smart cities are defined as smart both in the ways in which their governments harness technology
as well as in how they monitor, analyze, plan, and govern the city.[4]
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.[5][6] 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.[7] Smart city applications are developed to manage urban flows and allow for real-
time responses.[8] A smart city may therefore be more prepared to respond to challenges than one
with a conventional "transactional" relationship with its citizens.[9][10] Yet, the term itself remains
unclear in its specifics and therefore, open to many interpretations.[11]

Terminology[edit]
Due to the breadth of technologies that have been implemented under the smart city label, it is
difficult to distill a precise definition of a smart city. Deakin and Al Waer[12] list four factors that
contribute to the definition of a smart city:

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

and cities.
2. The use of ICT to transform life and working environments within the region.
3. The embedding of such Information and Communications Technologies in
government systems.
4. 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.[13] 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.
Alternative definitions include:

 Business Dictionary: "A developed urban area that creates sustainable economic
development and high quality of life by excelling in multiple key areas; economy,
mobility, environment, people, living, and government. Excelling in these key areas can
be done so through strong human capital, social capital, and/or ICT infrastructure."[14][when?]
  Caragliu and Nijkamp 2009: "A city can be defined as 'smart' when investments in
human and social capital and traditional (transport) and modern (ICT) communication
infrastructure fuel sustainable economic development and a high quality of life, with a
wise management of natural resources, through participatory action and engagement."[15]
 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, UK 2023: "The concept is not static,
there is no absolute definition of a smart city, no end point, but rather a process, or
series of steps, by which cities become more 'liveable' and resilient and, hence, able to
respond more quickly to new challenges."[16]
 European Commission : "A smart city is a place where traditional networks and services
are made more efficient with the use of digital solutions for the benefit of its inhabitants
and business."
 Frost & Sullivan 2014: "We identified eight key aspects that define a smart city: smart
governance, smart energy, smart building, smart mobility, smart infrastructure, smart
technology, smart healthcare and smart citizen."[17]
 Giffinger et al. 2007: "Regional competitiveness, transport and Information and
Communication Technologies economics, natural resources, human and social capital,
quality of life, and participation of citizens in the governance of cities."[18]
 Indian Government 2015: "Smart city offers sustainability in terms of economic activities
and employment opportunities to a wide section of its residents, regardless of their level
of education, skills or income levels."[19]
 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers smart Cities: "A smart city brings
together technology, government and society to enable the following characteristics:
smart cities, a smart economy, smart mobility, a smart environment, smart people, smart
living, smart governance."[when?]
 Smart Cities Council[when?]: "A smart city is one that has digital technology
embedded[20] across all city functions."[21][full citation needed]

Characteristics[edit]
It has been suggested that a smart city (also community, business cluster, urban agglomeration or
region) uses information technologies to:

1. 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.[22]
2. Engage effectively with local governance officials by use of open
innovation processes and e-participation, improving the collective intelligence of the
city's institutions through e-governance,[8] with emphasis placed on citizen
participation and co-design.[23][24]
3. Learn, adapt and innovate and thereby respond more effectively and promptly to
changing circumstances by improving the intelligence of the city.[8][25]
They evolve towards a strong integration of all dimensions of human intelligence, collective
intelligence, and also artificial intelligence within the city.[26][27] The intelligence of cities "resides in the
increasingly effective combination of digital telecommunication networks (the nerves),
ubiquitously embedded intelligence (the brains), sensors and tags (the sensory organs),
and software (the knowledge and cognitive competence)".[28]
These forms of intelligence in smart cities have been demonstrated in three ways:
Bletchley Park often considered to be the first smart community.

1. Orchestration intelligence:[8] Where 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.[29]
2. 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.[30]

Hong Kong Cyberport 1 and Cyberport 2 Buildings

3. Instrumentation intelligence: Where 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.[31] This is realized through:[8]
0. A common IP infrastructure that is open to researchers to develop
applications.
1. Wireless meters and devices transmit information at the point in
time.
2. A number of homes being provided with smart energy meters to
become aware of energy consumption and reduce energy usage.
3. Solar power garbage compactors, car recharging
stations and energy saving lamps.
Some major fields of intelligent city activation are:
 Innovation economy Urban infrastructure Governance

Innovation in industries, clusters, Administration services to

Transport
districts of a city the citizen

Knowledge workforce: Education Participatory and direct

Energy / Utilities
and employment democracy

Creation of knowledge-intensive Protection of the Services to the citizen:

companies environment / Safety Quality of life

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."[32]

Data collection[edit]
Smart cities have been conceptualized using the OSI model of 'layer' abstractions. Smart cities are
constructed by connecting the city's public infrastructure with city application systems and passing
collected data through three layers, the perception layer, the network layer and the application layer.
City application systems then use data to make better decisions when controlling different city
infrastructures. The perception layer is where data is collected across the smart city using sensors.
This data could be collected through sensors such as cameras, RFID, or GPS positioning. The
perception layer sends data it collects using wireless transmissions to the network layer. The
network layer is responsible for transporting collected data from the perception layer to the
application layer. The network layer utilizes a city's communication infrastructure to send data
meaning it can be intercepted by attackers and must be held responsible for keeping collected data
and information private. The application layer is responsible for processing the data received from
network layer. The application layer uses the data it processes to make decisions on how to control
the city infrastructure based on the data it receives.[33][34]

Frameworks[edit]
The creation, integration, and adoption of smart city capabilities require a unique set of frameworks
to realize the focus areas of opportunity and innovation central to smart city projects. The
frameworks can be divided into 5 main dimensions which include numerous related categories of
smart city development:[35]

Technology framework[edit]
A smart city relies heavily on the deployment of technology. Different combinations of technological
infrastructure interact to form the array of smart city technologies with varying levels of interaction
between human and technological systems.[36]

 Digital: A service oriented infrastructure is required to connect individuals and devices in

a smart city. These include innovation services and communication infrastructure.
 Yovanof, G. S. & Hazapis, G. N. define a digital city as "a connected community that
combines broadband communications infrastructure; a flexible, service-oriented
computing infrastructure based on open industry standards; and, innovative services to
meet the needs of governments and their employees, citizens and businesses."[37]
 Intelligent: 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.[1]
 Ubiquitous: A ubiquitous 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.[38]
 Wired: 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.[39] 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.[40][41]
 Hybrid: A hybrid city is the combination of a physical conurbation and a virtual
city related to the physical space. This relationship can be one of virtual design or the
presence of a critical mass of virtual community participants in a physical urban space.
Hybrid spaces can serve to actualize future-state projects for smart city services and
integration.[42]
 Information city: The multiplicity of interactive devices in a smart city generates a large
quantity of data. How that information is interpreted and stored is critical to Smart city
growth and security.[43]
Human framework[edit]
Smart city initiatives have measurable positive impacts on the quality of life of its citizens and
visitors.[44] The human framework of a smart city – its economy, knowledge networks, and human
support systems – is an important indicator of its success.[45]

 Creativity: Arts and culture initiatives are common focus areas in smart city planning.[46]
[47]
 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.[48][49]
 Learning: Since mobility is a key area of Smart city development, building a capable
workforce through education initiatives is necessary.[45] A city's learning capacity includes
its education system, including available workforce training and support, and its cultural
development and exchange.[50]
 Humanity: Numerous Smart city programs focus on soft infrastructure development, like
increasing access to voluntary organizations and designated safe zones.[51] This focus on
social and relational capital means diversity, inclusion, and ubiquitous access to public
services is worked in to city planning.[41]
 Knowledge: The development of a knowledge economy is central to Smart city projects.
[52]
 Smart cities seeking to be hubs of economic activity in emerging tech and service
sectors stress the value of innovation in city development.[41]
Institutional framework[edit]
According to Moser, M. A.,[50] since the 1990s, the smart communities movement took shape as a
strategy to broaden the base of users involved in IT. 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. Eger, J. M.[53] said that a smart community makes a conscious and agreed-upon decision to
deploy technology as a catalyst to solving its social and business needs. It is very important to
understand that this use of IT and the consequent improvement could be more demanding without
the institutional help; indeed institutional involvement is essential to the success of smart community
initiatives. Again Moser, M. A.[50] 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. However, it is important to note that technological propagation is not
an end in itself, but only a means to reinventing cities for a new economy and society. To sum up, it
is possible to assert that any smart city initiatives necessitate the government's support for their
success.
The importance of these three different dimensions is that only a link among them can make
possible the development of a real smart city concept. According to the definition of smart city given
by Caragliu, A., Del Bo, C., & Nijkamp, P., a city is smart when investments in human/social capital
and IT infrastructure fuel sustainable growth and enhance quality of life, through participatory
governance.[54]

Energy framework[edit]
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. It also
means that the city has a smarter energy infrastructure. More formally, a smart city is: "An urban
area that has securely integrated technology across the information ... and Internet of Things (IoT)
sectors to better manage a city’s assets."[55] 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 consume.[56]
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.[57]

Data Management framework[edit]

Smart cities employ a combination of data collection, processing, and disseminating technologies in
conjunction with networking and computing technologies and data security and privacy measures
encouraging the application of innovation to promote the overall quality of life for its citizens and
covering dimensions that include: utilities, health, transportation, entertainment and government
services.[58]

Roadmap[edit]
A smart city roadmap consists of four/three (the first is a preliminary check) major components:[3][59]

1. Define exactly what is the community: maybe that definition can condition what you
are doing in the subsequent steps; it relates to geography, links between cities and
countryside and flows of people between them; maybe – even – that in some
Countries the definition of City/community that is stated does not correspond
effectively to what – in fact – happens in real life.
2. Study the Community: Before deciding to build a smart city, first we need to know
why. This can be done by determining the benefits of such an initiative. Study the
 community to know the citizens, the business's needs – know the citizens and the
community's unique attributes, such as the age of the citizens, their education,
hobbies, and attractions of the city.
3. Develop a smart city Policy: Develop a policy to drive the initiatives, where roles,
responsibilities, objective, and goals, can be defined. Create plans and strategies on
how the goals will be achieved.
4. Engage The Citizens: This can be done by engaging the citizens through the use
of e-government initiatives, open data, sport events, etc.
In short, People, Processes, and Technology (PPT) are the three principles of the success of a
smart city initiative. Cities must study their citizens and communities, know the processes, business
drivers, create policies, and objectives to meet the citizens' needs. Then, technology can be
implemented to meet the citizens' need, in order to improve the quality of life and create real
economic opportunities. This requires a holistic customized approach that accounts for city cultures,
long-term city planning, and local regulations.
"Whether to improve security, resiliency, sustainability, traffic congestion, public safety, or city
services, each community may have different reasons for wanting to be smart. But all smart
communities share common attributes—and they all are powered by smart connections and by our
industry's smarter energy infrastructure. A smart grid is the foundational piece in building a smart
community." – Pat Vincent-Collawn, chairman of the Edison Electric Institute and president and CEO
of PNM Resources.[60]

History[edit]
The idea and existence of smart cities is relatively new. Following in the path of "Wired Cities" and
"Intelligent Cities", the concept of the smart city is focused on a city’s use of ICT in urban problem-
solving. The use of computational statistical analysis by the Community Analysis Bureau in Los
Angeles in the late 1960's[61] and the establishment by Singapore of the National Computer Board in
1981 are cited as among the earliest cybernetic interventions into urban planning.[62] IBM (which
counts among its founding patents a method for mechanical tabulation of population statistics for
the United States Census Bureau in 1897), launched its “Smarter Cities” marketing initiative in 2008.
[63]
 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. In 2021, The People's Republic of
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".[64] As time goes on the percentage of smart cities in the worlds will keep increasing, and by
2050, up to 70% of the world's population is expected to inhabit a city.[65]

Policies[edit]
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. City diplomacy in the context of a smart city is highly stimulated by knowledge, creativity,
and innovations[66]
The European Union (EU) has devoted constant efforts to devising a strategy for achieving
'smart' urban growth for its metropolitan city-regions.[67][68] The EU has developed a range of
programmes under "Europe's Digital Agenda".[69] In 2010, it highlighted its focus on strengthening
innovation and investment in ICT services for the purpose of improving public services and quality of
life.[68] Arup estimates that the global market for smart urban services will be $400 billion per annum
by 2020.[70]
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.[71]

Technologies[edit]
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.
Mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablets) are another key technology allowing citizens to
connect to the smart city services.[72][73][74]
Smart cities also rely on smart homes and specifically, the technology used in them.[75][76][77][78][79]
Bicycle-sharing systems are an important element in smart cities.[80]
Smart mobility is also important to smart cities.[81]
Intelligent transportation systems and CCTV[82] systems are also being developed.
Digital libraries have been established in several smart cities.[83][84][85][86]
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.
[87][88]

Additional supporting technology and trends include remote work,[89][90][91] telehealth,[92]

[93]
 the blockchain,[94][95] fintech,[96] online banking technology,[97]
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.[12]
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[98] but can even be done by means of ANPR camera's connected to the bollard
system.[99]
Energy Data Management Systems (EDMS) can help to save cities energy by recording data and
using it to increase efficiency.[100]

Cost-benefit analysis of smart city technologies[edit]

Cost-benefit analysis has been done into smart cities and the individual technologies. These can
help to assess whether it is economically and ecologically beneficial to implement some
technologies at all, and also compare the cost-effectiveness of each technology among each other[101]
[102][103][104]

Commercialization[edit]
Large IT, telecommunication and energy management companies such
as Apple, Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, Huawei, Google, Microsoft, Cisco, IBM, and Schneider
Electric launched market initiatives for intelligent cities.

 Baidu is working on Apollo, a self-driving technology[105]

 Alibaba has created the City Brain[106][107]
 Tencent is working on medical technology,[105] such as WeChat Intelligent Healthcare,
Tencent Doctorwork, and AI Medical Innovation System (AIMIS)[108]
 Huawei has its Safe City Compact Solution which focuses on improving safety in cities[109]
[110][111]

 Google's subsidiary Sidewalk Labs is focusing on smart cities

 Microsoft has CityNext[112]
 Cisco, launched the global "Intelligent Urbanization" initiative[113] to help cities using the
network as the fourth utility for integrated city management, better quality of life for
citizens, and economic development.
 IBM announced its Smarter Cities Challenge[114] to stimulate economic growth and quality
of life in cities and metropolitan areas with the activation of new approaches of thinking
and acting in the urban ecosystem.
 Schneider Electric is working on EcoStruxure[115][116]
 Sensor developers and startup companies[clarification needed] are also continually developing new
smart city applications.

Research[edit]
University research labs developed prototypes for intelligent cities.

 IGLUS is an action research project led by EPFL focused on

developing governance systems for urban infrastructures. IGLUS announced
a MOOC through Coursera.[117]
 MIT Smart Cities Lab[118] focuses upon intelligent, sustainable buildings, mobility systems
(GreenWheel electric bicycle, mobility on demand, CityCar, Wheel Robots);
 the IntelCities[119] research consortium for electronic government, planning systems and
citizen participation; URENIO developed intelligent city platforms for the innovation
economy[120] focusing on strategic intelligence, technology transfer, collaborative
innovation, and incubation, while it promotes intelligent cities research and planning;[121]
 the Smart Cities Academic Network[122] is working on e-governance and e-services in the
North Sea region.
 The MK:Smart project[123] is focusing on issues of sustainable energy use, water
use and transport infrastructure alongside exploring how to promote citizen
engagement[124] alongside educating citizens about smart cities.[125][126]
 Laboratory for AI, Machine Learning, Business & Data Analytics (LAMBDA) at Tel Aviv
University focuses on Digital Life, Smart Transportation and Human Mobility Patterns in
smart Cities.[127]
 Research journals in this area include the UK IET Smart Cities, which was launched in
2018.[128]

Criticism[edit]
See also: Surveillance issues in smart cities

The criticisms of smart cities revolve around:[22]

 A bias in strategic interest may lead to ignoring non-ICT centered modes of promising
urban development.[129]
 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".[130]
 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.[131]
 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."[22]
 The high level of big data collection and analytics has raised questions
regarding surveillance in smart cities, particularly as it relates to predictive policing.
 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.[132]
 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.[133]
 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.[134]
 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.[135]
 Digitalization can have a significant environmental footprint and there is potential for the
externalization of environmental costs onto outside communities.[136][137][138]
 Smart city can be used as a slogan only for land revenue generation, especially in the
Global South.[139]

 Carfree city
 Career-oriented social networking market
 Connected car
 Community-driven development
 Eco-cities
 Energy informatics
 Global brain
 Government by algorithm
 Intelligent environment
 Intelligent transportation system
 Municipal wireless network
 Net metering
 Pervasive informatics
 Planned community
 Resilient city
 Short food supply chains
  Smart grid
 Smart highway
 Smart port
 Smart village
 Sustainable city
 Urban computing
 Urban farming
 Urban informatics
 Urban vitality
 Vertical farming

https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/faqs/what-is-a-smart-city

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
Click the links below to skip to the section in the guide:

 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 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.
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:

1. 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
2. Inegrity – The data must not only be readily available, but it must also be
accurate. This also means safeguarding against manipulation from outside
3. 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
 4. 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 [email protected] to find out more.