We live in a world where communications is a necessity and data is the new currency. The proof is that many of us find itt is impossible to leave home without a cell phone. Nowadays, we are used to having instant access to all the services and information we need. It is not surprising, therefore, that most cities want to become Smart City.
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The intelligent cities or Smart Cities have an excellent communications system. In fact, the basis of these types of cities is the use of data to improve the quality of life of their citizens. Although the process of technological adaptation is neither simple nor cheap, it boosts several aspects of the city. The economy, communication, tourism and administrative procedures are just some of them.
Increasing population density in the cities
According to the UN, 70% of the world's population will live in cities. This implies that more than 6 billion individuals will share habitats in these cities. Currently, this number reaches 3.6 billion, so the exponential increase in population is already a reality. This phenomenon is not limited to the richest countries, as developing countries will also experience it. The trend is, and will continue to be, to live in cities.
Taking advantage of this large human influx, smart cities enhance collaboration between the citizen and the government itself. They are much more open models that promote innovation, competitiveness and the attractiveness of the cities themselves. It is not only about serving the citizen, but also about improving its own services thanks to the data it generates.
Population urbanization is a challenge, especially in the area of sustainability. A large concentration of individuals implies a greater expenditure of resources and an increase in toxic emissions. This problem makes it more necessary than ever to move towards the smart model, since it improves the management of cities, including ecological aspects. Therefore, becoming a Smart City is a recommended process to cope with the large increase in population.
Key elements to become a Smart City
In order to improve the management of cities, it is necessary to modify the structure of government. In addition, it is necessary to adapt the communication processes and encourage the participation of public officials.
- Communication and connectivity. The hyperconnectivity endemic to the Smart City must ensure communication between civil society and government. It is therefore not surprising that these cities rely heavily on ICT. A Smart City must not only have Wi-Fi networks, but must also offer access to all types of procedures via the Internet. Hyperconnectivity makes it possible to provide citizens with all the data they need.
- Big Data. Everything we do on the Internet is recorded, and this is also true for IoT devices connected to the network. Sensors make it possible to monitor various aspects in order to adapt economic and social policies. In addition, Big Data makes it possible to find out how and why people congregate in specific places. This is essential for establishing strategies at the public policy level. However, the privacy of citizens must not be forgotten.
- Sustainability. Smart tools are essential to ensure environmental sustainability. Environmental IoT, for example, is a technology based on sensors and connected devices that optimizes waste management. It also has applications in the world of agriculture and in the energy sector. This element promotes renewable energies and the saving of non-renewable energies, among other things. Another key factor of the Smart City is that it must encourage citizen participation to improve sustainability.
- Mobility. Public transportation is essential in any city. Mobility allows all inhabitants to move around without problems and encourages a reduction in the use of private vehicles. Therefore, this aspect is beneficial for both citizens and the environment. In this sense, to become a Smart City it is necessary to ensure the automation, electrification and connectivity of public transport.
Benefits of smart cities
Smart Cities have several advantages over conventional cities. They guarantee Internet connection, but this is only a superficial aspect of this type of population. All the benefits described below are interrelated and therefore feed back on each other:
- Smart government. Smart cities have a much more versatile public administration. They have control of data related to the city's infrastructure, which allows them to make the best decisions when it comes to managing budgets and actions. In addition, IoT sensors established in the city make it easier to check the condition of public assets. Smart government can, in short, set priorities much more easily.
- Resource optimization. By being hyper-connected and taking advantage of IoT technology, these cities can allocate the right and necessary economic resources for each purpose. Among many other aspects, the control of the city's lighting and energy consumption in general is maintained through a smart power grid or Smart Grid. Another example is Smart Water technology, which manages the city's drinking water to avoid losses and maximize savings.
- Environmental improvement. A direct consequence of advances in sustainability. There are many smart devices to protect the environment. These include air quality stations, power grids connected to wind farms, solar panels, light sensors or smart traffic lights that adapt to the frequency of traffic.
- Habitability. One of the primary objectives of the Smart City is to ensure citizen comfort. Therefore, and in relation to the previous points, these cities tend to be safer, have green spaces and clean and efficient garbage collection areas, etc. All this makes them the ideal target for new inhabitants, who contribute to improving the city itself, since it is fed by data and citizen participation.
Intelligent management to ensure the conversion to Smart City
To become a Smart City, cities must integrate an intelligent management system to manage their infrastructure. It is technology that must offer almost total control of the factors that affect and modify the city. In this way, it will be possible to meet the objectives set out above.
Following a strategic plan, ensuring smart government leadership and using the most appropriate tools is vital to ensure that cities are smart. It is important that public sector professionals undergo a retraining process to adapt to smart management technology. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the agents required for a city to become a Smart City. The main ones are urban services, technology companies, public institutions, universities and entrepreneurial companies.
Once the analysis of the needs to become a Smart City has been carried out, we can start the project. It must be remembered, however, that the development towards a smart model is progressive and takes time. It is preferable to undertake this process gradually so as not to make mistakes and not to violate the privacy of citizens.