Smart cities are powered by connected devices that monitor data to improve efficiency, sustainability and safety. Now that hardware, wireless components and cellular data plans are more readily affordable than ever before, deployment of these connected devices has never been simpler.
New York City initiated its smart city technology pilot program in 2020 by installing hundreds of sensors in each district to assist with services like waste collection and replace pay phone booths with wifi-enabled charging stations.
1. Energy efficiency
As 55% of the world’s population now resides in urban areas and that figure projected to increase to 68% within several decades, cities face daunting challenges managing environmental, social and economic sustainability for citizen welfare while remaining cost effective – smart technology provides an avenue towards this end.
Pollution sensors can alert citizens of air pollution, while intelligent traffic monitoring saves time searching for open parking meters and avoiding gridlock. Smart city utilities track water consumption and provide real-time snapshots, while adaptive lighting reduces electric costs and energy use in public spaces. Residents can also access this information through an integrated, democratized data portal so they can assess their own behavior.
2. Smart transportation
Cities must deliver quality-of-life benefits that meet citizens’ needs, such as energy, water, waste management and transportation issues.
Smart traffic signals and control sensors help optimize traffic flows and relieve congestion during peak hours, while smart parking meters enable drivers to find open spots more quickly.
Smart city technologies can also assist with air pollution reduction. Sensors can monitor emissions, helping people avoid driving in areas with poor air quality and reduce risk for respiratory disease and toxins. Another effective method is using smart trash tracking systems that encourage people to recycle more often and reuse material instead of disposing of it into landfills.
3. Smarter buildings
Smart buildings are essential components of any smart city project. By collecting data from multiple sources and communicating with external systems, they collect the intelligence required for predictive maintenance and energy savings.
Digital solutions often address practical and human concerns such as air quality, safety, and commute times. With an estimated 10-30 percent improvement, these digital solutions have the power to save lives while decreasing crime levels, decreasing environmental impacts, and creating more comfortable living experiences for citizens.
In order to meet these criteria, buildings must be capable of communicating with both other buildings and the outside world, while collecting, processing and interpreting its own data. One common way of doing this is with an integrated asset and workplace management system which streamlines communications while offering real time observability.
4. Smarter homes
Smart homes leverage ICT technologies to maximize energy efficiency, decrease carbon emissions and bolster home security – as well as to make living more sustainable and comfortable.
As more and more people live in cities, urban leaders face increasing pressure to ensure public safety, traffic management, waste disposal, energy resilience and sustainability for their local populations.
Smart city solutions are helping urban areas manage growth and enhance quality of life for their residents, yet it’s important to remember these technologies are new and may impact individuals differently, thus it is imperative for citizens to receive education on how these systems operate and what their impact may be on quality of life.
5. Smarter neighborhoods
Smart neighborhoods apply the same energy-saving principles used by cities but at a smaller scale. They help make everyday activities simpler and more convenient for their inhabitants.
Smart neighborhood LED street lights use less energy than their traditional counterparts and can be adjusted based on time of day, making it possible to reduce street light pollution without jeopardizing safety.
Smarter neighborhoods can also help to reduce carbon emissions by making it easier for residents to use alternative forms of transportation, thus benefitting both the environment and global efforts to tackle climate change.
6. Smarter communities
Smarter communities (also referred to as livable cities, sustainable cities and resilient cities) use technology to build responsive government that is productive, efficient, transparent and more engaged with its citizens. Furthermore, they promote environmental sustainability and close digital divide by using reliable connectivity solutions.
Many smarter communities prioritize sustainable transportation options that minimize carbon emissions and traffic congestion, using intelligent systems to maximize public transit, carpool networks and ridesharing services as alternatives to private cars. They also monitor driving laws pertaining to speeding, red-light violations or red-light running violations while other communities utilize connected street cameras and body cams so first responders can arrive faster when emergencies arise.