Smart city solutions generally refer to digital technology and policies to improve life quality and comfort levels in expanding city landscapes. As populations increase, so must technological advancements and applications in different sectors for smooth and sustainable smart city development. We discuss the key elements of a smart city and how you can implement information and communication technologies to improve living standards and overall citizen processes.
Cities designed solely around expanding infrastructure without incorporating nature can harm the environment and significantly reduce the quality of life. All living necessities must be met with a focus on sustainability when considering buildings and resources in urban planning. We must pay attention to preserving and incorporating the environment into existing city structures. Areas requiring the most protection include parks and reserves where citizens can escape for socialisation and recharge in nature.
Prioritising designing areas where people can use sustainable transport methods like walking, cycling, or public transport will minimise the need for personal vehicle use, reducing subsequent air and traffic pollution. The key elements of a smart city must centre on solutions like renewable energy sources, the implementation of bicycle and pedestrian paths, and clean water systems for environmental protection in an everchanging city. The balance of economic and ecological creates a balanced lifestyle where neither must be compromised.
To ensure the happiness and welfare of all citizens, fundamental rights and properties such as healthcare, employment, and education must be readily available and accessible. Safety procedures like emergency response services and monitoring software provide protection and security for citizens in critical areas or scenarios. When citizens in a community flourish and have opportunities to thrive, they can connect and communicate using technology to interact with each other and their surroundings.
Opportunities created on a social level can promote the inclusivity of all cultures; diversity improves the community experience. By encouraging opposing views and opinions, citizens can draw on the richness of their different lived experiences and undergo continuous learning from each other’s culture to create a tolerant and welcoming society. An intelligent and productive society is created when all individuals are treated with respect and given fundamental welfare and rights.
A growing population involves the large-scale movement and mobility of individuals. Key elements of a smart city include the appropriate network infrastructure and the incorporation of intelligent traffic management systems. These elements allow increased mobility and traffic tracking for streamlined movement processes of public transportation and private vehicle management.
Integrated payment methods in public transportation and innovative road sensors provide convenient commuter processes during their journey and allow for easy planning when viewing accurate arrival and departure timings. Smart radar and tracking sensors for traffic monitoring via real-time data offer in-depth information on volume, occupancy, and traffic trend predictions based on historical data. Smart cities must also focus on environmentally friendly options, such as renewable or alternative fuel resources. These resources provide efficient transportation services while protecting the environment.
Access to open initiatives allows citizens to participate in the decision-making process and have a say in how a city runs, creating civic consciousness and a sense of belonging amongst the people. Financial and moral support should be given to all to boost local talent and support innovative projects. Everyone must have an equal opportunity to succeed.
Combining all key elements of a smart city is crucial to establish a fundamental infrastructure focused on sustainability and convenience. The process of creating a smart city starts with understanding these key elements. Contact Smart City for more information on beginning your journey today.
The use of smart devices and technology is expanding each year, increasing interconnectivity and data exchanges on a large scale. Not only does sensitive and personal data exist locally on physical devices, but it is also available remotely via cloud services in NZ. This rapid hyperconnectivity between personal devices and technology infrastructures increases the risk of data breaches and security issues.
Sensitive data must be stored, archived, duplicated, and destroyed carefully to ensure complete security for all parties involved. We discuss cyber risks and the security smart cities need for the safety of their residents. Continue reading to learn more!
Cybersecurity must evolve in line with the advances in smart city technology to protect users and the wider infrastructure. Much of the data collected daily is private and sensitive, concerning the citizens’ personal lives. This personal nature poses significant challenges and risks to ensure no data breaches, which can cause permanent damage. If smart cities are not vigilant in employing cyber security measures, there can be many areas of vulnerability.
Attackers can infiltrate and render vital software inoperable or use it for malicious acts. These consequences could be devastating and are not limited to the breach of sensitive data. There is a potential financial impact and disruption of essential city services like healthcare, law enforcement, and transportation. These disruptions can potentially uproot societal balance and destroy economic systems irrevocably.
A smart city needs an all-rounded approach to tackle smart city security matters for protection and smooth operation in any situation.
Smart cities must use adaptive platforms that manage connections and authenticate identities accurately on a device-based level, cloud services, and connected networks.
User-based privacy settings allow users to control how their data is accessed and by whom.
For example, they have complete control of their medical records and can choose to provide access to specific medical professionals, restricting their ability to store said data. If the user revokes access, others can no longer view the data.
Behavioural analytics and artificial intelligence for scenario planning and mapping out simulations based on active events and external databases help governments gauge a response strategy to potential cyberattacks.
A skilled and experienced cyber forensic role is vital for maintaining a smart city’s cybersecurity strategies. A strong security team must have specialists well-versed in the relationship between physical and digital infrastructural systems. This understanding helps trace threats back to the source and prevent the spread of attacks. Governments and cities must devise methods to spread awareness and retain skilled workers.
Smart City is New Zealand’s leading provider of futuristic solutions. We integrate intelligent devices and specialised software to create a better life for many. Talk to our smart city consultants about how you can implement future-proof technology while staying safe and protecting your citizens. Future-proof your city today with Smart City.
Smart devices and other technologies continue to shape our everyday. Just look at your home. You may find your place stocked with intelligent devices such as smart lightbulbs, smart speakers, smart thermostats, and more. Now that technologies are becoming more sophisticated and the Internet of Things continues to expand, the trend for intelligent spaces extends beyond our homes to entire cities.
According to McKinsey research published in TechRepublic, the smart city industry is projected to generate 60% of the world’s GDP by 2025 – all made possible by the key technologies that run a smart city. We look at the future of smart cities and what technology trends we believe will transform the way people live and how societies run.
The future of smart cities will look into more technologies that reduce congestion and the cost of monitoring parking, investing in multi-modal transportation, smart traffic lights, and smart parking. By making parking smarter, people will spend less time circling city blocks to look for parking. Smart traffic lights will have built-in cameras that can monitor traffic flow. Intelligent traffic systems that use sensors to collect data about the movement of people will reduce pollution, traffic, and vehicle-related accidents, resulting in a healthier population.
IoT devices tie everything together in a smart city. Fusing sensor information and third-party social networks will create the data that makes a smart city work. The future of smart cities will have more sophisticated IoT devices that can help manage the resources of a megacity population. For example, smart bins with smart sensors can report how full the bins are in real-time, which means trash collectors don’t have to waste time travelling to collect only half-full bins.
The future of the smart city will include technology-driven smart city solutions that provide predictive analytics that may help identify areas that need repair and maintenance work before an infrastructure failure happens. These smart sensors can transmit data showing any structural changes such as tilts and cracks and notify personnel that there’s a need for inspection. Cities will be able to plan better with their ability to analyse relevant data on infrastructure, enabling proactive maintenance and better planning for future demand.
The rise of home solar power systems, electric vehicles, hardware, and software technology will allow better grid management for smart cities. Buildings and homes can monitor energy usage actively and report this data to utilities to reduce their costs, leading to lower pollution and better efficiency. In Schenectady, New York, LED street lights automatically adjust based on real-time data. Homes in Amsterdam are equipped with smart energy meters designed to incentivise reduced energy consumption. Smart grids, smart metres, and prepaid energy applications will also pave the way for outage detection.
More and more people are living in cities. According to the UN, 68% of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050. This entails growing environmental, societal, and economic challenges. We can overcome these challenges by creating smarter cities with technologies that enable us to improve our quality of life.
Smart City is moving towards this shift by using smart technologies that help create a better everyday life for citizens. Our smart technologies help city heads with smart city planning, leveraging on with technologies that promote sustainability, public safety, energy efficiency, and overall improved quality of life. To learn more about our products and services, contact us today.
With populations rising, the need for urbanisation also increases. That is why our cities are now turning to technology to manage resources effectively and improve the quality of life of their citizens. At Smart City, we innovate smart city devices and offer smart city solutions that aim to improve different areas of the city - public safety, energy efficiency, transportation, and more. We run down what our smart city devices are and how they help transform the way people live and work.
Imagine if your trash bin could talk and tell you that it’s already full. With our Smart Bin, you don’t have to because it does exactly that. We have developed a technology that enables intelligent waste monitoring and rubbish compacting. This way, we can improve the city’s air quality, ease traffic, and reduce our carbon footprint. With the Smart City Bin, your city can lower rubbish collection costs while reducing litter and pollution using solar-powered energy. How? The smart bin has solar panels on its surface that make it self-sufficient. It is equipped with a system that collects data and displays the bin's fullness. Collection officers can use this data to decide the best time to empty the smart bins. Rubbish trucks no longer have to be on the streets all the time, which reduces traffic congestion, air pollution, and the use of petrol.
While typical benches offer people a place to sit and relax, our smart benches help you remain productive even while you’re resting. Smart City has developed a solar-powered bench seat designed to form smarter and more sustainable cities. Smart City’s Smart Bench features USB charging ports that enable you to charge your phones and other various types of wearable devices using only solar energy. Our smart bench also provides a free WiFi connection to help you stay connected with your peers and colleagues. Lastly, it has built-in sensors that provide relevant data of the city’s air quality and movement of people.
Smart Radar is a multi-lane, multi-vehicle tracking system that can detect over 250 vehicles all at the same time for up to 10 lanes of traffic, regardless of weather conditions. It can classify road users into seven different classes – pedestrians, bikes, passenger cars, motorcycles, people movers, trucks or buses, and long trucks. How does this technology help with cities? Equipped with accurate and ultra-high-definition sensors, it can report misalignment and interference and can also detect rain. Smart Radar utilises discreet and non-intrusive technology that allows roads to become more manageable and have safer intersections and highways.
Due to the rising number of vehicles on New Zealand roads, we have innovated a product that helps improve traffic operating systems. The BRAUMS Intelligent Outstation features several applications, including travel time calculation, street-lighting control, and more. It provides traffic delay and incident information via an application running on a phone or tablet so that road users can make informed decisions to improve their journeys. Our Smart Outstation can improve wait times, traffic flow, energy efficiency, and road safety. Working alongside the Smart Radar, roads and highways become safer, and traffic becomes more manageable.
There's no denying that smart technology is the key to relieving and solving common city problems related to traffic, public safety, and energy efficiency. And now, thanks to smart city devices and IoT solutions, smart cities aren’t just a concept or a dream of the future. We are already on our way to expanding technologies to connect better, improve infrastructure, and boost the efficiencies of our cities. Eager to learn more? Contact us today.
The terms, ‘smart cities,’ and ‘sustainability’ often come intertwined; smart city planning involves implementing eco-friendly projects that improve the quality of life within the township while respecting the environment. Smart cities can use information and communication technology to collect data, optimise activities, and improve management, enabling cities to react and offer solutions to specific problems. From recycling garbage to form compost to treating sewage water for construction or cleaning purposes, there are many ways smart cities can promote sustainability.
Eco or sustainable cities stand out for their features: smart management, mobility, green housing, and smart economy. A smart city can claim that it's sustainable when its overall goal is to improve urban services and utilise technology to answer the economic, social, and ecological challenges of the city while reducing costs.
With the rise of global warming, the greenhouse effect, and trash in the ocean, smart cities are finding ways to minimise CO2 footprint and provide alternatives to shrink cities’ ecological impact. From creating energy-efficient buildings and implementing smart waste management systems to sourcing renewable energy, reducing carbon footprint has become the main driver behind developing smart and sustainable cities. Here are more examples of how smart cities promote sustainability:
There are many more ways that smart cities offer a more sustainable approach when improving aspects of urban living. And as the world’s population continues to rise, with the majority of individuals living in urban environments, sustainability has become a focal point for forward-thinking cities.
At Smart City, we use smart technologies to improve sustainability and transform the way communities live and work. We also have progressive consultants and developers who can help with smart city initiatives to create a more conscious and sustainable future for the citizens and the planet. To learn more about our products, contact us today.
In the digital age, cities are increasingly embracing smart technologies and innovations. Around the world, smart city programmes combine IT with internet-connected devices, from waste management to smart sensors, which can improve and streamline city management. However, along with the awesome opportunities that smart cities bring, there are also challenges. In this blog post, we will look at some of the opportunities and challenges that are arising as a result of smart city development. Read more below.
Like any project, there are some challenges that have come about as a result of smart city development. Here are a few of the biggest challenges of smart cities.
Most people would like to benefit from smart city projects and enjoy higher levels of safety, lower crime rates, and in general, a better quality of life. The price they are asked to pay, though, may feel invasive and perhaps threatening. Surveillance cameras installed on every city corner may prevent speeding and other violations but knowing that “big brother is watching” can leave people feeling uneasy.
Security challenges in smart cities are the reason why many people are sceptical about smart city projects. IoT devices are essentially security loopholes. The growing number of IoT sensors and the increased interconnectivity of mutually interdependent siloes of city infrastructure raises rightful concerns. If the security standards remain unchanged, cybercriminals could one day shut down an entire city.
Fortunately, tech companies are creating smart cities solutions based on big data analytics — blockchain and encryption technologies that are designed to handle more sophisticated cyber-attacks. Smart city developers are investing in these new generation security systems to eliminate threats.
Important challenges faced by legislators include finding workable policies to regulate stakeholders, unleashing economic development, maintaining benefits for the city’s population, and permitting growth in research-and-development investment. Getting participants to share their personal data and balancing trade-offs is also a challenge for many policymakers.
So, what problems do smart cities solve? Opportunities in smart cities are abound in a world where emerging tech trends like AI, IoT, and machine learning are transforming our daily lives.
A smart city means greater access to technology for all, lifting the digital literacy of our country amid a technological age, thus creating jobs in smart sectors, and directing our country’s focus toward continuous innovation. Again, the economic repercussions of this are significant and should not be overlooked. Smart cities are a modern way of stimulating the job market and perpetrating growth in the public and private sectors.
With a more connected city, data can be more freely created and shared. A city that can utilise such data is a city set up to cultivate growth and innovation. This enlightened approach to data can help companies learn more about what makes life easier or more enjoyable for everyday people, and local councils can understand how to improve their cities and the lives of their inhabitants more effectively. Most importantly, with the increasing commodification of data, infrastructure, and energy, our economy could reach beyond its current limits into a well of currently untapped digital resources.
A smart city means a more connected and more efficient city than ever before. Think clean, renewable energy, faster broadband, and even automated services that work more reliably. Think of a city that works more like a digital ecosystem, one that can change and adapt alongside the ebbs and flows of the public itself. A smart city, in effect, is a key with which New Zealand can unlock its technological potential and lead the world in contemporary innovation.
Our Smart City consultants are leading the shift towards cities of the future by using smart technology to improve public safety, energy efficiency, sustainability, and overall quality of life. We use smart devices to capture and report real-time data around how we move around our cities. The work that we do and the smart city technologies that we provide are fast becoming essential to communities that use them to transform the way they live and work. Get in touch with us today to learn more.
