Are smart cities sustainable? It’s the question on the minds of many people within the technology world as we continue to move towards increasingly digital cities. Greta is taking over the headlines and more and more businesses are realising that consumer desires are far more green than ever before.
But how does that effect the technological revolution occurring around the world?
What is a smart city definition?
Let’s start with the basics: what is a smart city?
Wiki Dictionary says a smart city is: “an urban area that uses different types of electronic Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to collect data and then use insights gained from that data to manage assets, resources and services efficiently.”
The UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) on the other hand has a very different view of things. It considers smart cities: “a process rather than a static outcome, in which increased citizen engagement, hard infrastructure, social capital and digital technologies make cities more liveable, resilient and better able to respond to challenges.”
Both approaches are very wordy, and so here at OggaDoon HQ, we’ve created our own definition: “a place which uses technology to help its citizens.” It really is as simple as that.
What will smart cities look like?
Every city that decides it wants to be a little smarter looks a little different from each other. For example, in Barcelona, Spain, the city has smart IoT bins that report how full they are in real time, to ensure they are cleaned out whenever needed. Barcelona also has sensors in its street lights, reporting back not only light levels but temperature, pollution, and noise.
In the UK, London has a slightly different focus for delivering a smart city to its inhabitants. They are prioritising 5G for all residents in the ‘Smart City Zone’ along with offering coding classes to young and old alike so they can take advantage of the improved connectivity.
But technology is not always the focus of a smart city. In Exeter, UK, the focus is on sustainability. When they answer the questions, “Are smart cities sustainable?” they say yes – and have focused their goals on low carbon and community engagement.
How can smart cities be inclusive?
Smart doesn’t always mean inclusive. Much technology that we use day to day, from websites to travel apps to food delivery, is not designed for those with different abilities. Many older people who do not have internet at home are completely cut off from some of the benefits of smart cities.
The more technology driven our cities become, the more segregated populations will become between those who are technology-happy and those who aren’t. This is a real challenge to those who are directing the development of smart cities, because the last thing they want is for people to become ostracised if they are not connected.
Inclusivity is important for a number of reasons, but one of the core ones is that the more engaged a community is, the more likely they are to get involved with positive projects that helps the entire the community: from litter picking to increased recycling, to walking buses to schools for kids. Those actions help any city to become more sustainable.
Are smart cities sustainable then?
At the moment, the answer is yes and no. There are plenty of smart cities out there who are finding clever technologies that are helping their citizens make more green decisions. The easier it is to make green decisions, the better!
However, we have to look beyond sustainable and smart cities, and ask whether rural areas are going to get left behind, with all this focus on smart cities. Take the Orkney Islands, for example. Until very recently, they did not have basic and dependable connectivity, like broadband in homes and businesses. However, the islands were and are far more sustainable than any city.
Until we ensure that technologies are being used in clever and community led ways, we will need to look beyond the definitions and start to understand how technology can be used for people, not cities.
