ARUP, 2010

Cities are real-time systems, but rarely run as such. In the past many have used Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to improve performance at a departmental level including mobility, utilities, community and eGovernment services. In these cities “smart technologies” are creating more efficient systems and better informed citizens.

Now leading cities have started to push this concept further. They are exploring how smart cities can add value within a strategic framework. This will mean moving from departmental solutions to a city wide approach, creating economies of scale and scope that will result in: economic development and the creation of jobs; promoting resource efficiency and mitigating climate change; providing a greater place to live and work; running cities more efficiently; and supporting communities.

The smart city describes a step-change in both intensity and extent of connection, in that almost all aspects of infrastructure—from transit networks to energy, waste and water; from housing to street trees—can wirelessly broadcast their state and activity in real-time through the use of robust, cheap and discreet sensors. This concept is known as ‘the internet of things’, in which almost every inanimate object can become aware to some degree. As with contemporary engine control systems, smart urban infrastructure can tirelessly watch its own operation, predicting faults before they occur, optimising delivery of resources or services to match demand.

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