In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about the phenomenon of ‘smart cities’ or smart cities . But why are they closely related to technology and what exactly do they refer to? What makes them the dream of every urban complex globally?
Charbel Aoun, president of the Smart Cities Segment of the specialist energy management company Schneider Electric, seems to have the answer. “It is not a concept. It is a joint effort. It is about the integration of technology through strategies aimed at greater sustainability, citizen well-being and economic-environmental development ”, stated the expert during the celebration in Paris of the company’s Editor’s Day 2015.
Today’s cities around the world face enormous challenges such as pollution, blackouts, congestion, crime, debt and rising costs, among others. Turning these problems into solutions and advances is the motto that best defines the term ‘smart city’. Aoun estimates that in the year 2025 only 88 cities will be able to boast of being smart . And of the 200 that are expected to be built in the next 20 years, only 20% will be the product of this kind of revolution.
For these figures to grow, it is necessary to involve the necessary resources so that cities are more efficient, sustainable and livable , he explains. And citizens play an important role in this task: “to build a smart city you need smart people.”
In order to achieve greater efficiency, particular emphasis should be placed on greater control over city systems. In addition, information needs to be shared in a more operational way , through the improvement of communication technologies such as the Internet.
On the other hand, he exposes, for urban complexes to be more sustainable, it is essential to significantly reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption , while achieving a more prudent management of natural resources. At this point, saving on operating costs and seeking to reduce the need for massive investments are two other of the great challenges.
For its part, greater habitability will be achieved if two essential aspects coexist: increased global competitiveness and better use of citizens’ time . And this cannot be achieved without investments in human capital, -such as permanent education-, improvement of transport infrastructures, and more participatory government systems.
