As cities compete globally, the Smart City has been touted as an important new strategic driver for regeneration and growth. With consistent efforts to integrate technology in all aspects of public life in addition to focusing on a sustainable ecosystem, Smart Cities are set to witness progress and receive support for faster implementation. Smart Cities are employing information and communication technologies in the quest for sustainable economic development and the fostering of new forms of collective life. This has made the Smart City an essential focus for engineers, architects, urban designers, urban planners, and politicians, as well as businesses.
Sectors such as healthcare, public sector, utilities, and transport are set to be revolutionized with an equal stress on security systems to ensure a safe environment alongside a seamless one. The COVID-19 pandemic, mounting sustainability commitments, resource constraints and continued urban growth are making a new case for investment. It has never been more crucial to make cities smarter, more efficient, and sustainable for their residents.
Proposed Telangana Secretariat Building Government of TelanganaWith all buildings required to be net-zero carbon by 2050 to meet the goals of the Paris agreement, the demand for smart buildings is increasing.
Decarbonising the sector is one of the most cost-effective ways to mitigate climate change. Commercial buildings account for 20% of energy use in the US, 30% of which is wasted. Smart solutions can transform them into energy-efficient buildings whilst also automating the way they are managed. Government policies, teamed with financial incentives for companies to invest in smart buildings, are crucial to help transition toward accessing major energy savings whilst improving energy services.
Access to clean water and the ability to treat wastewater are growing concerns for cities, along with how to better manage waste. Water losses and flooding are also an increasing threat, with the impacts of climate change and rapid urbanization. Urban planners are being forced into upgrading ageing drainage systems - a need which is bringing smart solutions to the fore, including leakage and pollution detection and predictive maintenance planning.
