Humanity today is facing several problems and challenges threatening its vitality. Countries, international organizations, and experts are fighting on the front line today against climate change and pollution, economic downturns, pandemics, and the increase in population. Big and dense cities are now in danger of survival with global attempts to rehabilitate and reshape the cities’ urban model. For instance, some countries are updating their building rules and regulations, adopting a new living organism that can reduce problems and risks, and promoting sustainable solutions, giving birth to smart cities. An urban revolution named Smart City started to rise between 1994 and the mid-2000s. This revolution is now seen and applied across the continents and could be defined as a city with safer public spaces, sustainable guidelines, digital solutions, and efficient energy use (Hello Lamp Post). Since Smart cities aim for a better quality of life, endurance, stability, and sustainability, it is widely expressed that numerous cities are considered smart such as Dubai, Zurich, Singapore, and New York.
New York, United States of America (USA)
New York has been considered since 2017 one of the Smart Cities in America for proven enhancements on several urban levels. New York smart plans cover segments related to renewable energy and eco-cycle such as Smart Waste Management, and Smart Water Metering (Tobias, 2017).
The Smart Water Metering used in the city is working on two separate poles: Greywater Metering, and Rain Water Metering. According to NYC Environmental Protection, “ The automated meter reading – AMR, transmits water consumption readings four times daily. Thus, users can manage and control their consumption daily, weekly, or even monthly and yearly”.
In addition, Tobias mentioned that Smart Waste Management in NYC is equipped with wireless sensors monitoring trash levels and pick-up schedules. Moreover, it holds a trash compactor – running on solar power making the bins able to hold five times more waste than traditional ones.
Singapore, Republic of Singapore
After its independence in 1965, and with the efforts of architects, leaders, and policymakers, Singapore is now one of the world’s leading cities. Considered as a Smart City, Singapore implemented initiatives related to Transportation, Energy, Waste Management, and Public Safety (Goyal, 2023).
When it comes to public safety, Singapore did it the right way through CCTV and investments in biometrics. Goyal wrote that “Singapore succeeded in the installation of more than 100,000 cameras in the Close-Circuit Television – CCTV that helped stream a live surveillance of public spaces”. For more secure public spaces, this smart city introduced the Multi-Model Biometric System – MMBC that can capture iris, face, and fingerprints, besides developing the technologies to recognize the faces of those wearing masks (ICA).
Singapore as a Smart City, succeeded in the implementation of the Intelligent Transportation System – ITS which benefited the city-state with less congestion. The ITS holds the most advanced technologies in transportation such as The World’s First Electronic Road Pricing System, Real-time traffic information delivered through GPS, and an integrated Public Transportation Structure (The Asean Post, 2024).
Zurich, Switzerland
Equal opportunities with high quality of life, conservation of resources and sustainable development, innovation, and attractive business location are the ongoing strategy of Zurich to be a full Smart City in 2035 (Zurich City Council, 2018).
There are many lessons that cities worldwide can learn from Zurich. In Zurich where the life expectancy is 84, 81% are satisfied by public transportation and 71% see ease in finding information about local governmental decisions (Wray, 2023). These lessons could be extended to cover the Strategy of turning into a Smart City.
On the authority of Zurich City Council, “Providing equal opportunities and a higher quality of life, the city involves all people – citizens, and visitors. On top of that, Zurich is transforming to a 2000-watt society through proper use of renewable energy resources”.
Innovative entrepreneurs are now welcomed to the Smart City – Zurich City Council said. The city is now progressing into a solid ground for entrepreneurial minds through the provided modern and reliable digital infrastructure alongside attractive conditions.
Cities of the United Arab Emirates
South District, Desert Rose City, Sharjah Sustainable City, and Dubai Silicon Oasis, are not just projects – they are rather contemporary proof of how deserts could be inhabited! These projects, alongside the Smart City vision of Dubai, highlighted the leading role played by the United Arab Emirates regionally and internationally in the field of Smart City provisions.
The United Arab Emirates’ Governmental Portal published that, “open and easy access to data, smart transport, optimizing energy resources, smart parks, and beaches, police smartphone apps, and the new master control room, are the efforts in Dubai to make it Smarter than ever before”. Since its inception and until now, Digital Dubai launched numerous initiatives where the most effective ones are Data First, AI Principles and Ethics, Dubai Startup Support, Happiness Agenda, AI Lab, Dubai Blockchain Strategy, and Dubai Paperless Strategy (Digital Dubai). In parallel, the efforts in Abu Dhabi were strong too making the city launch its Economic Vision 2030.
References:
Hello Lamp Post. Smart City Technology Benefits And The World’s Top 10 Smartest Cities. [Online]. Available at: https://www.hlp.city/smart-city-technology-benefits-and-the-worlds-top-10-smartest-cities/ [Accessed 22 April 2024].
Tobias, M. (2017). How New York Is Becoming A Smart City. [Online]. Available at: https://www.ny-engineers.com/blog/how-new-york-is-becoming-a-smart-city?hs_amp=true [Accessed 22 April 2024].
NYC Environmental Protection. Water Meter FAQs. [Online]. Available at: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/pay-my-bills/water-meter-faqs.page [Accessed 22 April 2024].
Goyal, J. (May 10, 2023). Singapore: World’s Smartest City – A Model for Urban Transformation. [Online]. Available at: https://www.novatr.com/blog/singapore-world-smartest-city#:~:text=The%20city%2Dstate%2C%20located%20in,city%22%20in%20the%20true%20sense [Accessed 22 April 2024].
ICA. Immigration Clearance With Multi-Model Biometrics. [Online]. Available at:
https://www.ica.gov.sg/enter-transit-depart/at-our-checkpoints/for-travellers/MMBS#:~:text=Singapore%20has%20introduced%20the%20Multi,travellers%20at%20ICA%20passenger%20halls. [Accessed 22 April 2024].
The Asean Post (April 22, 2024). Smart Nations: Singapore’s Intelligent Transporation System (ITS). [Online]. Available at: https://theaseanpost.com/article/smart-nation-singapores-intelligent-transport-system-its [Accessed 22 April 2024].
Zurich City Council (December 5, 2018). Strategy Smart City Zurich. Stadt Zürich. [Online]. Availabe at: https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/content/dam/stzh/portal/Deutsch/politik-der-stadt-zuerich/grafik-und-foto/smartcity/Smart_City_Zurich_Strategy.pdf [Accessed 22 April 2024].
Sarah Wray (April 4, 2023). Why Zurich Comes Top In The Latest Smart City Ranking. [Online]. Available at: https://cities-today.com/why-zurich-comes-top-in-the-latest-smart-city-ranking/ [Accessed 22 April 2024].
The United Arab Emirates’ Governmental Portal. Smart Sustainable Cities. [Online]. Available at: https://u.ae/en/about-the-uae/digital-uae/digital-cities/smart-sustainable-cities#:~:text=Dubai’s%20Smart%20City%20project%20adopts,services%2C%20urban%20planning%20and%20electricity. [Accessed 22 April 2024].
Digital Dubai. Our Initiatives. [Online]. Available at: https://www.digitaldubai.ae/initiatives [Accessed 22 April 2024].
List of Images 1_Smart City. [Illustration]. Retrieved from: https://riberasolutions.com/smart-city-iot-and-ai/
2_New York. [Photograph]. Retrieved from: https://www.cuddlynest.com/blog/facts-about-new-york/
3_Singapore. [Photograph]. Retrieved from: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-02/what-s-singapore-like-now-your-covid-travel-guide
4_Zurich. [Photograph]. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/01/04/travel/things-to-do-zurich.html
5_UAE. [Photograph]. Retrieved from: https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/united_arab_emirates_map.htm
