SMART CITY

Despite the international smart city buzz, with daily news stories, cities striving for smarter cities, and governments around the world investing billions in intelligent communities, we still hear people say: “But what is a smart city?”. Wikipedia defines a smart city as “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.” Another online dictionary defines it as a “political, mobility, climate, persons and governments” integrated urban environment that generates sustainable economic growth and high quality of life through excellence in multiple key sectors.

There is no universally accepted definition of an intelligent city as another term. For different people, it means different things. Therefore, the conceptualization of Smart City varies depending on the level of development, the willingness for alter, upgrade, the capital and the desires of the city residents.

To order to meet the desires and needs of people, urban planners best aim at improving the whole urban eco-system, defined by the four pillars of sustainable Infrastructure for development-institutional, physical, social and financial. This could be a long-term goal, and cities slowly build such an enormous network by adding smart layers. The goal of the Smart Cities Mission is to encourage the cities that provide their people with decent quality of life, a safe and green environment and the implementation of ‘intelligent’ solutions. The emphasis is on green and inclusive growth and the goal is to look at compact areas and create a replicable template that would serve as a light house for other urban ambitions.

The Private Sector Smart Cities Project is a visionary, new effort. It should create models which can be repeated in and outside of the Smart City and which will help to catalyze the development of similar intelligent cities in different parts of the country. The core elements of infrastructure in a smart town are:

• Sufficient availability of water
• Electricity supply assured
• Sanitation, and disposal of solid waste
• Efficient urban mobility
• affordable housing, especially for the elderly
• Robust digital IT integration
• Good governance, e-governance in particular and engagement of people
• The climate is safe
• Citizens’ health and security, especially women, children and the elderly
• Education and health

An illustrative list is given below for Smart Solutions. This is not an exhaustive list, though, and municipalities can add additional applications free of charge. The goal of the Smart Cities Mission is therefore, by promoting local development and harnessing technology, particularly technology that leads to intelligent results, to stimulate economic growth and improve the quality of life. The design of areas (reconstruction and renovation) would transform existing areas, also slums, to better plan slums, while enhancing the city’s live skills. To order to accommodate the expanding population to urban areas, new regions (green field) will be developed around towns. Smart Cities applications allow cities to use technologies, data and information on infrastructure and services development. Comprehensive growth would improve quality of life; create jobs and increase wages for everybody, including the deprived and the helpless.

SMART CITY FEATURES

The following discusses some of the common features of a comprehensive Smart Cities implementation:

1. Promoting mixed land use in regional-based developments–planning for, unplanned regions,’ which include a range of complementary practices and land use, to improve efficiency of land use. The states would require mobility to adapt to change in land use and create bylaws
2. Housing and incorporation – Extension of housing for everyone;
3. The construction of walk able areas-reduces traffic, air pollution and depletion of resources, improves local economies, promotes connectivity and guarantees health. Not only cars and the public have a road network developed or upgraded
4. Preservation and enhancement of open areas–parks, play areas and recreational areas to enhance residents’ quality of life, minimize urban heat impact in regions and encourage eco-balance in general
5. Promoting a variety of options for travels i.e. Transit Oriented Development (TOD), public transport
6. Make government citizen-friendly and cost-effective increasingly focusing on online services to offer accountability and transparency, in particular using mobile devices to minimize service costs and provide resources without having to go to local offices. Forming e-groups to listen to people, to get feedback and to use online program and event tracking through digital worksite tours
7. Providing the city with an identity based on its main business operations such as local cuisine, nutrition, education, arts and craft, music, sporting goods, furniture, tents, clothing and milk products
8. To develop Smart Solutions in the area, extend Smart Solutions to infrastructure and services. In other words, less vulnerable areas are made, fewer resources are used and better services are provided.

SMART CITY OBJECTIVES

Instead of speaking of smart parking, smart housing, smart food, smart infrastructure, intelligent government, smart power or smart technology, you can see how innovative strategic projects are implemented, in order to achieve the following targets.

• Sustainability– to grow & develop the town with robust thought to environmental impact.
• Efficiency of services– to optimize the employment of public resources and supply a high level of national service.
• Mobility– to create it simple for voters, employees and guests to maneuver around within the town, whether or not by foot, bike, car, conveyance etc. (regardless of transportation means).
• Safety & security– to boost public safety & security in every-day life and at special events, moreover as being best probably ready for emergencies and disasters.
• Economic growth– to draw in businesses, investors, voters and guests.
• City reputation– to perpetually improve the city’s image & name

The successful Smart City programs would bring communities contribute to the final goal of improving the overall quality of life or in the intellect of cities, irrespective of its main targets.

TECHNOLOGY KEYSTONES OF A SMART CITY

Smart City solutions all share three similar elements of innovation–IoT sensors, networking and data. Smart City projects are also part of the infrastructure. The sensors are represented by any linked device that provides information, connectivity is provided through fixed or wireless networks, and data is used for processing, analyzing and displaying real-time and historical data. With the link of these three cornerstones, cities have a strong platform to build more livable communities and neighborhoods. The following smart city cases show this well.

• Treatment of smart waste, The waste containers are fitted with sensors which let the collector know how full they are. The allocation routes are configured on the basis of current requirements.

• Intelligent parking solutions, where sensors track the parking lots open. Pilots can identify and navigate conveniently with the available parking options either via electronic signage along the roads or via mobile apps.

• Intelligent building automation systems, such as adjusting heating and cooling automatically to the occupancy level, and ensuring that lights are disabled when nobody is present in the room.

• Innovative public security and protection technologies, that allow law enforcement and other first respondents to react quickly, react and address accidents and emergencies through different sensors and connected cameras.

Examples of Smart City technologies and programs have been implemented in Singapore, India, Dubai, Milton Keynes, Southampton, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Madrid, Stockholm, Copenhagen, China, New York, and Pakistan. First, of its kind, Capital Smart City Islamabad aims to become first-ever smart city in Pakistan and a model for sustainable development. The concept of a smart city revolves around a comprehensive urban management model which inclusion and participation on the other.