Mobilizing “Smart City” Growth for a Resilient Future
Mobilizing “Smart City” Growth for a Resilient Future
By Steph Pietras, Alyson Marks, and Grant Cameron
Source: Photo by bantersnaps on Unsplash
While the COVID-19 pandemic has permeated through just about every corner of the world, cities have been some of the hardest areas hit. According to a UN Report, urban areas have accounted for an estimated 90% of all COVID-19 reported cases, and the virus has affected nearly 1,500 cities. Although prior to COVID-19 many cities were already struggling to manage a myriad of acute challenges ranging from inadequate housing and food insecurity to public health issues and rising unemployment, the pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges. And with declining economic activity, high rates of infection, and inadequate resources, many cities are now facing an urban humanitarian crisis.
Yet, many cities are also leading the path to ‘build back better,’ particularly “smart cities,” which use data and information technology to connect and integrate urban systems and services to enhance the efficiency of resource utilization, optimize urban management, and improve the quality of life for citizens. These data-driven cities responded better in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to smart infrastructure and data analysis. Fortunately, COVID-19 has accelerated the trend towards “smart cities,” and with the upcoming Urban 20 Mayors Summit, the G20, the wider international community should focus on allocating the necessary resources to increase smart city development globally to help ensure that cities are more resilient against future pandemics and crises.
Emerging Examples of Smart Cities Around the World
Prior to COVID-19, a handful of cities were already building a “smart” foundation. Politicians and urban planners were leveraging the technology and data from the Internet of Things (IoT) to optimize mobility, healthcare, security, water, energy, engagement and community, economic development and housing, and waste management:
The City of Los Angeles won a $2 million USD grant from NASA to better coordinate satellite and ground sensor data that measures air particles and work towards improving the city’s air pollution. By harnessing data from sensors around the region that gauge ozone and particulate matter levels, as well as other data from GPS-enabled asthma inhalers, the city has been able to pinpoint problem pollution areas for vulnerable populations. The Internet of Trees is another of the city’s data-based projects. A collaborative effort between Google and Caltech, the project used a machine learning algorithm to identify and count the city’s trees. This provided officials with a better understanding of their urban forestation inventory, which then allowed them to maintain and expand upon the health of current green spaces.
Singapore was also leading the way as a smart city. Its “Smart Nation” initiative aims to digitally collect information using sensors linked to aggregation boxes throughout the city, which is then sent to appropriate agencies for analysis in order to improve the efficiency and delivery of public services. The city is also working with private firms to test smart home technologies that analyze wind flow, solar penetration, and shaded areas to better design new buildings. For planning purposes, the country’s National Research Foundation is developing “Virtual Singapore” Upon completion, this 3D city model and collaborative data platform would enable users from different sectors to conduct virtual experimentation, test-bedding, planning and decision-making, and research and development.
Dubai has digitized all government services - transport, communications, infrastructure, electricity, economic, and urban planning – and made them accessible through the DubaiNow app. Furthermore, Dubai’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Lab was launched in 2017 to harness the power of machine learning towards the goal of becoming the smartest city in the world. The city has established a partnership with IBM to provide the essential tools and support needed to integrate AI into all government services and city experiences.
Smart City Resilience During COVID-19
Investments in smart foundations allowed cities to mitigate the devastating effects of COVID-19 by helping to track its spread, understand the virus’s effects on citizens, and inform strategies to prevent transmission. In Seattle, officials examined parking data to transform empty paid parking spaces in the downtown area into temporary restaurant pick-up and drop-off food locations that would benefit both local businesses and the public’s health. Not only did this contribute to the Seattle area having the lowest death rate of the 20 largest metropolitan regions in the country, but it also provided income to small businesses, particularly restaurants, during a statewide shutdown.
In South Korea, one of the first countries outside of China to experience a COVID-19 outbreak, the government used smartphone data in several of its cities to track individuals infected with the virus and map their contacts. For example, in Daegu, the epidemiological investigation during the outbreak relied on the city’s data hub to trace patient routes. Similarly, Seoul was using geolocation data, bank card usage, and video surveillance to do contact tracing. Although the city has been praised for its success in detecting, containing, and treating COVID-19, privacy concerns have been raised relating to its contact tracing strategy.
Meanwhile, in Ghana, the country used mobile phone data to determine the efficacy of its lockdown measures. The government partnered with Flowminder and Vodafone Ghana to carefully broker data-sharing agreements that enabled the analysis of anonymized mobile phone big data. This allowed the government to determine the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures, particularly in the Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Areas. After three weeks, there was a better understanding of how the virus traveled and restrictions we eased and the government was able to make better use of the limited resources available.
The Way Forward: Accelerating Smart City Growth
It’s clear that cities that already had smart infrastructure in place were able to respond better to the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking ahead, these smart cities will be able to target services more efficiently and effectively as their populations continue to grow. For prospective smart cities, experts have identified five basic areas that are essential to developing an integrated approach to coordinating all essential services:
Grid modernization: The backbone of any Smart City initiative starts with modern infrastructure - the electrical system, advanced telecommunications, and smart buildings.
Leadership, progressive policy, and flexible regulation to drive investment and growth: Integration doesn’t end with physical infrastructure. It must also include the institutions that plan, fund, and manage these essential assets.
Sustainable services to improve quality of life and reduce financial, health, and safety risks: Municipal planning strategies must reflect the “green agenda”, given the strong relationship between a city’s environmental health and its prosperity.
Partnerships with centers of innovation: To implement a Smart City agenda, city leadership must crowd in expertise from tech hubs, labs, academia, think-tanks, and other non-governmental organizations.
Attention to community social infrastructure: To ensure the focus stays on the betterment of people, first and foremost.
And while smart city technologies may present some privacy challenges, the transition to smart cities is necessary for precluding future crises and ensuring a more sustainable and resilient path forward.