Page 30 - Shaping smarter and more sustainable cities - Striving for sustainable development goals

Underscoring the need for ICT in ensuring a city is truly sustainable and smart, IBM states that “a
smart city is one that makes optimal use of all the interconnected information available today to
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better understand and control its operations and optimizes the use of limited resources” .
The relevance of urban infrastructure has long been a critical aspect for a smart sustainable city.
Traditionally, there have been two types of infrastructure: physical (buildings, roads, transportation,
power plants) and digital (IT and communications infrastructure). There is a distinction between
these two types of infrastructures – physical and digital, with both operating on separate fields. A
convergence of the two, coupled with smart management of the different infrastructures, could
provide a multiplier effect.
Disaster management is a critical component to consider when designing a smart sustainable city,
as recent experiences from the recent Fukushima, Katrina and 9‐11 incidents have evidenced. In the
case of the 9‐11 tragedy, it has been suggested that the lack of interoperability between the first
respondents and other corresponding civic agencies significantly hampered rescue efforts. To this
end, the exploration of the use and potential of ICT in the area of disaster management has come
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to light .

3.1 The role of ICT in smart city solutions

The role played by ICTs in SSCs is crucial, due to their ability to act as a digital platform from which
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an information and knowledge network can be created . Such a network then allows for the
aggregation of information and data not only for the purpose of data analysis, but also towards an
improved understanding on how the city is functioning in terms of resource consumption, services,
and lifestyles. Information made amiable by these digital platforms would serve as a reference for
stakeholders to take action and create policy directions that would eventually improve the quality
of life for the citizens and the society as a whole.
The multiple systems (infrastructure elements) within a city can be thought of as sub‐networks of a
larger network, i.e. “system of systems” or a “network of networks”. When these sub‐systems are
integrated with one another using ICT, they can be thought of as the "Internet of things" (IoT) for
cities. All of these systems comprise of sub‐systems, components and devices which have nodes,
end points and behave like a network in terms of their end use characteristics and interactivity with
other nodes. This is completely analogous to an information technology (IT) or data communications
network, so mainstream ICT‐based management process and approaches can be utilized with some
modifications.

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a. A holistic approach to SSC
In traditional approaches to urban development, all the infrastructure systems are managed in silos,
with limited communication and information sharing among and across government departments
and civil society. This could be proven detrimental not only for the optimization of resource usage,
but also for accessing vital information when needed to inform decisions during emergency
situations. Therefore, to become a smart city it is essential to adopt a holistic approach that may

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29 http://www‐03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/27791.wss
30 http://www.forbes.com/sites/investor/2011/09/08/911‐safety‐update‐why‐first‐responder‐
communications‐hasnt‐improved‐in‐10‐years/
31 http://itu4u.wordpress.com/2013/09/15/connected‐cities‐smart‐sustainable‐cities/

32 http://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/SmarterCitiesChallengeReport.pdf

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