Page 600 - Shaping smarter and more sustainable cities - Striving for sustainable development goals

1 Introduction

Connected devices, distributed sensors and Internet technologies are enabling smart sustainable
cities (SSC) to capture valuable data, deploy new services and enhance existing services. The use of
these tools can contribute to improving the effectiveness of city management, generating new
growth opportunities for local businesses, improving sustainability and raising the quality of citizens’
lives, among other benefits. Wireless technologies and services are playing a pivotal role in enabling
smart sustainable cities around the world.

Wireless and wired networks provide the underlying connections that underpin smart sustainable
cities. The design and deployment of wireless networks must ensure compliance with the required
quality of service as well as with the standards and regulations on human exposure to radio
frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Efficient deployment of wireless infrastructure will
reduce the transmitted RF power in providing services and support the maximum efficiency for ICTs.

1.1 Scope

This Technical Report details the EMF considerations in smart sustainable cities to ensure that the
networks and connected devices operate safely and efficiently. The recommendations in this
Technical Report are based on existing ITU and WHO technical and policy recommendations.
Supplement 1 to Recommendation ITU‐T K.91 includes a Guide on Electromagnetic Fields and Health
that provides further information suitable for all stakeholders.

The target audiences of this Technical Report include:
 City officials
 Town planners
 Urban developers
 Infrastructure providers
 Network operators
 The public

This Technical Report provides guidance on the implementation of good policies for wireless
networks and promotes the efficient deployment of smart sustainable cities strategies.
This Technical Report features a ‘Smart Sustainable City EMF Check‐list’ designed to provide city
officials and planners with a clear and easy‐to‐use reference, in order to ensure the efficient
operation of smart city designs while complying with EMF safety standards (refer to Annex 1 for the
check‐list).
This Technical Report is not intended as a substitute for national EMF and wireless antenna siting
requirements.

Guidance on terms and definitions in relation to smart sustainable cities can be found in related
publications and Technical Reports from the ITU‐T Focus Group on Smart Sustainable Cities.
Abbreviations and acronyms are in Annex 4.

1.2 Background
Some countries around the world have witnessed the opposition of local stakeholders to the
deployment of mobile network antenna sites, and similar smart sustainable city wireless
infrastructure. This opposition may be linked to concerns about potential health risks caused by the
exposure to EMF, as well as to concerns about aesthetics, impacts on property values, or issues such
as privacy of information. With respect to EMF exposure, these fields are imperceptible and

590 ITU‐T's Technical Reports and Specifications