Page 31 - Enhancing innovation and participation in smart sustainable cities

United for Smart Sustainable Cities
Enhancing Innovation and Participation

ƒ Healthcare for an ageing population: Due to falling birth rates and increasing ageing populations,
Singapore’s healthcare costs are rapidly increasing. Mobile apps to prevent chronic illness, like obesity
and diabetes are being developed, while the use of tele-health tools are planned and IT solutions are
being used to improve logistics in hospitals. An example will be Smart Health-Assist, which was piloted
in Jurong Lake District, which involves deploying unobtrusive and easy to use sensors in the homes of the
elderly or patients suffering from chronic diseases. Smart Health-Assist will enable patients to manage
their conditions from the comfort of their homes, allowing them to remain independent and active in
their community. Reducing the number of medical visits also frees up hospital resources and makes
chronic-disease management more sustainable in the long run.
ƒ Smart transport solutions: As a city state, Singapore is the second most densely populated country in
the world. Roads take up about 12 per cent of total land area, and this does not include the space
required for car parks. Building more roads to cater to personal cars is not a sustainable option in land-
scarce Singapore. Therefore, Singapore continues to invest heavily in improving its public transport
system, and has taken significant steps to improve train and bus services, as well as the first and last-mile
connections between homes and transport hubs. For the occasions when there is a need for point-to-
point transport, this will increasingly be met by taxis, private hire car services like Uber and Grab, and
car-sharing services. Singapore is also working with partners from academia and industry to develop
various self-driving vehicle technologies and mobility concepts. Trials for autonomous mobility-on-
demand shared services have been ongoing since 2015, and initiatives are underway to develop self-
driving buses, truck platooning technology and autonomous utility vehicles. The Land Transport
Authority has jointly developed a Smart Mobility 2030 plan with the Intelligent Transport Society
Singapore (ITSS) to implement innovative and sustainable solutions for smarter urban mobility. Initiatives
include using predictive and pre-emptive capabilities with integrated pedestrian detection to minimize
delays and eliminate unnecessary stoppages for vehicles, as well as green intelligent transport system
(ITS) infrastructure and alternative energy sources to power ITS equipment. Singapore is also developing
a next-generation electronic road pricing system that will tap on Global Navigation Satellite System
technology not only as a means to implement congestion pricing in a smarter way, but also to enhance
traffic management. Having aggregated, comprehensive and real-time data of all road traffic in Singapore
through this system would, for example, allow Singapore to implement a much smarter and more
optimal traffic light management system that improves traffic flow, disseminate more timely, accurate
and targeted updates to motorists to help them optimize their travel routes, and enable vehicle-to-
vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.
ƒ Smart logistics (especially for the maritime industry): The ease of customs clearance in Singapore has
been underpinned by a set of trade improving initiatives called “Trade-FIRST”, where businesses can
streamline its application process for different trading schemes, resulting in more cost savings. It also
has a one-stop electronic submission site for customs documentation and therefore reduces red tape for
businesses. With such ease of access, the marine industry has become aware of its environmental
footprint. Singapore is building a liquefied natural gas terminal and looking into electric propulsion,
better energy management system for ports and biofuels as alternative fuels.

2.3 Results
Since its launch in November 2014, the Smart Nation Singapore has proceeded with leaps and bounds. The main
features and results of this vision coupled with other urban interventions are as follows:
ƒ Towards even better Living
Singapore serves as an example of an advanced and developed nation that tackles challenges such as
ageing populations, technological disruption, and new areas of economic growth through its use of smart
policy innovation. Smart initiatives such as data-driven public transport planning, smart town planning
and increasing key education collaborations between universities, has led to Singapore becoming one of
the most reputed and liveable cities in the world.
ƒ Vibrant innovation ecosystem

Singapore hosts more than 500 start-up companies, with nearly 100 start-ups residing in close proximity
in Block 71, Ayer Rajah Crescent, known as the heart of Singapore’s technology start-up ecosystem. With
built-in intellectual capital at the National University of Singapore (NUS), the government is helping fund

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