Page 28 - U4SSC Blockchain for smart sustainable cities

The definition above, in addition to expanding the scope to smart communities, reinforces the fact
that the changes that are implemented must be fundamental, in the sense of pursuing not only an
improvement in the indicators, but also in the way of urban development. The idea of innovation is
repeated in this definition by Smart Community International Network (2003):

A Smart Community is a community with a vision of the future that involves the application
of information and communication technologies in a new and innovative way to empower its
residents, institutions and regions as a whole. As such, they make the most of the opportunities
that new applications afford and broadband-based services can deliver – such as better health
care delivery, better education and training, and new business opportunities.

3.2.2 What makes a city or community “smart”?

There is a wide debate about the characteristics of a smart city and how to determine which cities
are smart. Some of the characteristics of a smart city which have been identified (by FG-SSC) include:

• The effective use of ICT infrastructure and systems, and of technology and data.
• A good and improving quality of life for residents, along with the provision of efficient public services.

• Economic growth, higher living standards and greater employment opportunities.
• Improvements in medical care, welfare, physical safety and education.

• An environmentally responsible and sustainable approach with a long-term perspective.
• Streamlined physical infrastructure-based services such as transportation (mobility), water, utilities
(energy), telecommunications, and manufacturing sectors.
• Prevention and handling functionality for natural and human-made disasters, including the impacts
of climate change.

• Effective and well-balanced regulatory, compliance and governance mechanisms with appropriate
and equitable policies and standardized processes.

Research and studies tend to agree that the elements of a smart city can be observed in three broad
areas: (1) actions and initiatives with economic outcomes, (2) those focused on the occupants of a city
or community and (3) those that focus on the environment. Other models for smart and sustainable
cities have emphasized that there are several domains in which the city needs to perform adequately.
A study has identified ten main categories for smart city initiatives (see Figure 4, below) encompassing
85 concrete actions or solutions that have been deployed or in the process of deployment.

18 U4SSC: Blockchain for smart sustainable cities