Cities are on the rise. Urbanites 2050. The Top 10 Smart Cities On The Planet. Last year, I spent considerable time researching best practices for climate resilient cities—an endeavor that culminated in what I believe was the first ever global ranking of resilient cities.
Now, after extensive research on smart cities initiatives around the globe, I have developed what may be the first ever global rankings of smart cities. The term "smart cities" is a bit ambiguous. Some people choose a narrow definition—i.e. cities that use information and communication technologies to deliver services to their citizens. I prefer a broader definition: Smart cities use information and communication technologies (ICT) to be more intelligent and efficient in the use of resources, resulting in cost and energy savings, improved service delivery and quality of life, and reduced environmental footprint—all supporting innovation and the low-carbon economy. Here, then, are the top 10 smart cities: 1.) 2.) 3.) 4.) 5.) 6.) 7.) 8.) 9.) 10.)
SUPER SUSTAINABLE CITY. Singapore Is On Its Way To Becoming An Iconic Smart City. This past week I had the pleasure of being invited to Singapore to present my research on smart, innovative cities.
Tropical greenspaces throughout the city are juxtaposed with remnants of its past through an authentic China Town, Little India and others--all of which mixes with a modern, robust, waterside financial district, as well as upscale, North-American-style malls and entertainment districts. That’s a lot for a small island with about 5 million inhabitants. For those of us interested in smart city evolution, Singapore is a fascinating place to explore. I was lucky enough to have Andreas Birnik, the former director of smart cities for Ericsson and current adjunct professor of sustainability at the National University of Singapore, as a guide. Nearly 90% of the Singaporean population owns their own home or apartment. Singapore is definitely pushing the envelope on innovation in policy and infrastructure. On the sustainability side, Singapore generally gets very high marks. 5 Ways The Smart City Will Change How We Live In 2012.
By 2050, the world’s population is projected to be more than 9 billion, with roughly 70% of people residing in urban areas.
With more people flocking to cities, there is an urgent demand for smarter, more sustainable cities. A city’s infrastructure is comprised of a number of systems, including transportation (e.g. roads, bridges, public transportation, etc.), sewage, utility (e.g. gas, electricity, water treatment and delivery), and public and private buildings.
Urbanization and proliferation of these systems are key to quality of life, but also create a significant toll on the sustainability, energy efficiency and capacity level of a city. What many people don’t realize is how much buildings contribute to this strain. In the U.S. alone, buildings account for 70% of all energy use and 38% of all carbon emissions. The urgency to create more sustainable buildings comes to the forefront as President Obama recently launched the Better Buildings Initiative.