Solutions for smart cities

How to shape the future of cities?

According to projections, nearly 70% of the world population will live in urban areas by 2050. While some megacities are already struggling to cope with the current inflow of people, we need to create smart cities in order to make these urban areas more liveable and truly sustainable. What is the definition of a smart city? What are the benefits and challenges? And finally, what are the smart solutions to urbanization?

01. Benefits

Benefits of Smart Cities

Smart cities and technologies have many practical and economic benefits:

Environmental impact: reducing the CO2 footprint is the main driver behind the development of smart and sustainable cities. Improving energy efficiency and storage, waste management, traffic conditions are among the greatest advantages.
Optimized energy & water management: smart grids and smart water management are recurring themes of smart cities. Energy consumption and potable water monitoring ensure the availability of energy and the quality of tap water across the city.
Transportation: clean and efficient transportation of goods, services and people is essential. In the hope of optimizing mobility, many cities are turning to smart technologies to ease traffic congestion and provide users with real-time updates.
Security: safety is a priority for all cities. The accelerated development of smart cities should allow municipalities to better monitor their citizens thanks to CCTV cameras with facial recognition. In addition, state-of-the-art CCTV cameras are also equipped with motion and smoke detectors, as well as fire alarms.

02. Definition

What is a smart city

A smart city is an urban development using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Internet of Things (IoT) to provide useful information to effectively manage resources and assets. This includes data collected from citizens and mechanical devices, that are processed and analyzed to monitor and manage traffic and transport systems, power plants, water supply networks, waste disposal, etc. Also called eco-city or sustainable city, the smart city aims to improve the quality of urban services or reduce its costs. It stands out for its specificities: smart management, lifestyle, mobility, housing, as well as a smart economy. Their main goal is to reconcile technological innovation with the economic, social and ecological challenges of the city of tomorrow. Their leitmotiv is the quality of life: how to live better together while respecting our environment.

03. Solutions

Smart Cities Solutions

Aug 2020

OKCHECK App

A software service for checks, tracking and traceability along the value chain

Agrifood & Natural Environment
Industrial Processes & Consumer Goods

Jun 2020

Use case available

Colision

A win-win system for urban transportation and last-mile delivery logistics

Mobility
Buildings & Constructions

May 2020

IMMOBLADE Smart Solar Protection

A solar protection system for buildings inserted into the window glazing

Buildings & Constructions

Oct 2020

Use case available

Go To-U

Delivers a seamless EV charging experience with comfort, confidence and simplicity

Mobility
Buildings & Constructions

04. Implementations

Smart Cities Solutions Implementations

Colision by Transports publics de la région Lausannoise implemented by Decathlon Bussigny in Lausanne (Switzerland) in 2020

Go To-U by GO TO-U implemented by TNB (Tenaga Nasional Berhad) in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) in 2023

Go To-U by GO TO-U implemented by ABB in Zurich (Switzerland) in 2022

Go To-U by GO TO-U implemented by NYSERDA - The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority in New York (United States) in 2024

Go To-U by GO TO-U implemented by Uman Hub in Kyiv (Ukraine) in 2023

NEXT Modular Electric Vehicles by NExT implemented by Padua Municipality in Padua (Italy) in 2021

NEXT Modular Electric Vehicles by NExT implemented by Courmayeur City Municipality in Courmayeur (Italy) in 2024

Urban Radar by Urban Radar implemented by City of Versailles in Versailles (France) in 2020

GridCal by PSInsight GmbH implemented by NGN Netzgesellschaft Niederrhein Mbh in Krefeld, Straelen, and Wachtendonk (Germany) in 2020

Autonomous Lighting System by LEDCity AG implemented by SBB in Bern (Switzerland) in 2021

METRON Energy management by METRON implemented by SIBELGA in Brussels (Belgium) in 2009

LUMI by Urbanhub implemented by Fashion Brand in Paris (France) in 2020

Hummbox Smart watering by Simpliciti implemented by Municipality of Martigues in Martigues (France) in 2022

CityQ Car Ebike by CityQ implemented by Oslo, Norway, Wolt and Mobility Solutions in Oslo (Norway) in 2024

Shayp by Shayp implemented by Professional High School Le Balcon des Ardennes in Saint-Laurent (France) in 2021

VUF Bikes by VUF Bikes implemented by Oleorecycling in Toulouse (France) in 2018

05. Challenges

Smart Cities Challenges

However, these benefits come with a series of risks:

Infrastructure and costs: smart cities use sensor technology to gather and analyse information such as rush hour stats, air quality or crime rates. The implementation of these sensors requires a sophisticated and costly infrastructure.
Security and privacy concerns: even though security is part of the benefits, it can also be regarded as a challenge as the use of IoT and sensor technology increases. In fact, the threat of cyber attacks is a critical issue for smart cities. Also, to avoid concerns about data use, smart cities need to involve their citizens. Awareness, education, and transparency on the purpose of data collection are crucial to make the community feel that they are truly taking part in making their city more sustainable.
Social risks: inclusive urbanization must be a priority to deal with the increasing vulnerability of poor and slum populations. That is why we need to ensure that no population is excluded from smart city data collection and use.

Connect with us

Any questions

Feel free to get in touch with us
pauline.michiels@solarimpulse.com

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