Smart Cities, Smart People

Seminar, 27 September 2011

Chris Tuppen

Advancing Sustainability LLP

Cities are now home to half the world’s population and are responsible for up to 80% of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Over the next 10-15 years the emerging economies will create around 1 billion new middle class consumers, most of whom will live in cities. This implies a growth in city infrastructure equivalent to building a city the size of London every 40 days. There is therefore considerable interest in using smart technologies to help reduce the carbon footprint of urban living.

A smart city is one that makes strategic use of information and communications technologies (ICT). With Europe falling short on its energy reduction target the EC have identified smart technologies as key enabler of energy reduction.

This presentation will draw on existing best practice and consider ways in which smart technology can improve performance across transport, energy infrastructure and buildings. By integrating data, information and decision making it is hoped a smart city may break down silos and deliver additional benefits through economies of scale and scope.

An interesting and outstanding question is the extent to which smart technologies can be effective yet hidden from view, versus the need to engender behaviour change.

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