- Increased quality of life standards are one of the characteristic features linked to the development of smart cities.
- Waste collection, water management and public lighting are some of the environmental advantages offered by smart urban environments.
Smart cities are those that harness the potential of new technologies to improve people’s quality of life by helping to manage everyday issues such as mobility, resources and waste collection.
In a world where the population is constantly growing, along with the percentage of people living in urban areas, having measures in place to make everyday life easier for the people who live there is a huge challenge.
The aforementioned improvement in quality of life and the mitigation of environmental impact are two of the main advantages of developing smart cities.
Quality of life
Although we will go into more detail later, one of the main benefits of smart cities is the improvement in quality of life.
Both from a direct and tangible point of view for the general public and from an indirect perspective, there are numerous aspects in which the implementation of technology in cities has a positive impact.
One example of a direct benefit that is tangible for citizens is mobility, since having real-time information on possible routes, as well as alternatives to private vehicles, such as public transport or bicycles, means that roads are less congested and journeys can be made more quickly.
Also from a direct point of view, safety is improved by having connected systems that help to report more quickly on possible incidents in different areas.
Similarly, the possibility of having more open and transparent public services thanks to digitisation and advances in e-government is also a benefit for citizens.
On the other hand, as we will see later in the section on environmental benefits, the optimised management of public resources such as water, electricity and waste collection also improves quality of life, not only from that perspective, but also from an economic one.
Sustainability
Smart cities offer numerous advantages in the environmental field.
For example, water or waste management using sensors or smart systems can help to ensure more rational use, as well as reducing waste and preventing leaks.
Street lighting is another aspect that can be improved thanks to technology. A specific example can be found in Santiago de Compostela, where Telefónica Tech provides intelligence to street lights not only to contribute to energy efficiency, but also to optimise maintenance and management, monitor consumption and respond to possible failures.
Similarly, having sensors to measure air quality in real time can help the relevant authorities make decisions that mitigate high concentrations of polluting gases.
Although it has already been mentioned in a previous section, the promotion and encouragement of public transport – and its advanced use thanks to new technologies – also generates benefits from an environmental perspective, by reducing the number of private vehicles on the road with the increase of other alternatives.
Thus, economic development, social welfare and environmental sustainability are some of the main characteristics that mark the benefits brought about by technological development in urban environments, transforming them into smart cities.
