Smart cities: the next stage

Smart cities are already starting to become a reality, but the the next challenge is to make the leap to a big open market based on interoperable solutions and common procurement specifications, writes Roberto Viola.

More than 70 per cent of Europeans live in cities. They want cities where transport is smooth, where day-to-day life is safe, where the air is clean, where they can enjoy a rich cultural and social life and where they can learn, find a job or build their own company. 

Leaders of towns and cities across the world are becoming more aware of their political responsibility to meet the demands of their inhabitants. They can do this by becoming a ‘smart city’.

Smart cities are an attractive prospect and already starting to become a reality. Real-time information helps drivers to find a parking place, cutting back on the reported 30 per cent of city traffic which results from vehicles scouting around for a parking place.


Related content

European Parliament votes to adopt data protection package
Cyber Security Demystified: Your key cloud security questions answered


New city-wide infrastructures are emerging, based for example on the traditional lamp post. Smart lamp posts are being installed, which use LEDs and WiFi to cut the energy bill for lighting the city by 50 to 80 per cent and also provide a city-wide wireless service. Think of the new services that could be developed if smart lamp posts also had sensors to detect air quality or road traffic.

Over the past decade; significant European, national and regional support has laid the groundwork for smart cities. The Commission is continuing to provide support by investing in research and innovation and through a partnership approach at European level.

Smart cities are a focus area for Horizon 2020, the EU’s research and innovation framework programme. Through EU investment, residents of social housing in cities who took part in a neighbourhood social network saved more than 15 per cent on their energy bill. 

The EU-funded UNPLUGGED project looked into the wireless charging of electric vehicles in public spaces, and the FASTINCHARGE project tested this out in Douai in northern France. An interesting development in the Horizon 2020 2016-2017 work programme is the smart cities Lighthouse initiative.

Here, six cities join together, three in the lead, three following, to transfer knowledge about smart cities, and develop replicable approaches and solutions.

Taking this partnership approach one step further, since 2013, under the leadership of the European Commission, the European innovation partnership on smart cities and communities has allowed thousands of cities, companies and NGOs across Europe to innovate in the combined areas of digital, energy and transport.

These commitments involve more than 3,000 partners from across Europe and create a huge potential for making our cities more attractive and create business opportunities.

Already this year, 100 European cities are cooperating to generate the critical mass to create a market for tested solutions and 100 companies are working with them on innovative smart city solutions. For example, cities and companies have committed to install 10 million smart lamp posts by 2025.

As part of our commitment to improve access to information, advice and investments, in November 2016, under the EU urban agenda, the Commission will launch a special portal for cities.

It will provide a single, transparent, entry point for details on EU policies and funding opportunities for cities including access to finance and technical help from the European investment advisory hub. 

Substantial amounts from regional policy funds have become available to local authorities and other regional partners to invest in infrastructure and innovative services. Many regions have expressed their intention to support smart mobility, smart energy and urban digital transformation.

Smart cities also have much to gain from the EU’s plan for the digital single market. Smart cities are built on devices, data and interoperability; they rely on the security and resilience of their digital infrastructures and cannot function without the trust and confidence of their citizens. 

DSM initiatives on the digital transformation of government, standardisation, the Internet of Things, cloud, cyber security, ePrivacy, and the free flow of data, all coming during the course of 2016, will have a direct impact on smart cities.

I would love to see the best smart city technologies and ideas that we have in Europe live in all our streets and houses. Currently we have good but isolated smart city examples. Our challenge is to make the leap to a big open market for smart cities based on interoperable solutions and common procurement specifications.

The European Parliament and the Committee of the Regions have an important role to play and should call upon cities to join up for this purpose and support the European Commission’s efforts for cooperation across Europe.

Roberto Viola is Director General of the European Commission’s DG CONNECT

Colin Marrs

Learn More →

One thought on “Smart cities: the next stage

  1. Byamcos January 9, 2025 at 9:11 pm

    Principally, much emphasis is placed on tradition and household construction in Asia. Basically, of course, every woman is totally different, no matter which nation she comes from. Even in a country which feels so conservative there are enough options for on-line relationship. The largest false impression that the majority foreigners have when they arrive to Thailand is that Thai women are very straightforward and can be with anybody from a different nation. In precept, in Central Asia, visitors do not come empty-handed – this is not accepted right here. In Asia, women believe that lengthy hair is sexy and attractive to men, and brief haircuts make facial options too sharp. As a result of strict age hierarchy, self-discipline is strictly and strictly maintained in Central Asia, even during crowded gatherings. The monsoon circulation dominates throughout southern and japanese sections, as a result of presence of the Himalayas forcing the formation of a thermal low which draws in moisture through the summer. Nonetheless, it is best to be aware that many of those gorgeous women will not be viewing their social media presence as a approach to satisfy guys, so it can take you a while to develop a reference to someone.

    In the presence of older folks, the remaining want to talk extremely restrained. However, when you don’t want to go mistaken with the selection, it’s essential to guantee that finding an Asian girlfriend or a future wife is a good idea for you personally. Asian dating: A look on the U.S. Is she additionally attracted to your handsome look? idateasia scam Smooth skin, a toned physique and a contented smile on the face – this is what most Japanese girls appear like. By 838, the Japanese court discontinued its embassies in China; solely traders and Buddhist monks continued to travel to China. Nato leaders this week declared China a safety danger, “current(ing) systemic challenges to the rules-primarily based international order”. It’s in the nature of Asian mail order brides free to care about their men in a particular method. Be sincere. In case you need a girl to turn out to be your Asian mail order wife, you can start something good from lies. Giant households are also an necessary characteristic for Asian society. The monument structure is a large stepped pyramid crowned with rows of stupas.

    Traditional, as for the Central Asian region, the family is constructively a quite giant group of individuals consisting of a father and spouse, as well as their sons with their wives and kids, and typically with grandchildren. For instance, “A youngster is pricey as a coronary heart,” “A family can’t be completely happy with out youngsters,” “A native little one is a decoration at home,” and the like. The family, like all household values, among the inhabitants of Central Asia are very, very important. Family relationships in the East have always been, and right now are very conservative. In transport, announcements consistently urging adults to provide solution to kids are continuously heard. The distribution of roles is particularly pronounced: men go to work and women usually take care of the children and the family. Again, in response to religious canons, a man was forbidden to do female work. It is usually common in Asia that kids start to work very early.

    Asian ladies pamper, cherish and cherish their children. How to avoid being scammed while relationship an Asian woman? While Asian women are principally the same as all the other women round this world, there are some conventional things that they want and follow. AsianMelodies is a Asian dating site. It’s a lot cheaper than go on courting. How much does a K-1 visa price? Sure, this is simpler since they get to satisfy the whole family at the identical time, but this may be slightly overwhelming in your accomplice. If somebody from the household occupies a excessive place, then surrounds himself with kin within the particular person of subordinates. Shin Sandalinka, a senior Buddhist monk and the recipient of a high royal title underneath King Singu’s patronage. It stars Monali Thakur because the title character alongside Shefali Shah, Ram Kapoor, Satish Kaushik and Kukunoor. And they get the very best locations. Residents of the land of the rising solar don’t give up delicious food, and walking is taken into account the perfect sport. But, it is best to know that etiquette for an Asian lady is sacred; non-observance of fine manners by a foreigner can cause a storm of indignation among native residents. However, it was only once i met them in particular person that I realized, we have nothing in frequent – she’s a new immigrant, she will not perceive my experience.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *