Twenty years on, the impact of 9/11 in the shaping of smart cities across the world is undeniable. But where the rapid development of new technologies for data gathering and processing have pushed forward tremendous advances in infrastructure, there are many questions that remain to be answered about privacy and security, and how to stop data from falling into the wrong hands

As smart cities continue to develop and improve year on year, we get a greater understanding of the role that innovation plays in their day-to-day functioning. Here, I take a closer look at some leading examples on how cities can use the resources available to them as a way of improving urban living

Creating a Smart City Utopia from the ground up, as Telosa intends to do, poses tremendous challenges, as evidenced by examples such as Songdo. But does this mean we should give up on the idea? What remains to be seen is whether Telosa will implement the learnings of its many precursors (indeed, a rather Smart thing to do) and set a shining example that inspires not only the creation of new urban nucleuses, but the transformation of existing ones.

Copenhagen ranks first in the recently published Safe Cities Index from The Economist Intelligence Unit. A brand new environmental security pillar, closely interlinked with health security, has ensured that the city scored top points for its readiness against the likes of the climate change crisis and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. A key learning sticks out from the 2021 report: system-wide preparedness versus after-the-fact response. So why did Copenhagen excel, and what can other cities and communities learn from it?

Climate change isn’t just one of the biggest issues currently faced by the world today, but also one of the key topics of concern for citizens everywhere. Problems arising from and as a direct result of climate change have begun to reconfigure how many governments are approaching city strategies, looking for improvements that create more sustainable solutions. But we need to do more if we want to meet our ambitious targets for cutting carbon emissions

Community safety and well-being is one of the top pillars when it comes to the architecture of any city - not just smart ones. Over the last few decades, more and more cities around the globe have focused on enhancing security and safety for their residents, be it at an urban level, or from a data point of view.

In 2021, smart cities around the world are using key learnings from stats and data into consideration ahead of planning for further urban development. Leveraging data and making use of smart technology is helping to improve efficiency and sustainability, foster economic development and enhance the overall quality of life for residents - as well as the experience of visitors.

Cybersecurity and data protection are essential to ensure citizen safety in smart cities. As we’ve seen from last year’s controversial move from Singapore, where police were revealed to have had access to data from the nation’s Covid track-and-trace system, measures need to be put in place to ensure that the data we need to solve city challenges is stored and used in a safe and ethical manner

The undeniable impact of climate change poses one of the biggest threats to our world, while also providing huge opportunities for learning, which we must incorporate into the strategies of smart cities

Artificial Intelligence has become a large part of modern life over the past decade, and it makes no exception in the role it plays in the evolution of a smart city. Big Data and artificial intelligence (AI) are interlinked. AI refers to various methods for using a non-human system to learn from experience and imitate human intelligent behaviour. It can efficiently sift through large quantities of Big Data to generate predictions and cost-effective solutions to fuel Smart City technologies.

Public spaces are an important pillar of any community. All around the world, as part of urban development and restoration efforts, they’ve formed a key part of every urban strategy worthy of note, with a clear focus on offering residents valuable places with real benefits. But now more than ever, their roles have shifted from purely recreational spaces to community hubs where events and creative initiatives take place.

In the daily life of modern cities, road and traffic related topics are some of the most pressing issues. From cluttered traffic at rush hour to shortage of parking spots or outdated road infrastructures, these have a large impact on the lives of citizens, and are one of the biggest sources of stress for them as well as for city officials. So finding effective solutions within the structure of a smart community plan shouldn’t just be obvious, but also a key priority.

Romania is no stranger to taking action to develop more and more smart communities within its rich geography. A recent edition of the Smart City Radiography in Romania takes a look at cities and their progress in smart cities action.

The rapid expansion of cities powered by smart tech has become a reality that continues to develop at an increasingly growing pace. Along with the development of new technologies, one of the most important roles in the advancement (and eventual success) of these urban implementations resides in the local urban strategy, which is in charge of incorporating these advancements which simplify and make life more efficient for city residents.

Sustainability has become one of the hot topics and top priorities for the world we live in today. Over the past decade in particular, we’ve seen countless initiatives that make life better for all, with technology undoubtedly making the biggest strides in this direction. Through all it can do, the tech world has pushed us generations ahead in relative terms to what the world has seen to date.

Smart communities around the world continue to develop on strong technological foundations, which aim to simplify the lives of their citizens and bring them into a new era of urban living. The toughest challenges in smart urban planning usually reside in long-term inefficient strategies, budget constraints or technologies facing implementation issues. But what if you could actually test these technologies, real-time, in day-to-day living?

Up until now, Smart City technology has been developed in accordance to specific needs, structures, budgets and possibilities. From smart data collection, to traffic optimisation, garbage collection and an increased awareness for sustainable solutions, smart community developments have made significant contributions to the wellbeing of their citizens.

In 2021, the pandemic is a reality that we have learned to adapt to. In the wake of Covid-19, many city development plans have seen some setbacks, but at the same time, innovations that seemed a world away have become part of our daily lives much faster than we could have imagined.

The era of COVID has radically changed a lot of elements in our daily lives, from the way we work and communicate, to how we find solutions and adjust our routines. One of the positive shifts that has occurred is most felt in the technological field. Tech developers have managed to find a variety of solutions for just about everything, including new ways of working remotely, how we access vaccinations and so on.

We live in a digital world, with smart connections and services expanding their outreach every day. Smart homes have already become a thing of the present, with their number also expected to surpass the 300 million mark by 2023. Smart homes use connected devices and appliances to perform actions, tasks, and automated routines to save money, time, and energy. And since their existence, all the knowledge gathered around them offers a strong base of learnings that can help us better understand the challenges behind creating and expanding smart cities.