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| From Manchester to Barcelona: Europe's smartest cities put citizens first | From Manchester to Barcelona: Europe's smartest cities put citizens first |
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| Europe’s cities are getting smarter. It’s no longer enough to have clean streets and a passable metro; cities must now be able to have all that and use data to calculate consumption, resource usage and traffic management. | Europe’s cities are getting smarter. It’s no longer enough to have clean streets and a passable metro; cities must now be able to have all that and use data to calculate consumption, resource usage and traffic management. |
| The Digital Agenda for Europe (2010) highlighted the importance of more open data across the EU, which will be used to improve public services and create smarter cities across the continent. | The Digital Agenda for Europe (2010) highlighted the importance of more open data across the EU, which will be used to improve public services and create smarter cities across the continent. |
| Dietman Offenhuber is an assistant professor at Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, in the department of art, design and public policy. He describes a smart city as “an intelligent machine, which governs and adapts itself to its residents and environmental conditions”. | Dietman Offenhuber is an assistant professor at Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, in the department of art, design and public policy. He describes a smart city as “an intelligent machine, which governs and adapts itself to its residents and environmental conditions”. |
| Offenhuber says that a smart city just needs the capacity to sense the current condition, interpret the resulting data to find patterns, and react – or create the capacity for city managers to react – appropriately. | Offenhuber says that a smart city just needs the capacity to sense the current condition, interpret the resulting data to find patterns, and react – or create the capacity for city managers to react – appropriately. |
| A smart city aims to improve the quality of life for its citizens, and should be well placed to react to urban challenges. As data opens up, the smarter our cities, the more connected we are as citizens – and the higher our quality of life. | A smart city aims to improve the quality of life for its citizens, and should be well placed to react to urban challenges. As data opens up, the smarter our cities, the more connected we are as citizens – and the higher our quality of life. |
| Amsterdam | Amsterdam |
| Amsterdam is as connected as they come. Link-ups between local companies, the government, and citizens have helped Amsterdam Smart City grow into a platform with more than 100 partners. Ron van der Lans, programme manager for open and big data for Amsterdam Smart City, says his goal is about making data available for partners of the city, such as the police or local companies: “We want to add extra value to the use of data”. He explains how open data has contributed to a more user-friendly, streamlined city. One example is how open data and an app forged from information gathered about Amsterdam has helped disabled people navigate the city. If they run into issues, or divert off the usual route, a call centre will get in touch. | Amsterdam is as connected as they come. Link-ups between local companies, the government, and citizens have helped Amsterdam Smart City grow into a platform with more than 100 partners. Ron van der Lans, programme manager for open and big data for Amsterdam Smart City, says his goal is about making data available for partners of the city, such as the police or local companies: “We want to add extra value to the use of data”. He explains how open data has contributed to a more user-friendly, streamlined city. One example is how open data and an app forged from information gathered about Amsterdam has helped disabled people navigate the city. If they run into issues, or divert off the usual route, a call centre will get in touch. |
| Another creation is City Alerts, which warns the fire brigade of issues that concern privacy or safety. “A fireman was once stabbed by a mentally unstable resident after responding to an emergency call. Now we warn him with colour codes from the police and the mental health service” says Van der Lans, explaining how much smarter and safer a city can be by utilising open and shared data. | Another creation is City Alerts, which warns the fire brigade of issues that concern privacy or safety. “A fireman was once stabbed by a mentally unstable resident after responding to an emergency call. Now we warn him with colour codes from the police and the mental health service” says Van der Lans, explaining how much smarter and safer a city can be by utilising open and shared data. |
| Manchester | Manchester |
| Societies thrive by using data, and Manchester is one UK smart city using data to make lives easier for its citizens. Data GM is a site that claims to “free greater Manchester’s public data”. Created by public sector organisations in Manchester, it includes data on public transport, road accidents, bus stops and libraries. By opening up this data, members of the public and developers have been able to help Mancunians live more efficiently. | |
| A staggeringly large number of public bodies are committed to sharing data, including Manchester city council, the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, and Transport for Greater Manchester. This has resulted in projects such as those developed by the Trafford Intelligence and Data lab to make a “hot housing heatmap” that helps buyers work out which areas are best to buy in. Being a smart city is about making the city easy and navigable. | A staggeringly large number of public bodies are committed to sharing data, including Manchester city council, the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, and Transport for Greater Manchester. This has resulted in projects such as those developed by the Trafford Intelligence and Data lab to make a “hot housing heatmap” that helps buyers work out which areas are best to buy in. Being a smart city is about making the city easy and navigable. |
| Helsinki | Helsinki |
| For the last century, the Finnish capital has kept up-to-date statistics documenting the city, its citizens and its services, all now open to the public and available online. This is a boon for developers, journalists, and city planners, who are able to use the data to develop the city and help it to evolve. As well as receiving the EU’s prize for public administration in 2013, the city’s collected data – called Helsinki region infoshare – has opened up the city and helped it to become smart. One app, Blindsquare, helps visually impaired people to navigate the city by layering public transport data with information from Foursquare. The app also gives information about museum exhibitions and art galleries which enables Helsinki’s visually impaired residents to lead a culturally rich and active life. | For the last century, the Finnish capital has kept up-to-date statistics documenting the city, its citizens and its services, all now open to the public and available online. This is a boon for developers, journalists, and city planners, who are able to use the data to develop the city and help it to evolve. As well as receiving the EU’s prize for public administration in 2013, the city’s collected data – called Helsinki region infoshare – has opened up the city and helped it to become smart. One app, Blindsquare, helps visually impaired people to navigate the city by layering public transport data with information from Foursquare. The app also gives information about museum exhibitions and art galleries which enables Helsinki’s visually impaired residents to lead a culturally rich and active life. |
| Barcelona | Barcelona |
| In 2014 Barcelona was named European Capital of Innovation. It’s a city that prides itself on turning ideas into realities. Smart cities try to foster personal and business development by using new technologies and managing resources efficiently, something Barcelona is doing well. One of its main focuses has been on making public and social services more transparent – all appointments for council services can now be made online. The local council is encouraging contactless connections across the city, a service it believes will enable citizens to find out what is going on in their area at any given time. It’s all about making life easier by using technology. | In 2014 Barcelona was named European Capital of Innovation. It’s a city that prides itself on turning ideas into realities. Smart cities try to foster personal and business development by using new technologies and managing resources efficiently, something Barcelona is doing well. One of its main focuses has been on making public and social services more transparent – all appointments for council services can now be made online. The local council is encouraging contactless connections across the city, a service it believes will enable citizens to find out what is going on in their area at any given time. It’s all about making life easier by using technology. |
| Stockholm | Stockholm |
| Green technologies are key when developing a smart city, and Stockholm, one of Europe’s most connected cities, knows this. It has a green IT strategy which works in partnership with inhabitants, public services, and local companies to promote a green agenda. By 2030, the city is aiming to have implemented environmentally efficient transport based on new technology, worked out how to use energy sustainably, and propagated environmentally friendly waste management. | Green technologies are key when developing a smart city, and Stockholm, one of Europe’s most connected cities, knows this. It has a green IT strategy which works in partnership with inhabitants, public services, and local companies to promote a green agenda. By 2030, the city is aiming to have implemented environmentally efficient transport based on new technology, worked out how to use energy sustainably, and propagated environmentally friendly waste management. |
| Being a smart city, Stockholm is keen to promote digital solutions for its problems. For example, there is a city-wide initiative to replace face-to-face meetings with digital ones, promote cycling, and implement green IT by cutting down on paper usage. Stockholm prides itself on being one of the most connected cities, not only in terms of physical connections, but digital ones too. For Stockholm, part of being a smart city is having an excellent fibre cable network to spur economic progress and encourage more businesses to move there. | Being a smart city, Stockholm is keen to promote digital solutions for its problems. For example, there is a city-wide initiative to replace face-to-face meetings with digital ones, promote cycling, and implement green IT by cutting down on paper usage. Stockholm prides itself on being one of the most connected cities, not only in terms of physical connections, but digital ones too. For Stockholm, part of being a smart city is having an excellent fibre cable network to spur economic progress and encourage more businesses to move there. |
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