This blog post is Part 1 of our Smart Cities Series.

As technology has evolved, so have our cities — and as the last couple of years have demonstrated, so have the challenges we face. While technology cannot be the answer to all our problems, it can certainly present a solution to many of them.

City officials and other leaders like you have found that successfully leveraging technology can also yield more efficient processes, better utilized resources, more sustainable communities, and a better quality of life. Indeed, 60 percent of Americans say they would like to live in a smart city, according to Tech Republic.

But, what do ‘smart’ solutions look like for a municipality? How can city leaders harness technology to help meet their goals? They can begin by focusing on people and the needs of their local communities.

Smart leaders invest in creating smart cities

In the early 2000s, the term “smart city” was coined to describe municipalities that were rolling out internet connectivity and digital infrastructure and services faster than their peers. According to the Institute of Management Development’s (IMD) Smart City Index, cities such as Singapore, Zurich and Oslo have gone on to lead the way.

Like them, many smart cities employ interactive technology via the Internet of Things (IoT) — including sensors, meters and other autonomous electronics — to gather data and transmit it to officials and others so it may be analyzed and used to optimize city operations and more. 

While there is no singular definition of a smart city, it should be noted that employing technology alone does not make a city smart. For example, cities that tap into technology but do not use it to transmit or collect information are not smart cities; they are simply cities that use technology. The same goes for cities that use technological aspects that are managed by other organizations or entities. To be deemed a smart city, it is understood that municipalities or government entities must be part of the data collection and transmission process.  

A contributor post on Forbes describes the distinction between cities and smart cities well: A traditional city is like a series of silos. Housing, transportation, streets and sanitation are stand-alone departments united under one mayor and city council. A smart city, by contrast, is a system of systems wherein each city function or department is tied to the others. This creates a single web of information and a big-picture view rather than fragmented and scattered bits and pieces of information, according to the post.

It’s as though smart cities have cracked the code: They have implemented an integrated network of technology that allows them to automate business processes, to engage with citizens online, and to make data-driven decisions — all freeing up people who are already short of time to focus on serving the public in more meaningful ways.

If you’ve been thinking of laying the groundwork to become a smart city, or reviving old plans to do so, now is an excellent time to do it. Options abound for the technology you may use, from low-cost passive sensors to relatively inexpensive cloud platforms. The technology you employ will also generate cost savings because you will have the ability to make decisions based on data and not on estimates.

Get smart — no matter where you are on your smart-city journey

Even if you’re well on your way to becoming a smart city, be sure that as you move forward, you retain the focus of your technology on the people you mean to help. 

According to Smart Cities Connect Media & Research, there is much talk throughout the industry about how the focus on technology can often occur at the expense of people. This is commonly referred to as “technology for technology’s sake,” which doesn’t solve the challenges real people face, according to the site.

Fortunately, there are now many great examples of design-based thinking, according to the site, which are leading efforts to make technology more “human focused.” Moreover, advances in technology and lessons in preparedness — which many cities have had to learn the hard way in the wake of COVID — have helped pave the way to a smarter future.

As an example, when the City of Lexington, Kentucky embraced fleet automation, the waste management department was able to streamline operations, eliminating 10 collection vehicles recouping costs in a year. The City then expanded the use of fleet technology to other divisions and more than 40 additional vehicles for even greater efficiency and impact.

An Associated Press review of the first financial reports of the American Rescue Plan Act determined many large cities and states hadn’t yet spent the funds they received under the 2021 bill. If your city is one of the many the AP referred to, it’s time to get started.

Many cities are in the process of evaluating their challenges and goals and setting priorities. This process looks different for every municipality, but it’s a key step in determining the solutions and technologies you’ll need to help you get there.

In the next blog in our Smart Cities Series, you’ll learn how your city can lead the smart charge — or further its commitment — with an intentional focus on solid waste services.

Building a smart city? We can help you identify tools and technologies to help you meet your goals. Let’s talk.