*By Sylvio Mode
I always think a lot about the themes of my articles and I kept looking at what we need to draw attention to, in addition to everyday matters. There is a topic that gained popularity in the 90s, was in vogue a few years ago, but occasionally takes a back seat: smart cities. And we need to resume because it has always been part of the core of digital transformation, a fascinating subject that is of paramount importance for the continuous evolution of society, in all its aspects, in the search for better quality of government service and the well-being of citizens.
I am inclined to believe that aligning technological advances with social and environmental progress through digital and disruptive solutions seems to be the formula for a smart city. Seeking this result, citizens can have access to better public services and a superior quality of life. This is a concept that did not emerge suddenly, it is the result of planning, work and, of course, the commitment of governments, companies and also the populations that already live this reality. But precisely because it is already a concept inserted in our daily lives, expectations now revolve around how they will evolve, which lets our imagination fly far away and we ask ourselves: is there a smarter city than another?
Worldwide, more than half of people live in urban areas, smart or not, although this ecosystem occupies less than 1% of the Earth's surface¹. In Brazil, the urban concentration is even higher, reaching approximately 84% of the entire population². In 2020, there were 7.8 billion people, 4.3 billion of them living in large centers. By 2050, this number tends to increase, reaching 7 billion³.
Due to the large urban population concentration, cities face several problems: mobility, basic sanitation, housing, pollution, etc. It is indisputable that the city today is more than complex. They are living organisms that make up an enormity of information, data, urban and private equipment, in addition to the coexistence between the various social, economic and environmental entities. They demand much more prepared and precise answers. In other words, it is necessary to automate, design and build intelligently and invest more and more in technological elements that contribute to being called 'smart'.
But what makes the smart city so special? We can consider it to be the 'smart' elements and connected sensors, or it will be the digitization of equipment and data acquisition and analysis resources, the synchronized traffic lights to improve urban mobility, IoT, AI, Big data, among others. Regardless of our assumptions, smart cities' mission is to improve the quality of life, the efficiency of operations and the services needed by the population. It has a sustainability bias with economic, social and environmental aspects.
One of the best examples of smart city comes from Asia. Singapore, one of the richest nations in the world, the so-called city-state, is home to several successful examples. Starting with the port, the busiest in the world in terms of transport tonnage. In recent years, the government has implemented a strategy to transform Singapore into a 'garden city' with solar-powered 'super trees' that can reach up to 50 meters in height and smart, sustainable buildings. Green facades, wind power to acclimatize buildings, as well as a progressive vision of urban transport that also counts in favor in the place.
Here, as providers of innovative technologies, we are constantly challenged to develop solutions for the AEC sectors that contribute to the development of projects that add digital intelligence to the urban world so that smart cities and sustainable communities thrive. The BIM methodology (Building Information Modeling) represents a fundamental step as a catalyst for smart cities: a solution that, through virtual construction, creates areas with sustainable development by promoting urban remodeling without losing the shine of the heritage or the place, all collaboratively and transparently.
However, the successful urban design for a smart city is complex, characterized by overlap between public and private spaces. Environments occupied by road infrastructure, presence of underground services (electrical transport, gas, drinking water, sanitation), need to manage accessibility through different modes, in addition to structures for major works, such as viaducts, bridges and roads. Time reduction and greater speed in the project life cycle are the key for smart cities.
This leads me to conclude that the smart cities of the future are human cities. But what does it mean? Green urban spaces and open surfaces, that is, integrated, inclusive, safe, multifunctional and sustainable spaces. We can consider thegoing green' where the increase in vegetation has a great impact on the lives of citizens - the idea of 'city of 15 minutes — which means reaching all urban services in 15 minutes -, 'mobility hubs', with shared services and access to public transport. Anyway, eyes are bright in the face of these and other trends that shape the future of smart cities.
*Sylvio Mode is President of Autodesk
Notice: The opinion presented in this article is the responsibility of its author and not of ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies
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