Cities around the world are getting bigger, faster. Around the world, some 180,000 people move into cities every day. To make cities work well, they have to be made more intelligent. Cities with intelligence built into their systems, stay viable as destinations for people and economic growth.
And while in the past growth was the main measure of economic success; today growing populations represent a huge challenge for governments and municipal planners. They burden already aging and stressed infrastructure. More people means increased consumption of valuable resources such as water and energy. They need more firefighters, police, medical care and education – and they often need the services before they pay enough taxes to cover their cost.
On the flip side, growing cities also represent a huge opportunity. Most people wouldn’t move to cities if they didn’t expect to find better jobs and make more money than they could be in rural areas and small towns. City dwellers’ economic opportunity is magnified by the network effect of having millions of people around them, some of whom will find value in the skills and labor they provide. And cities themselves can benefit when they provide the infrastructure that enables those individuals to thrive economically.
But in the face of shrinking budgets and limited resources, we can’t just continue to build new roads, buildings and infrastructure to support growth. Aside from space limitations on creating new roadways or power grids, cities can’t afford to shut down existing facilities that people rely on in order to install new ones.
So, instead of striving for physical growth, today a city’s success should be measured by how wisely it uses energy, water, and other resources, how well it maintains a high quality of life for its people, and how smart it is in building prosperity on a sustainable foundation. In short, cities have to become much smarter about how they use existing capacity and resources.
Technology has the answers
Fortunately, advancements in computer, sensor, and networking technology over the past few years are now providing a new lease on life for aging physical infrastructure. For the first time, city leaders can view ongoing events from central command posts rather than relying on confused and scattered reports from ground-based observers. Sensors in roadways can predict congestion, pinpoint issues like leaks in water pipes and help prepare for potential outages in power grids.
These systems can be installed at prices far lower than the cost of a new highway or replacement of a water main, because they leverage existing infrastructure, rather than building new. The City of Rio de Janeiro has integrated information from over 30 city departments into one Operations Center for real-time visualization, management and analysis of incidents across the city.
Take water distribution systems, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) needed to ensure Equitable Water Supply and unaccounted for water in the city, currently pegged at 45 per cent of the supply. The board set up a command centre to monitor and manage the water supply system. The centre monitors water flow in 284 of the 784 bulk flow meters, providing a clear view of the amount of water transmitted by each, the amount supplied to individual parts of the distribution system and the level of water in each reservoir. Data from every meter is displayed on a dashboard, which can be accessed by BWSSB engineers. Historic trends in terms of last 7 days supply data or last 24 hrs flow pressure can be also viewed by each Engineer for his area to help him take proactive decisions in case there is a non compliance.
Technology enables incentives that can change how citizens use the infrastructure
Combining advanced technology with economic incentives can give individuals the information they need to change consumption behavior. Cities can manage traffic using variable toll pricing. To combat congestion and speed traffic flow, cities such as Stockholm and London have instituted congestion pricing for downtown areas at certain times of day. A 2006 pilot of the road charging system revealed that traffic was down by nearly 25% by the end of the trial, resulting in improved traffic flow across the city. Use of public transportation increased and pollution dropped 14%.
To make cities work well, they have to be made more intelligent. If they are, they can flourish with the economic development opportunities presented by growth. If not, they will be overshadowed and outpaced by cities that are laying the foundation to prepare for future urban growth.
We would be happy to hear from you about a solution you would like to see in your city. Please share your idea with us, we could look at making it a reality and benefit millions of people in the process.
The blogger is Dhamodaran Ramakrishnan – Director, Smarter Planet, IBM ISA.
