As the world witnesses an unprecedented exodus from rural to urban areas, cities face a monumental challenge: how to accommodate a constantly growing population? This phenomenon, characterized by rapid population growth and increasing density, puts pressure on resources, infrastructure, and urban services. As significant problems demand even larger solutions, it becomes necessary, more than ever, to rethink the tools at our disposal. In this challenging context, the rise of emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) presents itself as a light at the end of the tunnel. These technologies, initially conceived to simplify everyday tasks and facilitate communication, are potential instruments that enable an effective response to contemporary urban challenges.
In this regard, the integration of digital solutions into the fabric of cities raises pertinent questions and inaugurates a new way of reading and managing cities. An example of this is the application of systems like IoT (Internet of Things) that enable the interconnection of devices and urban systems, allowing real-time monitoring and consequent rapid response to various needs — smart sensors installed in urban infrastructures such as waste management systems, transportation networks, weather stations, etc., provide crucial data that inform decision-making and service optimization.
At the same time, the analysis of this data provides valuable insights into cities' behavioral patterns, enabling more efficient resource management and proactive response to challenges such as traffic congestion and pollution. AI, in turn, enables effective analysis of previously collected data. AI systems can predict traffic patterns, identify areas at risk of crime, and even automate urban management processes. With advanced algorithms and machine learning, cities are becoming smarter and more agile in responding to 21st-century challenges.
Examples of this are cities like Barcelona and Dublin, which through innovative projects and technology-centric approaches, are redefining the urban paradigm, offering a glimpse of what the future may hold for living organisms that are cities.
Smart City Barcelona
Smart City Barcelona is a project initiated in 2011 by the City Council of Barcelona that has been internationally acclaimed for its holistic approach to urban resource management. Developing on various fronts of urban management, the Smart City project's strategy is to generate sustainable city growth, effectively addressing issues such as public lighting, mobility, waste management, and the social aspect of the various communities inhabiting the city. In all cases, the strategy is based on the IoT process so that the city operates as a network, optimizing its needs with existing resources so that information becomes knowledge and responses are more targeted, sustainable, and operational.
An example of this applicability of IoT sensors is the real-time monitoring of waste flow. This allows for the optimization of collection operations and, consequently, the promotion of greater efficiency and sustainability (social, economic, and material). Similarly, integrating intelligent energy and water management systems is another example aimed at reducing consumption and promoting more sustainable resource use. However, these are small examples of a complex urban optimization strategy that the municipality of Barcelona, along with companies, research centers, and institutions such as IBM, CISCO, World Bank, European Commission, Lenovo, etc., is building in a new paradigm of sustainable development.
Smart Dublin
Through the collection and analysis of data related to energy, transportation, and waste, Dublin has identified areas of opportunity to improve the quality of life of its inhabitants. The Smart Dublin project questions how technology can help build a greener, more sustainable city. How can the local government use technology to better engage with Dubliners? How can we use technology to help manage pedestrian, cycle, and vehicle flows and reduce congestion? How can technology bring communities together and improve citizen well-being?
To address these and other questions, four local authorities have joined forces with companies, researchers, and civil society to identify and develop solutions that make the city more efficient. An example of this progress is the accessible parking project in Dún Laoghaire. This project aims to improve the city's accessibility, especially for people with reduced mobility, by making it easier to find and use parking spaces. Using LaRaWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network) technology, 40 sensors have been installed throughout the Dún Laoghaire area that detect the presence of vehicles in parking spaces, communicating this information to a data processing center which, in turn, through a mobile application, allows users to check the availability of accessible parking spaces in real-time around the city. In this way, this project aims to contribute to greater inclusion and accessibility of urban space by helping drivers manage how they move around the city more efficiently.
As we move away from outdated urban narratives and embrace a bolder vision for the future of cities, digital transformation emerges as the key to unlocking the full potential of the urban environment. Barcelona and Dublin are examples of how cities are leading the way towards a smarter and more sustainable era. By adopting a collaborative and visionary approach, we can shape the destiny of our cities and create a lasting legacy for future generations.
