The Urgent Emergence Of Smart Cities
It’s mid-2022 and our cities have morphed into hubs of data, gathered from its citizens and used to manage resources more efficiently.
How We Got Here
The rapid development of 5G high speed internet, AI, the cloud, near-field communication (NFC) and apps, have all lead to one path – to improve our lives. And while this may seem like a bold statement to some, the single most important goal of smart cities is to deliver a higher standard of living with less impact on the environment.
Smart cities, also known as wired or connected, are here to stay. The data they collect, use and share –made readily accessible since the era of the smart phone – are vital to the well-being of the planet. Cities alone consume over two-thirds of the world’s energy (Source: UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development, 2016).
The Economics of Smart Cities
While legacy cities in the West are seeking to upgrade aging infrastructures and are gradually catching up with their Asian counterparts, the drive towards smart cities will continue. Technology spending on related initiatives worldwide is forecast to hit $189.5 billion by 2023, an increase of 134% from 2018 (Source: Statista.com, April 21, 2021).
The Paris Agreement called for net zero carbon buildings by 2050, an ambitious goal in itself yet achievable in a smart city, where intel on usage can lead to better building management, design and efficiencies. Smart buildings that use Integrated Building Management Systems (IBMS) can reduce total global carbon emissions by 30%. They are part of every architect’s lexicon when looking to build for the future and there are a multitude of apps that deliver efficiencies based on one’s IBMS score.
People First
By putting people first, smart cities are a magnet for investment and economic growth. Making cities green, sustainable, and responsive to the real-time needs of its population, they have moved away from the ‘fix-and-repair-pot-hole thinking’ of the yesteryear.
Public transit, perhaps one of the greatest single costs of any city’s annual budget, has longed for a smart city solution. Add into the equation the impact of oil and gas on the planet, the rising cost of fuel, issues of traffic congestion and pollution shifts, one quickly sees that for any city to be functional and efficient into the future, the question of transit and mobility must be addressed in a meaningful way.
Public transportation that is reflective of an aging population is critical when creating a smart city. Far from creating a world of androids, smart-cities are based on human-centric technology and one company leading the charge is a Canadian assistive technology company, My Universal Vision for Everyone (MUVE).
An industry leader in the development and implementation of inclusive mobility solutions, MUVE, a movement eco-system technology provider, bridges the gap between technology, innovation, accessibility, and sustainability. MUVE’s technology empowers governments, transit authorities, private transportation operators, and likeminded community organizations to bring positive disruption to today’s mobility industry.
MUVE has built an end-to-end movement eco-system, powered by universal design technology, delivered on a smart phone app that is inclusive and accessible to all. The company’s Go MUVE app enables a safer, greener, and seamlessly connected journeys via its smart mobility solutions, offering a solution to transportation challenges.
More Solutions on the Horizon
Next time you head downtown, stop for a moment and look at your smart phone. Notice how it alerted you to a traffic jam and offered an alternative route? Or to the nearest location of your favorite coffeeshop? Or the closest parking spot to your destination? A bit of data – collected, stored and shared to help others. A transaction of information that is seamless, happening millions of times a second., leading to more solutions.
As technology develops, so will smart cities. With one goal in mind, making the human experience better – for all. And companies like MUVE will lead the way. Inclusive, with a universal vision for everyone.
