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will hit US$135 billion. The USA will dedicate the most to the smart city tech market, with spending forecast to reach US$22 billion during 2018. China will follow closely behind, spending almost as much, at US$21 billion. Meanwhile, global management consulting firm McKinsey predicts that smart cities will generate 60% of the world’s GDP by 2025. Big data specialists, designers, architects and
innovators are collaborating with city managers to make cities smarter and more efficient, better incorporate technology and improve overall metropolitan living. The focus of smart initiatives is currently on intelligent transportation, data-driven public safety, and resilient energy and infrastructure, says the IDC, although the two largest commanders of capital are intelligent traffic and transit, and fixed visual surveillance. Smart outdoor lighting and environmental
monitoring are close behind. Budget priorities are, however, region-dependent. Intelligent traffic and transit are top-priority investments in the USA, Japan and Western Europe, for example, while China’s focused on fixed visual surveillance and Japan on environmental monitoring. Numerous cities around the world have made
incredible progress in becoming smart, including Barcelona, Helsinki, London, San Francisco and Stockholm, though the island city-state of Singapore, home to 5,5 million citizens and residents, stands out for its ingenious use of technology. Leveraging one of the highest broadband and mobile penetration rates in the world, almost all the city’s government services are available and accessible online, while citizen- centric mobile health, municipal and transport apps were recently launched. As the city’s rapid growth in recent years has placed a greater burden on its transport network, a lot has been invested in road sensors, phased traffic lights and smart parking.
Being a smart city isn’t enough for Singapore, though, which intends to become the world’s first “smart nation”. With a focus on things like housing and transport – areas with a high impact on the population – Smart Nation will collect data from myriad sensors, while a 3D “virtual Singapore” model will allow city planners to analyse pedestrian and traffic flows, run simulations and test concepts. Data collected through sensor technology from public housing estates, for example, will give the government invaluable information which it can analyse and use to improve the design, planning and maintenance of these estates and others to come.
AFRICA’S NEW URBAN FUTURE According to research, 86% of the population in
developed countries and 64% in developing countries will live in cities by 2050. In Africa alone, rapid population growth and urbanisation are expected to see nearly 350 million new city-dwellers by 2030, and one billion more by 2063. That’s quite an influx of warm bodies. A recent World Bank report noted that there are
three key challenges with Africa’s rapid urbanisation: the cities are too crowded, they aren’t integrated and they’re too expensive to live in. If people are to thrive here, a lot needs to change. Alison Groves, Regional Director: WSP, Building
Services, Africa, agrees that there’s much room for improvement in the continent. “I believe that in the African context, and knowing the challenges faced in African cities with infrastructure deficit to support the population growth we’re seeing, we need to take a different approach,” she says. “There needs to be more focus on infrastructural development that will support sustainable cities which are totally integrated – and cities that are ‘people’-focused. This will mean reviewing all current infrastructure plans
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