The term «smart» is cheerfully repeated in any discussion forum that claims to be particularly innovative and aligned with current sustainability trends. But what is «smart» and why is it applied to almost everything when one is willing to embellish it with adjectives such as efficient, accountable, and sustainable?
According to Collins, the meaning of «smart» in the first sense is stylish, sleek, elegant, and in its second meaning is where we find ready, active, intelligent, and the example of a cuckoo appears (which lays its eggs in others» nests for the others to hatch them). Putting together both meanings we get a skillful silk-glove player admired by most of the people. And if we give it a thought we may probably all like to be like this, intelligent but not nerd, audacious and skilled in the art of making good use of resources, and recognized as such.
The crisis incites ingenuity and industriousness and makes us become «smart» people, forcing us to take advantage from where we had not happened before to think, or in case yes, we had enough left overs to spare … so why would you stoop to pick the 10 cents coin if you had thousands of euros in your pocket.
The presentation of the Smart Cities White Paper took place yesterday, and experts claimed that the global market for business related to Smart Cities will reach a trillion dollars by 2016, and that smart technologies» implementation in cities improves its citizens» quality of life, increases competitiveness, attracts investment, encourages the arrival of visitors and generates employment. Any additional offers?
The presentation of the White Paper was conducted by Mr. David Perez, president of the Madrid Federation of Municipalities, who praised the effort in its development by Madrid Network»s Renewable Energy Cluster, Ernst & Young, Ferrovial Servicios and Enerlis. The book shows that the investment required for implementation is much lower than the benefits gained. Smart cities development involves sectors such as security, transportation, education, health, automation engineering, energy, urban planning and building.
Key Factors
The book recommends emphasizing on five factors, needed to deal with the city»s transformation:
-Improving public services efficiency can save about 20% out of the current 200,000 million euros allocated to them (corresponding to a third part of the municipal budget).
-Mobility: more sustainable policies such as public transport, electric mobility, or the urban centers» protection improve not only quality of life but entail significant savings. Transport is the most energy consuming sector in Spain (about 40% of total).
– Sustainability: Initiatives aimed at protecting the environment by improving energy facilities, or the construction of sustainable buildings. Results in savings of 30% to 50%. Estimated net savings of 400 euros / square meter per year.
-Awareness. Citizen participation is essential through dissemination campaigns using websites and social networking.
– Economy. Finally, sustainable cities are less expensive to manage and attract a greater number of residents so that the city»s growth is guaranteed.
