Transitioning towards Smart Cities: the fundamental role of IoT

The concept of smart cities has been growing in popularity and is becoming a widespread objective in many countries. A smart city comprises an urban development concept that accentuates the intelligent management of a city’s resources for the purpose of solving urban challenges. Smart cities are considered to be a more functional, technological, and efficient version of traditional cities.

This advanced 2.0 urban setup optimizes the use of digital solutions to benefit inhabitants and business, by implementing a diversified use of technologies like data tracking systems, sensors, voice controls, and much more. The information obtained by these technologies is used to efficiently manage assets, services and resources, improving operations across the city. Usually, smart cities collect data from devices, buildings, citizens, assets and the environment. This data is processed and analyzed to monitor and manage a variety of events, like traffic, utilities, water supply networks, power plants, schools and buildings, crime detection, garbage disposal, hospitals, and so much more.

Smart cities integrate two major aspects: ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and IoT (Internet of Things). Internet of Things optimizes the efficiency of city services and operations enabling a widespread connection with citizens aimed at data collection and analysis; while Information and Communication Technology is used to enhance the quality, performance, and interactivity of urban services by improving the contact between citizens and city stakeholders.

Smart city applications are created to manage urban flows and allow for real-time responses. This is possible thanks to IoT. A smart city can therefore better respond to challenges compared to conventional urban systems. They evolve towards a strong integration of the human, collective and artificial intelligence dimensions, which combined with digital telecommunications, sensors, software, and tags, allow a functional network ecosystem. Smart urban clusters use data and technology to create efficiencies, improve sustainability, create economic development, and enhance quality of life for people living and working in the area.

A smart city goes beyond the use of digital technologies for a better use of resources and for a decrease in emissions. It allows smarter urban transport networks, improved water supply and waste disposal and more effective ways to light and heat buildings. It also means a more interactive and responsive city administration, safer public spaces while meeting the needs of citizens. Internet of Things allows a continuous connection between systems and a constant data tracking, resulting in an information net set to support existing projects and new smart ones. To better understand the potential of smart cities and the fundamental role that IoT plays in its flow, here is a short overview of some of the aspects Internet of Things can impact in urbanization areas:

1. Connected objects:

From connecting buildings, cars, lampposts, trees, trash cans, garbage disposal, public transportation means and more, the Internet of Things opens up a huge range of possibilities. Taking traffic lights as an example, smart traffic lights can integrate LED light bulbs to reduce energy use, sensors to measure whether or not there are people on the street in order to adjust its functionalities, or even track the air quality at all times. These traffic light sensors can also be connected to electric vehicles, sending live-information about their status (green-or red light) so that routs can be calculated faster and in the most efficient ways.

2. Engaged citizens:

The ultimate purpose of all smart city efforts is to increase quality of life, and citizens play a crucial role in creating and implementing the right processes and solutions for its success. In fact, citizens are active contributors in shaping the city and how it works, meaning that smart cities are adaptable to their citizens’ needs, and can grow and change with their residents. IoT and data collection are fundamental enablers, but without the “smartness” of individuals, correct engagement it’s harder to achieve. This is why it is so important not only to have a connected infrastructure, but to include citizens as part of the connection.

3. Streamline information:

Available information, as for example bus schedules and transportation routes, usually depend on standardized timetables that not always correspond to the reality of facts. The IoT connectivity used within smart cities allows for an up-to-the-second data collection about any live situation occurring in a specific area. This results in a much more precise information flow. An example could be bus arrival times. Bus routes can be optimally planned and updated using data about real-time traffic conditions, allowing smoother rides, and giving an almost-exact prediction time for schedule updates.

4. Environmental impact:

Tracking data via IoT systems can not only help cities design more energy-efficient policies and identify areas that need improvement, but IoT can also give insights on the performance of energy-consuming sources (like buildings, houses, light posts, the energy grid, electric car charging stations, …), and manage its energy usage. This shift reduces waste while becoming more user-friendly. Predictions can also be made, and maintenance can become a need-based action rather than a scheduled-based routine.

5. Optimal budget planning:

Cost management is a big concern for city governments and administrations, and it can be tough to assign resources to cover all the needs a city has. But because smart city technologies focus on efficiency, they provide opportunities to decrease spendings and optimize costs. By using IoT technologies and data analysis, local administrations can pinpoint where the real issues they need to address are, allowing budgetary decisions based on concrete needs.

At Evalan we realized the fundamental role IoT plays in the success of a smart city. This is why we created BACE. BACE is the result of over 30 years of experience in the IoT — Internet of Things world.

While developing BACE, we noticed two major facts:

1. Most Smart City solutions use IoT somewhere in their chain

2. More than two thirds of IoT projects fail or never leave the Pilot Phase

And this is why we created BACE. BACE is a universal IoT connector that enables Smart City initiatives to use a cost effective, fully hardened, secure, scalable, future proof and flexible IoT solution that brings the data from the sensors to the cloud application. This removes risks and let’s these initiators focus on the added value of their solution.

Just like you need a SIM card in your Smart Phone, you need BACE in your Smart City solution.

Let’s say you have an idea to optimize the collection of garbage. You develop an innovative sensor for garbage containers, and know how you can use the data from this sensor to optimize the collection routes. To do this, you need to get the data from your sensor to your cloud application.

That is easy for your first 10 or maybe 50 sensors. However, you then find the trap that many similar initiatives also found: making your IoT solution scalable. BACE supports you in scaling your project and helps foster change, overcome or prevent challenges, and create new opportunities in the Cities & Communities field. You can simply connect the BACE module to your sensor using one of many standard protocols, and retrieve the data from your sensor through a secure API in the cloud. It is cost effective, and you can do it in just a few weeks.

With this solution, we can help you lower the number of garbage trucks travelling the city and reduce the number of overfills with a general higher quality of service at lower costs. The same applies to other smart city project like plants and trees, parking of bicycles, monitoring of bridges, optimizing maintenance actions, and so much more. In fact, cities can choose to use BACE as their IoT net, which will speed up their current Smart City initiatives and lower the barriers of entry for many new ones.

To know more, visit www.bace-iot.com or contact us at info@bace-iot.com . BACE, build a connection, everywhere.