Connected city: everything you need to know
A connected city or smart city is a new concept in urban development. It is a metropolis that uses digital technologies to transform and optimize the quality of life of city dwellers by making the city more adaptive and efficient. Using intelligent infrastructures, these cities improve the efficiency of public services, public infrastructures, networks (water, electricity, gas, telecoms), and the quality of life of their inhabitants. Explore the definition of a connected city, the technologies employed, the innovative services on offer, and the challenges and opportunities they present.
Definition of the connected city concept
A connected city uses digital technologies to improve the efficiency of urban services, reduce costs and resource consumption, and enhance the life quality of its citizens. These cities rely on local infrastructures such as Edge data centers offering advanced communication technologies to integrate transportation, energy and waste management systems, while actively involving citizens through participative digital platforms. This concept is at the core of sustainable development, aiming to create resilient and adaptable urban environments.
More concretely, these cities call on a range of connected objects better known as IoT (Internet of Things). For example, energy-saving measures are implemented using intelligent sensors attached directly to street lighting.
Technologies used by the connected city
Internet of Things (IoT)
The Internet of Things (IoT) is fundamental to a smart city. It enables connected equipment to communicate with each other and collect data in real time. IoT sensors provide information on resources and services, and monitor the urban environment, optimizing elements such as street lighting, traffic management, and energy consumption in buildings.
As a result, infrastructure efficiency is maximized, with ultra-pushed reliability and high responsiveness of services using IoT on a daily basis, sustainably improving the livability of the connected city, while optimizing maintenance costs.
Communication networks
Communication networks, including 5G, provide the fast, reliable connectivity needed for smart cities. They facilitate the massive transfer of data between systems and enable urban services to operate efficiently. This connectivity is essential for optimizing and managing public services in real time.
5G takes smart city building from theory to practice, and is a forerunner in the development and deployment of new services and applications.
AI and Big Data
Edge data centers have enabled AI and Big Data to play a central role in analyzing the massive amounts of data collected by IoT devices. Indeed, Edge data centers are closer to end-users. This enables highly granular AI analysis of, for example, street lighting or traffic monitoring, while improving the coordination of emergency services. These technologies enable us to anticipate citizens' needs, optimize resources, and make more informed decisions to improve urban services. They are essential for growth and innovation in the development of smart cities.
Utilities in a connected city
Energy management
Energy management in a smart city is optimized to reduce consumption and improve energy efficiency. Smart systems adjust energy use according to need, integrating renewable sources to minimize the carbon footprint.
Urban mobility
Urban mobility is being transformed by smart cities through the integration of intelligent transportation systems. This includes connected public transport, shared bikes and scooters, and autonomous vehicles, facilitating smooth traffic flow and reducing congestion.
Safety and monitoring
Safety is enhanced in smart cities by advanced surveillance systems and safety sensors. These enable public spaces to be monitored, incidents to be detected in real time, and the response of emergency services to be improved.
The smart city also turns its inhabitants into information transmitters, through their use of urban networks and services. In doing so, it informs them in return and gives them a sense of responsibility, to stimulate a collective dynamic of frugality and optimization of resources.
The challenges and opportunities of connected cities
Privacy and data security
Massive data collection raises concerns about privacy and data security. Ensuring the protection of citizens' personal information is a major challenge for smart cities, requiring both strong security protocols and strict regulations. With a strategic vision of supporting urban center administrators, UltraEdge has understood the importance and challenges of connected cities, and has set up a large network of local data centers to meet the needs of storage and security of local residents' data.
Digital inclusion
Digital inclusion is crucial to avoiding the digital divide and ensuring that all citizens benefit from smart city innovations. Cities must ensure that technologies are accessible to all, regardless of age, ability or socio-economic status.
Environment and sustainability
Smart cities must balance economic growth with environmental sustainability. Implementing green solutions and using renewable resources are essential to reducing environmental impact and building a sustainable future.
Why is New York a connected city?
New York is an emblematic example of a connected city that places people at the city's heart. The city integrates advanced technologies to improve urban management. It uses IoT sensors to optimize traffic, reduce energy consumption and improve public safety, while aiming to ensure system interoperability. Digital initiatives foster citizen engagement, making New York a global leader in smart cities.
Why is Paris a connected city?
Paris has implemented various smart city projects to improve the quality of life for its residents. The city uses AI and Big Data to optimize waste management and reduce CO2 emissions. Paris is also at the forefront of urban mobility, with sustainable transport solutions and an advanced communications infrastructure featuring several Edge data centers.
Connected cities represent the future of urban development, integrating cutting-edge technologies to create more efficient and sustainable urban environments. In terms of urban planning, newly-built data centers are often concrete cases of urban renewal on former industrial wastelands, or the densification of plots previously occupied by a data center. Connected cities enable start-ups to flourish by making data retrieved from various networks (known as Open Data) available to the public in certain connected cities. Although the challenges are numerous, the opportunities offered by smart cities are tremendous, promising a continuous improvement in quality of life and urban efficiency. Inspired by examples such as New York and Paris, cities around the world can adopt smart strategies for a more connected future.