The concept of smart city was born about ten years ago in order to respond to the challenges of urbanization, including overpopulation, climate change and resource depletion. This urban development model, which can be applied to a village, a town or a district, consists in putting new technologies at the service of citizens and their living environment. Smart cities are therefore intelligent cities that are more respectful of people, the planet and the environment.
Sustainable development at the heart of smart city issues
The concepts of sustainable development and smart city are closely linked, as they both propose a development model that meets the needs of the current population without harming future generations. Within smart cities, the issue of energy management is essential and requires the controlled use of natural resources.
To achieve this, the smart city and its users form an inseparable whole in which citizen participation is encouraged.
The optimization of natural resources is one of the main challenges of the smart city, whose various stakeholders are seeking to both reduce social inequalities and preserve the environment. Thanks to a better use and distribution of energy, the smart city and its challenges share the concept of sustainable development. The smart city is a model of society where economic growth is compatible with the well-being of citizens and respect for the planet.
To correspond to the concept of sustainable cities, urban territories must offer a less polluting living environment while allowing inhabitants to reduce their carbon footprint. The networked smart city helps users to optimize their travel through environmentally friendly transport solutions. Sustainable mobility, also known as soft mobility, is therefore one of the major challenges of smart cities, in the same way as waste management and the energy performance of buildings.
What is the link between smart cities and respect for the environment?
Innovation is the foundation of the smart city or intelligent city and is an integral part of the lives of its inhabitants. New technologies are put to work for the environment to ensure better management of natural resources. The challenges of a sustainable city are economic, social and ecological thanks to a better distribution of public spending, more equality between citizens and a more energy-efficient lifestyle.
In smart cities, innovation and environmental friendliness are one and the same. The development of new technologies thus contributes to:
- sustainable mobility within territories,
- better waste management,
- the emergence of positive energy buildings.
Smart city and technology are therefore promising concepts to meet the challenges of ecological transition.