Smart city technology has come on in leaps and bounds of late, and we’re now at a point where it can heavily reduce our impact on the environment.
It’s no secret that human beings have a had a less-than-stellar effect on the environment. We’ve polluted the air, water and even the ground beneath our feet. Modern cities are a major culprit in this. Some of their more profound consequences include:
- Increased carbon dioxide emissions
- The production of smog and acid rain
- The improper disposal of waste
- Polluted water which enters into local and regional aquifers.
In fact, it’s thought that no less than 78 per cent of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide are directly related to cities and major industrial centres.
It isn’t all doom and gloom, though, thanks to smart city technology.
We’re a few innovations short of a paradigm shift yet, but smart city technology is already having profoundly positive effects. Let’s take a look at some of the most impactful smart city
Smart lighting
One of the issues with traditional lighting concepts such as incandescent and sodium bulbs is that they consume a large amount of power. This energy is typically generated through burning fossil fuels.
Smart cities have begun to do away with this technology in favour of smart systems. Not only do these bulbs consume far less power, they can also automatically dim and brighten depending on ambient conditions. The result is a huge saving on power and money over time.
Big data
Big data was used to be the domain of profit analysis and marketing, but that’s changing. Big data is becoming vital to a functioning smart city for a number of reasons, including:
- Examining traffic patterns in order to reduce congestion during peak travel hours.
- Determining the efficiency of current water consumption.
- Planning ahead in order to allocate money towards sustainable resources.
Solar technology
We’ve been aware of the benefits of solar energy for years, but it’s been slow to catch on. Until recently it had been prohibitively expensive to adopt solar energy, but we’re beginning to see this change.
Several cities in the United States such as Indianapolis, Los Angeles and San Diego are beginning to embrace it. Not only can solar reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, in 2017 it became cheaper than fossil fuels for the very first time.
Green transport alternatives
Large cities often have the dilemma of limited space and increased populations. Instead of spending money – and further hurting the environment – by widening motorways, civil engineers are now choosing to promote green methods of transportation.
One shining example of this approach can be seen in Barcelona. Their current Bicing programme offers more than 400 bicycle stations as well as dedicated routes throughout the city. Not only will this smart city technology reduce its aggregate carbon footprint, but it enables citizens to remain fit and healthy.
Green spaces
Smarty city technology also impacts parks and open spaces. As urban planners make better use of the land around them, they’re including green areas during developmental phases. This creates a healthy environment for residents, and the accompanying trees and vegetation help to reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
At LamasaTech we’re fascinated by the smart city technology helping the environment. If you are too, get in touch with LamasaTech to consult with our experts.
