The short answer is: yes, they can be (even more sustainable than non-smart cities). The longer, more complex, answer is: Smart cities have the potential to make a significant contribution to urban sustainability, by using information and communication technology (ICT) to gather urban data and improve performance and management.

How? By applying smart solutions such as smart parking, smart lighting, smart building, air quality monitoring, refuse collection, renewable energy, water infrastructure, and energy grids. In fact, smart parking has turned out to be one of the fastest and easiest solutions to achieve sustainability in a city.

But what do we mean exactly by the term “smart solutions”? A smart solution is a general term commonly used to describe systems that combine innovative information and communication technologies (e.g. Internet of Things), and apply them in all aspects of life, such as smart devices (TVs, phones), but also smart offices, cars, or even complete cities. It is possible to apply smart solutions in such a wide range because most smart solutions are based on the use of sensors. Sensors come in all shapes and sizes and can be installed almost everywhere and in/on anything. 

A concrete example of a smart solution that helps cities control their carbon footprint and reduce their CO2 emissions is air quality monitoring. Monitoring air quality in cities helps in assessing the level of pollution in relation to the ambient air quality standards. It can provide cities insights on how to actively reduce their emissions. A solution like this can lead to 10-15% fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

In order to build successful smart city solutions, three key steps are necessary (Source):

1. The technology base has to include networks of connected devices and sensors, such as smartphones connected by high-speed communication networks

2. Smart applications and data analysis capabilities are used to translate the raw data gathered from these devices and sensors into alerts, insights, and ultimately, actions

3. A wide adoption of applications and usage by cities, companies, and the public, together with the effective management of data, is needed to inspire better decisions and behavior change

In a study from June 2018 on smart cities, McKinsey Global Institute investigated how technology can deliver a better quality of life, including an analysis of smart applications that will be relevant for cities through 2025. Findings indicate that smart technologies could improve key indicators such as health, security or cost of living by 10–30% once introduced and that using the current generation of smart city applications could effectively help cities make significant or moderate progress toward meeting 70% of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Another great example of a smart solution that helps cities improve their environmental impact is smart parking. Did you know that 30% of all emissions that are caused by traffic are due to parking search traffic? Can you imagine the amount of emissions we would ‘save’ if we are able to guide drivers to the nearest parking spot, without having to circle around the block over and over again?! This is why we came up with a variety of smart parking solutions, such as a smart parking guidance system that uses overhead sensors that can be mounted onto existing lampposts, or a curb management system that helps cities manage the curb effectively. 

Smart parking is extremely important for the development of smart cities and part of the reason why smart cities tend to be more sustainable than non-smart cities. 

To us at Cleverciti, it is perfectly clear that smart cities are the future and we are eager to contribute to a better and more sustainable future by developing the best smart parking solutions for our customers around the world. Curious to see how our smart parking systems can be applied in your city? Schedule a demo below and talk to one of our smart parking experts now: 

According to the UN, more than half of the world’s population live in urban areas, with numbers expected to rise to up to 60% by 2030. This means that urban settlements already housing millions of people in megacities such as Delhi, Tokyo, Mexico City, and Shanghai are projected to grow further.

This trend in urbanization goes together with unique challenges, such as increasing costs of living, lack of adequate and affordable housing, environmental and infrastructure issues as well as public transit and traffic networks that are not fit to cater to an increasing number of inhabitants.

Smart cities provide solutions that focus on using technology, data, and information to improve the quality of life, spanning from publicly accessible administrative services and smart housing to smart mobility solutions. In smart cities, data is used to reduce the negative side effects of living in densely populated areas, which can range from environmental pollution to stress-related illnesses.

Real-life Example: Smart Parking

With an increasing number of people living and working in cities, the number of commuters and people traveling by car, bicycle, public transport or on foot also continues to grow. Congestion in most large inner cities is already common, with people spending as long as 20 minutes or more looking for available parking spaces. This not only adds to already congested urban areas, but it also increases emissions and environmental pollution. Smart parking solutions such as modern AI-overhead sensors mounted on lampposts and walls can provide real-time data on free parking, allowing drivers to navigate to the nearest parking space quickly and efficiently.

In cities where the center is chronically congested, alternative parking spaces outside the inner city area can relieve the parking situation. Real-time data on available parking spaces can make it more appealing for drivers to park their cars there and use alternative means of transport to travel the last few miles towards their destination.

Smarter Cities for a Smarter Future

Other areas where smart cities can help improve the overall quality of life include smart housing, smart administration, and smart infrastructure. With environmental pollution already being an issue cities are aiming to tackle, smart infrastructures can make cities eco-friendly by creating sustainable structures for supplying electricity, gas, and hot water.

Curious to see how Cleverciti’s smart parking solutions contribute to smart cities worldwide? Then click below and schedule a demo with one of our smart parking experts.

By Thomas Hohenacker, CEO and Founder of Cleverciti

Before founding Cleverciti, I frequently encountered the same issue that every person at one time or another deals with: the lack of reliable parking guidance. Whenever driving, I had a simple goal: to find an open spot in a reasonable amount of time that was not too far from my destination. Unfortunately, as my wife can attest, my goal was often not achieved.

I knew that there were several problems with this being the norm. First and foremost, the extensive search and distance someone must go through to find a parking space could take even longer than anticipated. Secondly, the search for parking is a significant problem for the environment. While multiple factors are responsible for climate change and global warming, transportation is known to be a significant contributor to the greenhouse gases emitted annually.

Pollution from vehicles leads to poor air quality and that pollution directly contributes to climate change. But more efficient parking directly reduces vehicle emissions. Take this example, for instance: in a mall with 1,000 parking spaces, shoppers typically drive the equivalent of 75 times around the world each year, merely searching for parking guidance. Imagine the impact of reducing this by 30 percent: We can save 25 trips around the world.

Armed with my passion for the environment, I knew there had to be a better way. Basing the calculation of finding an open parking spot on luck or chance is simply an outdated approach. Modern-day parking guidance is the solution.

As a tech-obsessed entrepreneur, I have always enjoyed talking on challenges, particularly ones solved through technology and innovation. It’s that drive, in part, that brought me to examine the issues with parking guidance carefully and how an intelligent approach can improve global challenges. By bringing new parking guidance technology to the smart parking industry, I found the chance to harness my passion for technology to make positive impacts with regards to convenience, traffic and the environment.

I firmly believe that parking guidance technology like Cleverciti’s can simplify our daily lives and transform our environmental efforts. As we move into the next decade, we will be advocating the overarching benefits of intelligent parking, including health benefits. Because less stress for drivers, and decreased traffic contributes to a better environment. And that’s a win-win for us all. 

This blog is part of a series that will dive into key members of the Cleverciti team and how they leverage their personal experiences to best lead the company.

Thomas Hohenacker is the Founder and CEO of Cleverciti Systems. Founded in 2012, Cleverciti develops a comprehensive suite of intelligent solutions designed to ease the parking experience and enhance driver communication.