Technology and Innnovation

Barcelona was one of the first European cities to adapt smart city technologies. About ten years ago it started experimenting with digital technologies. The town installed extensive sensor networks that provided government and the private sector with data on transport, energy usage, noise levels, irrigation et cetera. Its technology-base is solid, with a noteworthy open data portal, a good air quality sensor network, and widespread public wi-fi. Only cities like New York City, Singapore, and Seoul outperform Barcelona’s technological infrastructure. Like other cities, during the last five years Barcelona’s smart city practices changed: Technology is entering more direct the lives of residents because of the broad use of smart phones. They distribute instant information about employment,...

Hangzhou, a city with 21 million residents in China, 170 km southwest of Shanghai is a good example of a smart city, working hard to get smarter. Hangzhou has been declared the biggest beneficiary of mobile internet social services through the Chinese government’s Internet Plus initiative for smart cities for 2016. But the city is not doing this alone, it has the help of one of the largest companies in the world, Alibaba, which has its headquarters in the city. The Chinese government is helping cities by including big companies in all their government programmes, like the creation of smart cities. Alibaba and 13 other companies are now working with the local government on public private partnerships (PPP) to create smart service delivery systems for the city. Some examples: Hangzh...