Smart City, Smart Nation

To some, the term “smart city” sounds vague, the latest slogan to bolster hope for struggling urban centers. But a 360ᵒ Smart City looks across every aspect of a city’s operations to use technology to improve outcomes.

The digital infrastructure of a Smart City allows individual entrepreneurs access to data that can unleash tremendous value. It also sets the stage for a network of partnerships between government, business, non-profits, community groups, universities, and hospitals, all focused on one goal: Creating a smarter city.

The result is an urban center that not only leverages technology to improve its own operations, but connects with citizens, business, and non-profits in new ways.

Why should your city consider becoming a Smart City? To make it better for the people who live there, now and in the future. That means three things:

•Quality of Life: A positive quality of life involves enhancing every aspect of the daily existence of citizens. From safe streets to green spaces, from a reasonable commute to access to art and culture, a smart city creates an environment that promotes the best of urban living and minimizes the hassles of city life. Smart cities are ultimately great places to live.

•Economic Competitiveness: Cities have long been important centers of trade and commerce, leveraging the proximity of so many diverse citizens to help drive an innovative economy. A smart city is a business friendly city, ensuring that jobs and tax revenue form a healthy economic platform.

•Sustainability: A smart city ensures that economic growth and quality of life are promoted not just in the short term, but for future generations as well. Being a good steward of the environment and promoting sustainable consumption of natural resources is part of the overall smart city vision.

Working together, new ideas and new technologies can be brought to bear in concrete ways that enhance the lives of citizens and create a brighter future. Smart Cities require a 360ᵒ perspective—from schools to public services, from transportation to energy, a holistic vision helps bring solutions to every aspect of urban life.

This site contains an array of concrete research into the journey to becoming a smart city. Each city will approach this journey in their own way, but it is often useful to be guided by the experiences of others. Please explore this site to learn more and to see some of the cutting-edge research on Smart Cities from the Deloitte Center for Government Insights.