Cities have a big task on their hands to deal with population growth. As they grow and get denser, it becomes much harder to meet resident’s needs. The pressure on the infrastructure and key services also increases. It raises the concern of cities becoming very unpleasant to live in and can result in serious environmental harm. Luckily, technology and the creation of smart cities could have the solution. We want to look at two examples today, then if you need some help with commercial architecture, you can rely on us.

What are they?

Before we look at the examples, let’s quickly explore what a smart city is. The basic idea is to integrate digital solutions into the urban area to help with managing them. There is massive scope for tech like Internet of Things (IoT), data analysis, and AI.

The thing to keep in mind here is there is so much going on in cities. We could use technology for monitoring and then to rapidly respond to changes. This could improve resource use, waste management, congestion, and much more.

In addition, we could use the technology to get a better understanding of behavioural patterns in cities. It can lead to more effective management of the areas. A crucial thing in this regard is it can identify locations where crime is an issue. There can then be warnings to advise people, improving safety.

The examples

Some cities are already making use of technology to make them smarter, improving commercial architecture, infrastructure, key services, and more. Two leaders in this regard are Barcelona and Dublin. Let’s have a look at how they use the tech and how it helps improve things.

Smart City Barcelona

The impressive thing here is the project actually dates back to 2011. This is before the more recent evolution of AI tech. The Spanish city has been an early adopter of the digital solutions, making it a really great example.

With Smart City Barcelona, the system uses IoT processes so there is a connected local network. There are real time sensors to collect data about various things. Responses can then be tailored to ensure efficiency and sustainability.

There are some really impressive aspects of the system here. For example, there is intelligent monitoring and management of water and energy. It can reduce consumption, making the city more sustainable. Plus, there is an application to monitor waste. As a result, there can be more effective collections.

Smart Dublin

This project also relies on the collection and analysis of data to improve the quality of life of residents in the historic city. It looks at energy, waste, and transportation to make the city greener and support communities.

An interesting detail here is a system to manage parking in Dún Laoghaire, a coastal suburb to the south east of Dublin. There are sensors in dozens of locations across the area. They monitor when parking spaces are occupied. People can access the data using a mobile app to see where parking is available. The aim is to improve accessibility and inclusion, while also reducing congestion.

Do you want some help with commercial architecture?

We’re likely to see more and more smart cities appearing around the world in the coming years. Using the tech effectively can deliver fantastic benefits. It could unlock their potential, making them more sustainable for the future. This would be much better than dense, overly crowded, dangerous cities where there aren’t enough resources.

Coffey Architects can contribute to making cities better by designing incredible commercial architecture. This can be various buildings for different needs, from educational spaces to retail and even galleries. We love working with clients to see their vision for the spaces. We’ll then find the best possible way to achieve it.

So, if you want to work with creative architects, speak to us.