Skip to main content

Smart Cities Council launches Readiness Guide

In advance of the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, the Smart Cities Council, comprising some of the foremost experts and leading global companies in the smart technologies sector has released its first version of the Smart Cities Council Readiness Guide. The say this is the first comprehensive, vendor-neutral smart city handbook for city leaders and planners. Designed with input from leading smart city and urban planning experts as well as top global technology companies, the guide enable
November 19, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
In advance of the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, the Smart Cities Council, comprising some of the foremost experts and leading global companies in the smart technologies sector has released its first version of the Smart Cities Council Readiness Guide. The say this is the first comprehensive, vendor-neutral smart city handbook for city leaders and planners. Designed with input from leading smart city and urban planning experts as well as top global technology companies, the guide enables city leaders to assess their current state of technology and its readiness to become a smart city.

The guide includes vendor-neutral technology recommendations on all eight of a city’s most important responsibilities -  the built environment, energy, telecommunications, transportation, water and waste water, health and human services, public safety, and payments.  It contains guidelines, best practices and more than fifty case studies and is designed to help a city create its own customised smart city wish list. The Guide outlines 27 proven principles to follow in order to guarantee success and avoid pitfalls.

Hartford, Connecticut, tested an earlier version of the guide.  Its mayor, Pedro E Segarra, said “Critical to our future success as a smart city is a clear understanding of how to procure technology effectively.  In fact, our core values drive us to create a collaborative work environment that promotes sharing, creativity, and openness to new ideas. The Smart Cities Council Readiness Guide offers us new ideas and has helped set the foundation for our 2030 planning. It is the tool that will help Hartford move forward.”

“Over the next twenty years, the world’s 700 largest cities are projected to make a cumulative infrastructure investment of US$30-$40 trillion,” said founding Smart Cities Council chairman Jesse Berst. “It is essential that they invest wisely. Because it was produced collaboratively by some of the world’s top smart city experts, the Readiness Guide prepares city leaders to make informed decisions that will enhance the liveability, workability and sustainability of their cities.”

Related Content

  • Campaign calls for full funding for metropolitan transport
    February 9, 2015
    A US pressure group is pushing for full funding for metropolitan transport, with a campaign that could have implications for other public transport systems. The Move NY team campaign aims to bring a faster, safer, fairer transportation system to the greater New York metropolitan region. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is responsible for public transportation in the US state of New York, serving 12 counties in south-eastern New York, along with two counties in south-western Connecticut und
  • The Middle East takes lead in urban mobility
    November 24, 2017
    Ralf Baron, Thomas Kuruvilla, Morsi Berguiga, Michael Zintel, Joseph Salem and Mario Kerbage from Arthur D. Little explain why there is much to be learned from the Middle East about the rapid evolution of transport systems. The rapid urbanisation across the globe is leading to mobility challenges as cities struggle to ensure their populations can move around freely using both public and private transport. Solving these issues is critical to ensuring that cities thrive and attract the investment and
  • Coronavirus: Castex 2020 smart transport show ‘postponed’
    February 18, 2020
    The coronavirus outbreak has led to the postponement of a mobility show which was due to go ahead in China this June.
  • Migrating to advanced traffic management systems
    March 14, 2012
    Rich pickings of reduced cost and greater value are up for grabs as highway authorities migrate to new traffic management systems – if they choose their paths wisely. Jon Masters reports. Experience gained and expertise developed over the past decade are informing good advice for transport agencies contemplating new or expanded traffic management systems. Technological projects aimed at reducing road congestion may be frequently unique and invariably complex, but a picture is emerging of sensible, prudent a