New initiative to support smart cities in the UK

The UK's cities will receive help to get smart, thanks to the launch of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' new Smart Cities Forum. It comes as a new report values the smart cities industry at more than US$400 billion globally by 2020, with the UK expected to gain a ten per cent share (US$40 billion). The 'Global Market Opportunities and UK Capabilities for future smart cities' report highlights how this technology could transform lives and provide a huge economic boost.
October 10, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
The UK's cities will receive help to get smart, thanks to the launch of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' new Smart Cities Forum.

It comes as a new report values the smart cities industry at more than US$400 billion globally by 2020, with the UK expected to gain a ten per cent share (US$40 billion).  The 'Global Market Opportunities and UK Capabilities for future smart cities' report highlights how this technology could transform lives and provide a huge economic boost.

The Smart Cities Forum has been established, chaired by Universities and Science Minister David Willetts and Cities Minister Greg Clark, and with representatives from cities, business, and scientists, to ensure that the UK does not miss out on the opportunities offered by smart cities.

Willetts said: "The opportunity to develop new technologies for smart cities in the UK is massive. We want to make sure that we are at the forefront of this digital revolution so we can stay ahead in the global race designing new innovations in the UK and exporting them across the world.”

Volker Buscher, Arup Director and Smart Cities Forum member, who wrote the report, said: "By 2050, the human population will have reached nine billion people with 75 per cent of the world's inhabitants living in cities. Smart technologies can help address some of the challenges of rapid urbanisation by improving services and managing their efficiency.”
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