Unveiling the Vitality of the River Ravi: The Lifeline Sustaining Punjab’s Prosperity

River Ravi is Home to 52 Million People Almost 75% of the river basin is used for agriculture. The River Ravi is a major river in Pakistan that runs through the province of Punjab and is an important source of water for Lahore, the capital city of the province. The ecological role of the River Ravi for Lahore is significant in several ways: Water Supply: The River Ravi is an important source of water for Lahore and its surroundings, providing water for irrigation, drinking, and industrial use.Biodiversity: The River Ravi and its floodplains support a diverse array of plant and animal life, including several species of fish, birds, and mammals.Flood Control: The River Ravi can flood during the monsoon season, but the floods also help in recharging the groundwater and also help in maintaining the biodiversity of the area.Climate Regulations: The River Ravi and its associated wetlands and vegetation act as a natural buffer against heat waves and extreme weather events, helping to regulate the local climate. Recreational and Cultural Values: The River Ravi is an important recreational and cultural resource for Lahore, with parks, gardens, and other public spaces along its banks that provide opportunities for outdoor activities and cultural events. However, over the past few decades, the River Ravi has been facing a number of ecological challenges, such as pollution, encroachment, and over-extraction of water. As a result, efforts have been made to restore the river and its ecological functions, such as riverbank stabilization, reforestation, and construction of wetlands.It is important to protect and restore the ecological role of the River Ravi for the benefit of Lahore and its inhabitants, by promoting sustainable land-use practices, water management, and conservation efforts. Ensuring the Sustainability of River Ravi Riparian Zone Integrated Urban Water Management: By adopting IUWM principles, responsible wastewater treatment, stormwater and solid waste management, capacity building, environmental policy adherence, and community involvement, Sustainable water usage and protection of the river’s ecosystems could be ensured. These steps will promote the recycling and reuse of water, plastics, and other recyclables, thus ensuring a cleaner and healthier environment.Awareness Campaigns: Awareness campaigns should be initiated and run to engage the public, businesses, and civil society in the revitalization of River Ravi and its nullahs. The campaign aims to create support, promote behavior change, and generate excitement about the benefits of a healthy ecosystem. Wasted Water Treatment: To improve the water quality, a combination of localized municipal wastewater treatment and strategically placed centralized facilities is suggested. This integrated approach will be helpful to protect water quality throughout the nullahs, reflecting their interconnectivity. As a result, it can help the natural processes that can process some pollutants and clean effluents. Land Demarcation and Acquisition: It is necessary to demarcate and acquire land along the riverbanks. The encroachment into the river zones should be prevented to reduce the risk of property damage. By delineating the land and defining “river zones” based on flood lines, further degradation can be avoided and revitalization efforts can continue. Ultimately, restoring and maintaining the ecological integrity of the River Ravi is not only crucial for the well-being of Lahore and its inhabitants but also for the overall health of the region’s ecosystems and biodiversity. By taking proactive measures to address the ecological challenges facing the river and its riparian zone, we can ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for generations to come. Together, through collaborative efforts and a shared commitment to environmental stewardship, we can protect and restore the natural heritage of the River Ravi, ensuring its continued contribution to the ecological, social, and economic well-being of the Punjab province and beyond. Author: Tayyaba Akhtar

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May 2, 2023 No Comments

The Man Who Wants To Connect The World With Light

Courtesy Original Article Published on: https://medium.com/@janoschtroehler/the-man-who-wants-to-connect-the-world-with-light-a014bd697ce2 Prof. Dr. Suat Topsu has a vision: Connecting people around the world with the internet. That is not groundbreaking in itself, but the technology he promotes is Li-Fi. The idea behind Li-Fi (Light Fidelity) sounds astonishing: Using light to transmit data and establishing connections. “Whenever I tell people about it, I get this wow effect,” Mr. Topsu tells me in the classy lounge of the Mont Cervin Hotel in Zermatt, Switzerland. He is attending this year’s Zermatt Summit. The French scientist and entrepreneur is a humble person with bushy, curly hair. He founded the company Oledcomm in 2012 which is providing Li-Fi solutions for enterprises as well as for customers. An Old Idea Revisited How innovative the concept might seem, it is in fact over a hundred years old. The first, who came up with it was the famous inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell. In 1880, he invented the ‘photophone’ together with his assistant Charles Sumner Tainter. However, the traditional lightbulbs could not cope with the requirements needed. It was Mr. Topsu’s pregnant wife who gave the impulse to revisit Bell’s design. She had seen a news bulletin about the possible impact of omnipresent radio waves emitted by our wireless signals on unborn babies. “When we started in 2005, we focused on car-to-car communication because LED lights were only installed there,” says Mr. Topsu. Thanks to the LED lights, Bell’s idea can finally become usable. With the Li-Fi technology, data gets translated into a kind of visual Morse code. Only LEDs can be switched on and off over ten million times per second. This binary code is interpreted on the receiving device. Downsides And Challenges Li-Fi has reached incredible bandwidth: In 2013, researchers measured 224 Gbits/s in the laboratory. That is equivalent to downloading ten movies in one second. However, there are obvious downsides to the new technology. Compared to Wi-Fi, the light cannot uphold connectivity through walls. Another challenge is the cost of the infrastructure. However, Mr. Topsu argues, he has a solution: “In older structures, we use a technology called power-light-communication. It’s like the technology we use to get internet connection via power sockets.” What about energy efficiency, people often ask. It is an ironic question because we never question that the Wi-Fi emitter is always on. In fact, LEDs consume less energy than the hotspot. Also, Li-Fi can provide connectivity within a light spectrum invisible to the human eye. Moreover, as a bonus, there may be no need for Wi-Fi anymore, so there are fewer radio waves, as Mr. Topsu’s wife wished. Nevertheless, Mr. Topsu admits there are enormous challenges ahead for the technology and his company Oledcomm. “First, we want to increase the capacity of production while keeping the quality high. We need to form partnerships, but that takes time. Secondly, we need to train installers to be able to set up the Li-Fi technology.” He also knows the key to success is patience. “We are used to getting everything very quickly, but real disruptive technologies need time. It is even more difficult when you need to change the infrastructure,” he says. A Bright Future Although there are disadvantages to the Li-Fi technology, there are some upsides too. Security, for example. “Mostly, people talk to us about installing Li-Fi in meeting rooms to improve cybersecurity,” Mr. Topsu reveals. You have to be in the same room to grab the data whereas with Wi-Fi you can be in the room next door or even further away. Mr. Topsu calls it ‘intrinsic security’. “Li-Fi itself is not enough to maintain constant connectivity.” The entrepreneur sees a bright future for the technology. “Today, we’re starting in niche markets. In 2022, when 5G arrives, we will have the mass market.” He worked with the European 5G standardization committee to implement the Li-Fi technology in the protocol. Manufacturers will have to provide decent receivers on their devices. Though: “Li-Fi itself is not enough to maintain constant connectivity. 5G is a mix of technologies. So, if we implement Li-Fi in the 5G protocols, you’re smartphone will decide automatically which network it will use. As a user, you don’t have to care about what service the device is using.” Creating A Better World Mr. Topsu speaks with a clear sense of reality. He is not selling his products with over-the-top enthusiasm. However, sometimes during our talk, he gets passionate: He perceives Li-Fi as means to create a better world. With his company, he installed Li-Fi on a variety of pilot sites. In museums, but also in hospitals and the metro to guide blind people — something Wi-Fi or Bluetooth cannot achieve due to the lack of accuracy. “Our mission is to connect objects and people by transforming the 14 billion light points on the planet into a powerful and secure communication network,” states Oledcomm’s website. For Mr. Topsu especially, this means grant people access to information in a faster and more ecological way.

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October 1, 2018 No Comments

Seminar on Introduction of Industry 4.0, Smart City Lahore, Pakistan

Seminar on Introduction of Industry 4.0, Smart City Lahore, Pakistan. Institute of Planners Pakistan (IPP) in Collaboration with M/s Sheher Saaz (Pvt) Ltd., hosted a seminar on the topic “INTRODUCTION OF INDUSTRY 4.0, SMART CITY LAHORE, PAKISTAN” by Professor Byung Wan Jo. (Ph.D.) from Industry 4.0 Consulting Lab, Hanyang University, South Korea. Dr. Byung is a world-renowned professor of Civil Engineering who holds key advisory and research positions in South Korea including: Director of Disaster-Prevention Research Center in South Korean Government Director, Creative Research Lab of Seoul Metropolitan City Chair, Korea Creative Business & Economy Forum Supervisor, National Convergence Committee in the Government Co-Chair, Industry 4.0 Committee of Democratic Party for 19th Presidential Election President, Industry 4.0 Smart City Director, Industry 4.0 Center of Excellence Besides, numerous other key positions in industrial research and emerging technologies, Dr. Byung has more than 50 patents on Industry 4.0 Technologies to his credit. The seminar was held on Friday, 9th of February at Conference Room of Sheher Saaz (Pvt) Ltd, 21 Dyal Singh Mansion 57 The Mall, Lahore. Professional planners working in the public and private sector, IT experts, public officials, and other professionals attended the seminar. Key participants are: Dr. M. Ali Sikandar Associate Professor CECOS University Peshawar Dr. Zafar Baloch Associate Professor BUITEMS Quetta Mr. M Shoaib Head Urban Planning Surbana Jurong Mr. M Talha Architect Design Solutions Mr. Rizwan Ur Rehman Urban Planning Expert HUD & PHED Mr. Wamiq Anwar CEO Dimen Associates Mr. Ahmed Masood Principal Planner NESPAKMr. Tahir Mahmood Senior Town Planner Sheher Saaz (Pvt) Ltd Mr. Imtiaz Hussain Town Planner Dimen AssociatesMr. Mehtab Qasim Town Planner Sheher Saaz(Pvt) Ltd Ms. Aniqa Ali Town Planner Sheher Saaz (Pvt) Ltd, Ms. Ayesha Butt Town Planner Sheher Saaz (Pvt) Ltd, Ms. Seerat Fatima Town Planner Sheher Saaz (Pvt) Ltd, Ms. Sahar Mukhtar Architect Sheher Saaz (Pvt) Ltd. Mr. Zubair Town Planner Sheher Saaz (Pvt) Ltd. Professor Byung Wan Jo explained the whole concept of Industry 4.0 including IoT (Internet of Things), Smart Factory, and discussed the core technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Beacon, and Voice-Recognition AI Assistant. The professor related the concept of smart factory layout with the smart city layout with the use of technology. He gave different examples of the use of the internet in daily life, how people are socializing and marketing through the use of modern technology. In this reference, he coded the examples of Alibaba, Microsoft, Facebook, Google, and X-bat. He explained how Industry 4.0 is a term applied to a group of rapid transformations in the design, manufacture, operation, and service of manufacturing systems and products. Professor discussed the Punjab Vision 2020, the concept of Smart City, provide a view of Industry 4.0 Smart City, Lahore, and gave examples that how can we make Lahore a Smart City. He integrates basic components of a smart city i.e. transportation, buildings, safety & security, infrastructure, resources, economy, happiness. He said Smart City is a town where Space, Things, and People are able to communicate intelligently with each other anywhere, at any time, by any device through the technology of Organic Things Embedded System (IIoT) developed in cities. Moreover, it is an ICBM-based intelligent eco-friendly waterfront green economic city for the 21st century that spends less energy and resources, revitalizes sustainable energy, and activates the economy, happiness quality of life with SOC Infra for the goods in the harmony of human and nature. He explained the 9 Basic Infra of Industry 4.0 Smart City Networks i.e. Industry 4.0 CPS Economic Development, Industry 4.0 Smart Grid (Energy & Resources), Industry 4.0 Transportation Systems, Industry 4.0 CPS Security & Safety, Industry 4.0 Clean Environment, Industry 4.0 Green Mechanism, Industry 4.0 CPS Healing & Healthcare, Industry 4.0 Welfare & Happiness, and Industry 4.0 Physical Infra Arrangement & Design. He discussed the Major Function of the Industry 4.0 Security Platform which are Intelligent Visual Monitoring like face recognition and identification, psychophysiological measurement, Automatic tracking, managing visual recording schedule, etc. Data management: Staffs (WL)/ monitoring objects (BL) data management, noticingincident situation (alarm/ SMS), registration of entering vehicles, setting basic management sectors. Checks: Face record information check, entering vehicles record information check, fire sensing record information check, SMS sending record information checks, entrances statistics information checks. Optional Function: Vehicle plate recognition, sensing fire and smoke, sensing trespass of a certain area, analysis on entering people and their sex and age. He also discussed the concepts of 3D Printing Building, Smart Hyperway, Smart Bridge. By Ayesha ButtTown Planner at Sheher Saaz Pvt Ltd

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January 9, 2018 No Comments

8 Cool Ideas for U.S. Cities, Courtesy of the Dutch

BY JENNY XIE@CANONIND An illuminated crosswalk designed to help drivers see pedestrians better.Photo via Lighted Zebra Crossing From Mondrian’s colorful, pared-down compositions to a bike- and weed-friendly culture, there’s a lot the Netherlands is known for. And recently, these cultural footings —as well as universal headaches like potholes and road safety—have inspired a number of innovative urban interventions around the country. We’ve gathered a handful below for inspiration—and pure amusement. 1. A bike traffic system that helps cyclists get all green lights A new bike traffic light system from Dutch company Springlab wants to make every urban cyclist’s dream come true. Flo uses sensors to detect riders’ speeds about 120 meters (or 400 feet) before a street traffic light and then displays symbols indicating whether they need to speed up (a hare), maintain the pace (a thumbs up), or slow down (a turtle) to make the next light. One Flo kiosk has been deployed in Utrecht, and there are plans to roll out a couple of more in the coming months. 2. Emoji as an architectural ornament Photos via Attika Architekten Goodbye gargoyles, hello smileys? Over in the Dutch city of Amersfoort, a brick mixed-use building now sports 22 emojis cast in white concrete on its facade. Love it or hate it, this is one architectural trick that perfectly encapsulates the current era. 3. “Self-healing” roads that fix their own potholes Shutterstock Modern cities are plagued by potholes. One Dutch materials scientist, Erik Schlangen at Delft University, thinks he may be able to defeat them. His team is currently developing “self-healing” asphalt—that is, asphalt embedded with tiny steel fibers so that when you run an electrical current over it with a huge magnet, the fibers heat up and fill in any small cracks that may be forming. According to his research, this type of asphalt would cost 25 percent more than traditional asphalt but last twice as long. It’s already being tested on a dozen different public roads around the country. 4. Building bridges out of cannabis hemp Eindhoven University of Technology It’s not the prettiest bridge out there, but it’s probably the world’s first and only one made entirely from biocomposite materials, namely cannabis hemp. Designed and built by a team of researchers and students in Eindhoven, the structure is made of hemp and flax fibers embedded in resin and covering a bio-based polymer core. The team, which has put 28 sensors in the bridge, will monitor the structure over the next year, studying its bounce and structural integrity. 5. Glowing crosswalks Dutch company Lighted Zebra Crossing has a simple, effective way to help drivers see pedestrians better. Their glowing crosswalks replace the typical light-reflecting paint with illuminated lightboxes. The system is directly connected to the city’s streetlight system or solar panels and can be embedded right in the asphalt or pavers. 6. Turning city hall into a giant piece of art For the centennial of the Dutch art movement Di Stijl this year, the Hague commissioned artists Madje Vollaers and Pascal Zwart of Rotterdam-based Studio VZ to create a massive piece of artwork inspired by De Stijl’s most famous artist, Piet Mondrian, right on the facade of city hall. The 1995-built Richard Meier creation sure looks more ready to party with some color. 7. LED traffic lights for texting pedestrians Confronted with the reality of smartphone-obsessed pedestrians, the Dutch town of Bodegraven recently began a pilot project testing thin, colored LED light strips positioned at the end of sidewalks. Depending on their glow—red or green—the lights should be visible even to pedestrians with their heads down. 8. An endless circular runway?! Now, this is an idea that may never take off, but just entertain it for a second. According to Dutch scientist Henk Hesselink, who is working with the Netherlands Aerospace Centre, an “endless runway” with a 360-degree landing strip means planes can approach and takeoff from any direction without fighting against crosswinds. It would take up about a third of land typically reserved for airports and create more distributed flight paths (and more tolerable plane noise for residents in the area.)

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December 15, 2017 No Comments

The New Urban Agenda – HIII

ROLE OF URBAN PLANNING IN PAKISTAN FOR ACHIEVING NEW URBAN AGENDA Lahore, October 21, 2016: A technical session on understanding the “New Urban Agenda” with reference to Pakistan was organized by the Institute of Planners Pakistan (IPP) It was held at the office of Sheher Saaz (Pvt.) Limited (Architectural and Urban Planning Firm). The purpose of this session was to create awareness in researchers, policy makers, built environment practitioners and public regarding the importance of Third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) and how the agreed agenda is related with Pakistan and what role IPP and various built-environment professionals have to play in achieving the targets set in the New Urban Agenda. In the beginning session all the participants introduced each other. Mr. Khurram Farid Bargatt, The Secretary General of IPP gave a brief introduction about Habitat I, II, III and Pakistan’s participation in events. Planner Muhammad Shoaib, Executive Member IPP gave a detailed presentation elaborating Habitat I,II & III and Pakistan’s role in achieving the goals and objectives of these conferences. He interpreted the need of organizing these conferences every twenty years. He added “at the time of Habitat I in 1976, urbanization was considered as a challenge and the need to create a global institution to oversee the impacts of urbanization was realized thus giving space to the creation of UN Habitat. But in Habitat II in 1996, it was more focused on assessing two decadal progress and setting forth fresh goals for the new millennium by introducing Habitat Agenda “Adequate Shelter for All”. He maintained that Habitat III in 2016 is quite important as it is setting a “New Urban Agenda” which addresses urbanization as endogenous source of development, linking urbanization with climate change, considering urbanization as a tool that can integrate socio-economic development and equity. This means the New Urban Agenda will be following and pushing the progress on Sustainable Development Goals 2030. The New Urban Agenda will address the challenges of poverty, inequality, addressing climate change, looking forward to sustainable forms of consumption and production in the next twenty years.” He maintained that Pakistan is a fast urbanizing country among South Asia, 35.8% in 2005; 38.6% in 2015 and 39 in 2016 and it is likely that Pakistan will be 50% urbanized by the year 2025. Which means currently almost 3 million population equivalent to the size of city of Faisalabad is added to our existing cities annually. However, our cities are unable to foster planned growth and almost 60% population lives in slums or slums like condition. He further stressed that urbanization is a blessing in disguise. The need is to steer planned urbanization and getting fruitful results. The New Urban Agenda focuses on six thematic areas (i) Urban Economy; (ii). Urban Demographics (Social Cohesion and Equity) – Livable Cities; (iii) urban Frameworks (Public Policies, Governance and Legislation); (iv). Urban Ecology and Environment; (v). Urban Planning and Design (Spatial Development); and (vi). Housing and Basic Services. The major implementing strategies that the states have to consider under the New Urban Agenda include: (i) Revising Urban Rules and regulation, (ii) fostering Urban Planning & Design; (iii) ensuring Municipal Finances and (iv) connecting National Urban Policies with the dynamics of urbanization. He concluded the New Urban Agenda is now our responsibility. He stressed that this responsibility is not merely the responsibility of the state. It is a shared responsibility in which all actors including the state, private sector, citizens, academia, civil society, policy makers and the concerned built-environment professionals have to strive their best to fulfill the commitments under the New Urban Agenda. He wished if the recommendations set out under the New Urban Agenda are complied, 20 years later Pakistani cities will be model of sustainable cities which will be inclusive and equitable. After the presentation the house was opened for discussion on The New Urban Agenda adopted at Habitat III Conference in Quito on 20th October, 2016. Among the participants, Mr. Rizwan ur Rehman mentioned that Pakistan National Report submitted by the Ministry of Climate Change was prepared in hurry and didn’t consult public for comments and feedback without going for larger stakeholder consultation. Mr. Khurram Farid Bargatt highlighted the fact that the institutions responsible for urban planning and management are not well aware of Habitat II Agenda till today and the same thing has happened for the Agenda of Habitat III. All institutions were not taken on board for the preparation and consultation for this conference at any stage. Mr. Naveed ul Haq, from Elan Environmental Consultant, expressed that there is need of new laws on environment and building regulations. Mr. Khurram Farid mentioned that after 18th the Amendment powers were supposed to be transferred to local bodies this has also been emphasized in New Urban Agenda to decentralize powers to strengthen local bodies. But in Punjab or other provinces, provincial government are establishing more provincial or divisional level authorities. Architect Silwat Afzal (NCA Lahore) highlighted the reason of migration in the cities that people migrate from one place to another for two main reasons; for education or health and other is for better employment. Dr. Fariha Tariq (Chairperson, Department of City & Regional Planning, UMT) talked about house design and said that our public don’t want to live in a house of 2 or 3 marla because these are not designed as per socioeconomic and cultural grounds. She also told that half of cities infrastructure include housing; addressing housing issues will pave towards achieving set targets of New Urban Agenda. Mr. Shoaib pointed out that it is the negligence of our municipal institutions to guide growth and development of urban areas in a planned fashion as compared to the developed countries where one can see the uniform pattern as those municipalities make local plans and regulate it in efficient way. While in case of Pakistan there is a haphazard pattern because our local authorities do not go for detailed planning. Mr. Mutahir Awan (Assistant Professor at UMT

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October 21, 2016 No Comments

How Smart City Barcelona Brought the Internet of Things to Life

Cities around the world are beginning to understand the huge potential of the Internet of Things (IoT). In Barcelona, those possibilities have started to become the reality. Starting in 2012, the city deployed responsive technologies across urban systems including public transit, parking, street lighting, and waste management. These innovations yielded significant cost savings, improved the quality of life for residents, and made the city a center for the young IoT industry. Spain was among the countries hardest hit by the 2008 recession, and recovery throughout Europe has been slow. In the face of these economic challenges, Barcelona harnessed technology to transform itself into a model of data-driven, sensing, smart urban systems. Xavier Trias, Mayor of Barcelona from 2011 to 2015, ran on a platform of technological innovation in city services. Upon taking office, he formed a new team, Smart City Barcelona, tasked with integrating existing projects and identifying new opportunities to enhance services for all of the city’s people and businesses. Smart City Barcelona identified 12 areas for intervention, including transportation, water, energy, waste, and open government, and initiated 22 programs, encompassing 83 distinct projects across urban systems. In launching its IoT program, Barcelona had a solid foundation: the projects took advantage of 500 kilometers of fiber optic cable within the city. This extensive network was initiated 30 years ago when the city connected two municipal buildings with early fiber technology. The fiber network now provides 90 percent fiber-to-the-home coverage and serves as a backbone for integrated city systems. The fiber network serves as a direct link to the Internet for the Barcelona’s residents and visitors. The city draws on the fiber infrastructure to provide citywide WiFi. Since 2013, the number of hotspots is up 62 percent to 670 WiFi hotspots at a maximum distance of 100 meters from point to point, and the number of WiFi users has doubled. Barcelona has also used this extensive fiber network to build out individual IoT systems across urban services. To improve energy efficiency, the city installed 19,500 smart meters that monitor and optimize energy consumption in targeted areas of the city. In waste management, households deposit waste in municipal smart bins that monitor waste levels and optimize collection routes. These sensors can be further enhanced, and plans have been developed to integrate sensing for hazardous or offensive waste material. In transportation, Barcelona has pursued a multi-modal strategy, advancing the use of electric cars and bike-sharing, while investing heavily in improving the bus and parking systems. The new digital bus stops turn to wait for buses into an interactive experience, with updates on bus location, USB charging stations, free WiFi, and tools to help riders download apps to help them learn more about the city. For drivers, Barcelona has implemented a sensor system that guides them to available parking spaces. The sensors, embedded in the asphalt, can sense whether or not a vehicle is parked in a given location. By directing drivers to open spaces, the program has reduced congestion and emissions. The application that drivers use to locate parking—ApparkB—also allows them to pay for parking online. Within a year of implementation, the city was issuing 4,000 parking permits per day through the application. The city simultaneously pursued the implementation of the Barcelona Lighting Masterplan, published in 2012, which uses smart technologies to enhance the efficiency and utility of city lampposts. By 2014, more than1,100 lampposts had been transitioned to LED, reducing energy consumption. The lampposts sense when pedestrians are nearby; when the streets are empty, lights automatically dim to further conserve energy. The lampposts are also part of the city’s WiFi network, providing consistent, free Internet access throughout the city. Moreover, they are equipped with sensors that collect data on air quality, relaying information to city agencies and the public. Cumulatively, the improvements produced 30 percent energy savings across the urban lighting system. In order to maximize the efficiency of the city’s parks, Barcelona has implemented IoT technologies to remotely sense and control park irrigation and water levels in public fountains. Using sensors to monitor rain and humidity, park workers can determine how much irrigation is needed in each area. A system of electrovalves is then remotely controlled to deliver necessary water across the city. The program, implemented in 68 percent of public parks, helped the city achieve a 25 percent increase in water conservation, for savings of approximately $555,000 per year. Together, these systems constitute a “network of networks,” generating data that can be used by city agencies to improve city operations and by citizens seeking to better understand their local environment. Barcelona’s integrated sensor network is relayed through Sentilo, a platform developed specifically for the city, which is now open-source and available for reuse by other governments. Through this platform, data is managed and shared with citizens and city workers. In order to facilitate citizen access, the city developed 44 kiosks where residents can find information, access services, and make requests to the government. Already, these improvements have saved the city money and reduced the consumption of valuable energy and water. Barcelona estimates that IoT systems have helped save $58 million on water, increased parking revenues by $50 million per year, and generated 47,000 new jobs. Through smart lighting, the city reports saving an additional $37 million annually. To capitalize on the energy around the city’s IoT projects, Barcelona has actively fostered its local technology industry. With $230 million in public funds, the city redeveloped an industrial area to create 22@Barcelona, where startups are putting public data to use in new applications and developing IoT technologies. Among these startups is thethings.io, which aims to become the primary service provider for the IoT world. Some of these homegrown companies are already starting to find market success. One 22@Barcelona resident, Worldsensing, developed an in-ground parking sensor that cities can use to manage citizen parking. Barcelona piloted the tool, Fastprk, in the 22@Barcelona district, helping the product evolve through a real-world implementation. While Barcelona ultimately purchased a different tool for broader implementation,

SHEHER SAAZ

Creating Places For People

our blog

Tag: smart cities

Unveiling the Vitality of the River Ravi: The Lifeline Sustaining Punjab’s Prosperity

The Man Who Wants To Connect The World With Light

Seminar on Introduction of Industry 4.0, Smart City Lahore, Pakistan

8 Cool Ideas for U.S. Cities, Courtesy of the Dutch

The New Urban Agenda – HIII

How Smart City Barcelona Brought the Internet of Things to Life

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