All You Need to Know About Smart Cities

A smart city is an urban area with a significant infrastructure linked together on a central network. The purpose of a smart city is easier data management. With these smart integrations, municipalities can better manage resources and public service to assist residents.  

All systems are neatly organized on a significant network for streamlined city planning, from public safety to transportation.  

Related: How to Integrate Into ITS Systems

Automation 

Rapid advancements in technology are a prime contributor to the growth of smart cities. Computer technology alone is reaching incredible heights to maximize efficiency and safety for residents, businesses, and any travelers passing through.

Many of the factors that come into play involve automation. Whether it’s data collection or managing functions, automated technology helps maintain the fast development of contemporary city living

Intelligent Building Management Systems

Intelligent Building Management Systems (IBMS) is a control system that consists of various software to perform a vast array of functions. You can picture the IBMS as the building’s central nervous system. 

All necessary functions, including data entry, security solutions, and staff management, are organized in one centralized system. This technology helps to build managers streamline their processes and provide a better experience for occupants. 

Related: Active Warning Gates for Use in Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS).

Green Infrastructure

Green infrastructure is part of a low-impact development plan to help reduce society’s carbon footprint while living in cities. Adding more natural elements makes not only a town healthier but also a more pleasant place to live. 

Developers can make cities more eco-friendly by managing water waste, building rain gardens, and adding green elements near roads to collect stormwater. 

Matching Energy Use to Occupancy 

Occupancy behavior can significantly impact energy consumption in a building. Smart cities are incorporating technology that can track the behavior of building occupants to match their energy use. 

Doing so will minimize energy wastage, protecting the environment, and reducing expenses all in one action. Other buildings are matching energy use and occupancy behaviors via government financial incentive programs. 

 More automated technology is in development to help make our buildings more energy-efficient. 

Dynamic Power Consumption

Buildings can consume a lot of power, and one-way cities can minimize energy consumption is by installing smart systems that detect necessary power needs in real-time. Not only will this reduce energy costs, but it will also lower the impact we have on the environment.

If a building consumes too much power, the system can alert the grid to reduce its output. All of this is automated through a central IoT network. 

Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage

Perhaps one of the unique aspects of a smart city is its ability to store heat during one season and release it during another. When buildings and offices generate excess heat during the summer, the structure can keep that energy during the colder months. 

Doing so will reduce the need to produce new heat as the temperature starts to drop. This technology is only the beginning of a new way of how we store and utilize heat. 

Decarbonization

Decarbonization is a collective effort to help a city reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. By using fewer fossil fuels, we can significantly reduce the greenhouse gases we send into the atmosphere. 

Some efforts to help decarbonize include setting up solar panels and wind farms nearby so that cities can start to rely more on renewable energy. Some cities receive most of their power from renewable sources. 

Smart Water and Waste Management

Every city needs to have access to clean water and systems in place to deal with water waste. As water losses, heavy rain, and flooding are consistent threats to a city’s well-being, smart technology can better track these variables to make better-informed decisions. 

Urban planners can start by detecting faulty drainage systems and make all the necessary repairs. Doing so will reduce flooding and keep the city healthier. 

In terms of waste, city planners can invest in better waste management systems. 

Smarty Mobility

A city can function better with less traffic and a better system for managing vehicles. Smart mobility solutions assist city planners in controlling traffic and allowing everyone to arrive at their destinations as quickly and safely as possible. 

This process involves working directly with the city transit department, developers, construction sites, and anything that may affect traffic flow. As a result, people can move through cities a lot quicker and easier.

Related: Technologies to prevent Crashes Due to Wrong-Way Drivers

Crime Prevention

Technology can also help keep a city safe from crime. With facial recognition software and other crime prevention solutions, law enforcement can detect and handle criminal activity faster than ever before. 

The automated systems can even dispatch units to s specific location of a recent distress call. This also helps with more passive forms of crime, such as petty theft and physical altercations. 

How BRSS Can Help 

B&B Roadway and Security Solutions provide a vast collection of products to make cities as safe as possible. Whether you’re a building developer or city planner, you can find exactly what you need to keep your city organized and functioning smoothly. 

Make sure to contact our team today to learn how we can help with your unique situation. 

Some of our most popular solutions are:

Navigation Lights

Navigation lights are there to help direct the flow of boats and other vehicles. Without them, severe accidents can occur, resulting in injuries and extensive property damage. Our navigation lights provide all the visual aid your site needs to maintain its safety protocol. 

LED Lighting

Our LED lighting solutions help illuminate a significant and potentially dangerous area of a job site. You can install several different types of lights throughout the location to ensure maximum visibility. 

Want to see what other solutions we offer? Check out some of our new products. 

Last but not least

Smart cities are on the rise, and it doesn’t look like they will be slowing down anything soon. We can expect to see a massive upgrade to conventional city-systems with advancements in technology, ultimately making our lives more manageable.