Sustainable urban mobility

What is a "smart" city and is there a connection with sustainable urban mobility? Read the brochure by Kateřina Davidová and Christian K. Lassen. This brochure was published by the Centre for architecture and urban planning (CAMP) in Prague in cooperation with Prague Office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation (Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung) and the Centre for Transport and Energy (CDE).

There are various definitions of what constitutes a “smart” city. What they all have in common is the incorporation of information technologies into the day-to-day processes taking place within the city. While some see the primary features of “smart” cities in the collection and usage of data (e.g., IBM defines a “smart” city as “one that makes optimal use of all the interconnected information available today to […] optimize the use of limited resources”), others place the primary focus on the services this can bring to citizens (e.g., Manchester Digital Development Agency views smart cities as places “where citizens have all the information they need to make informed choices about their lifestyle, work and travel options”). The crucial aspect of any “smart” city should be its focus on the residents and the improvement of their quality of living. Some advocates of “smart” cities view residents as “users” and the purpose of the “smart” city as making their environment as user-friendly as possible. This includes the optimization of the limited resources available so that more “users” can take advantage of them. In theory, “smart” cities should thus serve to reduce inequalities in the urban space.

In Singapore, for instance, architects and city planners collect data regarding wind, temperature, sunshine and shade and, according to these data, decide where to build parks and playgrounds or where to install solar panels, thus ensuring a highly functional city.

The full publication is available in both Czech and English language under the PDF button on the right side.