Urban areas are growing at breakneck speed. More than half of the world's population already lives in cities. The trend is even more pronounced in Spain where only 20% still live in rural areas. The stampede to the cities seems irreversible. The United Nations forecast that handles notes that 70% of humans will live in urban centers in 2050. And warns that the increasing population in cities can become a real problem, unless is reached to maintain harmony among the spatial aspects, social and environmental sites, and among its inhabitants. In this new scenario
sociological and demographic, with clear economic, political and environmental gains strength the smart city concept. Facing the challenge of managing increasingly large cities and complex was the central axis on which turned the meeting organized by the country in collaboration with Ferrovial concluded this week. It was attended by the Mayor of Bilbao, Iñaki Azkuna, the Mayor of Palma, Aina Calvo, and the mayor of Madrid, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon, the vice president of Innovation and New Technology University of Alcalá, José Antonio Gutiérrez de Mesa, in charge of Information Technology for Sustainable Growth of the European Union, Mercé Griera i Fisa, the director of End User Services at Telefónica I + D, David del Val, and the chairman of Ferrovial, Rafael del Pino.
The theory is that an intelligent city is one that makes use of technological advances to improve the quality of life for its inhabitants. The practice, however, suggests that this concept has many nuances and interpretations. "An intelligent city is a city that has a unique identity value," said Aina Calvo. "In these times is a city capable of much less. You need a good management of resources to maintain the quality of services, "said the lord of Palma de Mallorca.
Iñaki Azkuna warned against simplifying the concept. An intelligent city, under the prism, it is not Silicon Valley [area California with a high concentration of technology companies] but one where the intelligence is placed at the service of citizens. "Bilbao's mayor also reflected on the necessary balance that must be the cities:" If we have a city for tourists, with a helmet precious historical, but with most of its destroyed neighborhoods, this city is useless. We must find a balance and technologies information should serve the entire city. "
Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon, meanwhile, claimed the central role of cities. In his opinion, the greatest transformation in the last decade is the change of hegemony States cities. "These are the protagonists of economic growth and social change. There is no State capable of leading urban areas if not for that leadership takes place, "he argued. The problem I see is that Madrid Councilman States have not understood the depth of change and the need to strengthen the cities." A Smart City is one that encompasses all the features associated with this organizational change. From the point of view of people, is also a city that suits their needs, "said Gallardón.
In urban areas of future public-private gap is opened to reduce costs and improve efficiency. In this new binomial Ferrovial already has experience. The English company signed a contract with Birmingham City Council under which assumes the management and maintenance of roads and other public infrastructure in the British city. The agreement involves an investment of 2,700 million pounds ( 3,200 million euros) over 25 years and aims to improve productivity by 30% and 20% efficiency.
"Cities transform mayors, and companies that serve as catalysts for those changes occur. The private sector can help finance the municipalities and may also contribute to the management efficiency. The government must step forward by clarifying the legal framework, "reflected Rafael del Pino. The company, presided over an agreement reached with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to promote initiatives by the intelligent cities will invest five million dollars (3.7 million euros) over the next five years.
civilian infrastructure for decades have solved the problems of cities and now it seems it is time that digital technology endowed with more efficiency to the civil infrastructure. But in practice how to apply technological advances? David del Val believes the smart city concept should be restricted to the real-time knowledge of what happens in cities, interpret the data and give better service to citizens. "To know what is happening in a locality that are needed are sensors that can measure parameters (traffic conditions, concentration of people ...) and send that information to data processing centers. In this sense, for companies telecommunications in the future business will be more communication between machines between people, "said the manager Telefonica.
Del Val explained that also function as sensors of what is happening in the city's own mobile phones or information exchanged between people through social networks. "With all this going to be able to have real time information that will improve the quality of life of citizens," he said.
At university level there are also projects for the digital city of the future. An example is the University of Alcalá. "It is necessary to achieve full integration between sensors that can exist in an intelligent city and the decision-making systems. The application of technology will help energy improvements, ecological ...", described Gutiérrez de Mesa, vice president of the center.
in Brussels about the future of cities and explores how technological advances can help solve problems. Mercé Grier, who works for the Commission Europe, he added during the meeting that a city art is not one that has many sensors, but one that uses the technology for a purpose. "A smart city must meet three characteristics. First, have a leader, an innovative and courageous mayor who dares to make decisions that sometimes are not very popular. The second feature is that this town does not depend only political power but there is a consensus, a partnership between the public and private sector. The third element to develop a city with this profile is that its citizens are excited about the project and support it, "said the responsibility for Information Technology for Sustainable Growth.
Experts agree that one of the challenges of the city the future will ease the bureaucracy and increase transparency in decision-making. "We have a transparent, which gives legal safeguards in the licensing," said Calvo. "The more structure we will generate worse. It is true that local governments often assume responsibilities that are not ours, but we also sing the mea culpa because many times we are the councils themselves who manage more or duplicate services, "he added. For the mayor of Palma de Mallorca another key aspect is the civility." It is important regain a sense of belonging to citizens and stewards to encourage compliance with the rules of the game, "said Calvo.
Madrid Mayor noted that a smart city must meet three characteristics: immediacy, efficiency and transparency." We must be proactive and anticipate the needs of information. In addition, we have to eliminate the vices of the monopoly of information and lead the decision-making " Gallardón described. Rafael del Pino
insisted that one of the most important is the competitiveness of the territory. "We must think about how to make Spain and its cities an attractive place to invest in ideas that people want to settle here. To achieve this goal it is important to effective management. The territory must be competitive because it is effective and because is cheap, "he said. -
The funding dilemma The councils are facing a serious problem: the number of inhabitants of large cities rising steadily, the powers of local authorities each are more and more revenue amid a severe economic crisis, dwindling. How to finance the cost then develop intelligent urban spaces? The mayor of Madrid, Alberto Ruiz Gallardon, believes that what should be done is to change the financing system of cities, introducing mechanisms of fiscal responsibility with the central government. "What can not be is that the tax benefit from the creation of wealth does not go to that has made the investment that enables these benefits," argued the ruler of one of the most indebted of Spain. Gallardón Madrid gave the example that accounts for 12% of the GDP of Spain. "That growth has generated an increase in VAT and income tax revenue than the city does not participate. Our funding is not tied to the wealth we create in our environment and he should be to continue making investment policies rather than spending. We should also participate in the collection of some special tax like alcohol or snuff because of the public services offered by the municipalities, "he argued. Mayor of Bilbao, Iñaki Azkuna, said that in the current context of pressure on public accounts do more with less is key for local authorities. "assume powers and that everyone should have a cost," warned. Ferrovial Chairman Rafael del Pino, is not keen to prevent the municipalities to refinance their short-term debt. "It is not realistic. If companies cut these lines are many of them would have to suspend payments. The services are provided and you have to pay," he said. Del Pino, however, suggested that the municipalities should bring costs to a sustainable income of the Administration. "We must be cautious and adjust the budgets of the consistory's income, not revenue to be had, for example, in the real estate boom years. In this chapter, private companies can help both the funding councils as cost control, "he said. - Photography: Overview of Singapore's financial district .- REUTERS
