The advent of urbanisation has led to a lot of challenges which to a very large extent can be solved with the use of technology.
In today’s world, we have public safety issues, energy consumption, air pollution and traffic congestion. While these are largely caused by urbanisation, technology, which a lot of cities are turning to, solves the problem to a very large extent.
With the new ‘smart homes’, you can leverage connectivity and data to improve quality of life.
The question is, how does technology reshape urban life?
Come with us as we look at five ways technology helps improve city life.
1. Improved Transport Systems and Mobility:
Reformed transportation systems get implemented in different cities as technology reshapes urban living. These cities harness technology to improve mobility with connected vehicles and dynamic traffic management. This leads to streamlined public transportation and alleviates congestion.
Autonomous cars play a huge role in reshaping urban transportation system which has led to the creation of road rules that allow municipalities digitise our transportation systems. This further causes a wider acceptance on the use of autonomous cars in urban areas.
Note that the success of these rules depends on resource availability and widespread adoption.
2. Sustainable Energy Infrastructure:
Urban living is founded on the need for sustainable infrastructure and energy efficiency. Thanks to technology, cities implement improved energy management systems, integrate renewable energy sources and deploy smart grids.
With this change, energy consumption and carbon emissions are reduced. Plus, it leads to huge cost savings. Additionally, this initiative contributes to a healthier environment. Even more, investors and decision-makers gain higher return-on-investments once these initiatives are widely adopted. This allows urban cities attract eco-conscious residents and businesses because energy costs are reduced.
3. Innovative Public Services and Governance:
Technology does not just reshape urban living; digital transformations revolutionise public services and governance. Urban cities now have digital service deliveries, citizen engagement platforms and e-governance systems.
These technological advancements help improve people’s trust in public services and all-round satisfaction. Plus, with a widespread adoption, urban cities get increased revenue and reduced costs with improvements in the quality of public services.
4. Smart Urban Planning:
Integrating data analytics and IoT sensors in urban cities result in a significant transformation of infrastructure development and urban planning. We see smart houses equipped with technologies that help optimise use of resources for energy sustainability and efficiency.
Additionally, with real-time data monitoring that covers entire cities – including mobility networks and utilities – cities perform predictive maintenance and timely interventions. This way, urban infrastructures are sustainable and function at peak efficiency. Urban cities become more responsive and livable.
There is enhanced resource management and increased attractiveness to tech businesses.
5. Improved Quality of Life:
The quality of life for urban residents has skyrocketed with the implementation of environmental monitoring, public safety initiatives and innovative healthcare systems.
Now, we see sensors deployed to monitor air quality and other environmental conditions. With these sensors, urban cities send real-time information on air quality to residents via smartphones. Even more, they can easily spot where air pollutants come from.
Measures like these sensors lead to a safer, healthier environment. Plus, improved quality of life attracts innovative companies and skilled workers, leading to economic growth.
Conclusion
Conclusively, urban living is reshaped when cities transform into more sustainable smarter environments, which is our current reality. Thanks to technological advancements, urban citizens get innovative urban planning, smarter governance, energy-efficient systems and improved mobility. With effective adoption, technology can further transform urban living.
Researched by Olamide Opebiyi
