Barcelona, the matador of Smart Cities?
Going beyond the technology
Barcelona is one of Europe's frontrunners in using technological developments such as Open Data to become a Smart City. In our report on Open Data in cities it was also one of our eight examples to exchange best practices. It is therefore no wonder that Barcelona will again host this year's Smart City Expo World Congress, taking place on 15 and 16 November 2016. A good reason to take a closer look at what defines Barcelona's approach in becoming a Smart City.
What characterises the strategy of Barcelona is the citizen centric and environmental approach, going beyond the technological aspects of a Smart City. This was also formulated by the former director of Smart City Barcelona who identified three objectives in the strategy: making life easier for residents; creating more economic wealth; enhancing environmental durability and sustainability. These objectives have led to a broad number of innovations in various fields, for example the introduction of a system of intelligent traffic lights, enhancing the flow of traffic in the city but also improving the flow of emergency vehicles. The application Vincles BCN is a good example of how the city is also using technological innovations to help citizens fight social isolation. With the ageing population of Barcelona, this theme is of particular relevance for the city.
The comprehensive and inclusive approach of Barcelona becoming a Smart City shows that technological developments, such as Open Data, can create transcending benefits. Want to know more about what Barcelona is doing? Follow the link below.
