Urbanization and the notion of smart cities have been emerging topics for some time now. This is no surprise, given that urban residents accounted for 54 percent of the total global population in 2015, and are expected to grow to 60 percent by 2030, according to the World Health Organization.
In order to accommodate this urban population growth, cities will continue to face increasing challenges, including congested transportation and housing and the need to reliably supply sufficient energy to meet growing demands.
Smart cities are large urban areas that are unique due to their exceptional connectivity and technology surrounding critical infrastructure and systems. These technology advancements, such as advanced sensors to monitor traffic and smart grids and lighting, will certainly help cities of the future meet urbanization challenges. But resiliency must also be a priority for creating sustainable growth, and energy efficiency plays a key role in the resiliency equation.
Read more at Triple Pundit
Photo credit: Ermell via Wikimedia Commons
