The European Parliament’s Industry Research and Energy Committee has published a report mapping Smart Cities in the European Union. The report provides background information and advice on Smart Cities. It also works with the definition of Smart City and ponders how well current Smart City initiatives meet the objectives of Europe 2020 growth strategy.
The study goes through a sample of 50 Smart City projects across 37 Smart Cities. One of the key findings is that more than two-thirds of sampled Smart City projects are still in the planning or pilot testing phases.
Helsinki was one of the cities chosen for a more in-depth analysis, alongside with Amsterdam, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Manchester and Vienna. The research grouped the current Smart City initiatives into five main types:
- neighbourhood units
- testbed micro infrastructures
- intelligent traffic systems
- resource management systems
- participation platforms
Forum Virium Helsinki’s Smart City initiatives CitySDK and Helsinki Hack-at-Home are mentioned under “participation platforms”. This category includes open data strategies and platforms, crowdsourcing and co-creation platforms, and other forms of citizen participation and ideation.
According to the review, Helsinki’s Smart City developments are focused primarily on the development of digital services, mobile applications and open data services. Most local Smart City initiatives aim to open up public data and activate citizens in their civic participation.
Forum Virium Helsinki is mentioned as a dedicated, central “Smart City Office” of Helsinki, alongside with Amsterdam Smart City platform and Greater Manchester Low Carbon hub. According to the report, these kinds of dedicated offices are of vital importance when acting as the go-between for Smart City ideas and initiatives drawing in diverse stakeholders.
In case studies, Forum Virium Helsinki is introduced in more detail. According to the report, opening up public data plays an important role in Helsinki’s Smart City developments. Helsinki Region Infoshare is highlighted as “one of the pioneering open, urban data platforms”.
Read more about Helsinki as a smart city:
– http://www.forumvirium.fi/en/news/the-guardian-showcases-citysdk-participation-api-and-praises-smart-helsinki
– http://www.fastcoexist.com/3024721/the-10-smartest-cities-in-europe?partner=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcoexist%2Ffeed+%28Co.Exist%29
– http://www.fastcoexist.com/3024721/the-10-smartest-cities-in-europe?partner=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcoexist%2Ffeed+%28Co.Exist%29