9 December 2021

CAIC-SIUD 2021: Keynote Address by Dr. Svetlana Gutman and Dr. Elena Rytova on Smart City Indicators

By
AUN Writer Team

By Carlos Harry De Taza, AUN Intern

The keynote address on Sustainable Development of Russian Regions: Indicators for Smart Sustainable Cities was delivered by Dr. Svetlana Gutman and Dr. Elena Rytova, both from Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University, on Day 3 of the CSID AUN-SCUD International Conference on Sustainable Infrastructure and Urban Development last October 15, 2021.

In their lecture, Dr. Rytova emphasized the role of cities as centers of economic development and how rapid urban population growth from the last century has also changed our environment. As urban blocks continue to grow, technological development alone would no longer be enough to protect the environment.

This calls on urban planners and engineers to develop a new model: smart cities. At its core, the concept of smart sustainable cities requires the effective use of technology and data to build cities that can adapt and are flexible. The aim of which is to improve the city’s economy and standards of living.

In achieving its goals, it is important to have and abide by Smart City Indicators (SCIs) through which it is possible to monitor the program of development within a city. These determine the indicators for efficiency in different levels of city management – from the macro down to the micro level.

The SCIs include the following components: economy and management, quality of life, ecology, and innovation. SCI Charts help us achieve SDGs, detect shortcomings, change strategies, provide monitoring and feedback, select indicators, arrange strategic capabilities, and finally form tools in achieving SDGs. 

In brief, the implementation of SCIs is a must have for future urban development and city growth. Taking on the experience of Russian cities, Dr. Gutman and Rytova hoped that SCIs may be further adapted to cities worldwide, thoroughly basing on the needs and conditions present within each setting.