INGENIEUR
COPENHAGEN
In Copenhagen ’ s Climate Plan 2025 , one of its goals is to ensure that 75 % of all trips within the city be taken by bike , public transport , or on foot .
A good example of mobility-related innovation is Copenhagen Intelligent Traffic Solutions ( CITS ). This platform consists of a network of Wi-Fi access points that can geolocate WiFi-enabled devices on the streets without compromising privacy . The data gathered through the system enables officials to monitor traffic in real time . CITS was made possible with the tripartite collaboration between universities , businesses , and Government .
Another part of its smart city strategy is the publishing and provision of accessible and open data for all players . Through its open data platform , the municipality has published more than a hundred diversified datasets , including , for example , real-time visualisations of traffic flow and maps indicating the location of parking spots and public washrooms .
GENEVA
Since 2014 , SIG , the local Swiss utility , offers Vitale Green electricity : 100 % green and 100 % local renewable energy for Geneva . It is 100 % environment-friendly , composed of solar and hydropower , and certified with a “ nature-made ” star , the most demanding Swiss label in terms of environmental protection . It is 100 % locally produced with more than 600 solar installations in the city and three Hydro dams .
Geneva also stands out thanks to its smart parking system . A series of sensors detect parking spaces that are available and inform nearby drivers through dynamic signs or directly on their smartphones . Drivers can also pay for parking directly online . This system has allowed the city to significantly lower the number of vehicles searching for a place to park ( which can account for up to 30 % of urban traffic !)
AUCKLAND
Low-lying , coastal Auckland , New Zealand ’ s largest city , has a population of 1.4 million people and
Auckland is known as the spongiest city in the world . Source : www . aucklandnz . com
experiences high annual rainfall . It has done well in environmental preservation , earning the unique identity as the ‘ spongiest ’ city in the world , according to the engineering consultancy firm , Arup Group .
In an intense rainfall event — 50mm falling in 24 hours — researchers estimated that 35 % of the water falling on Auckland would be absorbed into green spaces and permeable local soil , leaving 65 % to be dealt with by engineered stormwater systems .
BILBAO
Bilbao is an industrial port city in the northern part of Spain . It has an important industrial past throughout the 19 th and 20 th centuries but had to reinvent itself as a result of an economic crisis triggered by the heavy reliance on , and the decline of , shipbuilding and steel industries .
The city is recognised for its urban regeneration , making it citizen-friendly and more liveable . There has been improvement in mobility with the emergence of a Metro Line , a port extension and a new airport . Culture , art and tourism were also used as driving forces for economic regeneration . ~ Inforeach
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52 VOL 93 JANUARY-MARCH 2023