INGENIEUR
PRESIDENT ’ S MESSAGE
Smart City
The UN-Habitat City Report 2022 projected urbanisation over the next decades ranges between 56 % in 2021 and 68 % in 2050 , with urban areas absorbing virtually all the future growth of the world ’ s population . The increase in urbanisation is intertwined with the existing challenges that the world has faced in the last 50 years .
With innovative and technological transformation lately in city upgrading and expansion in areas of urban transportation , environmental management , health , leisure , habitat ; the concept of smart city emerges to encompass all these in the quality of life . Smart city has become a globally popular catchphrase and major policy paradigm for technology-driven urban innovation and development that emerged in the late 2000s onwards . The demand for smart city systems and solutions is estimated to increase annually by 25 %.
Urbanisation in the 21 st century is not a singular pathway , but rather encompasses divergent paths to growth and many possible futures , including multiple threats . It is important to make cities more equitable , inclusive , productive , green , compact , walkable and healthy as called for by the relevant components of the global development agenda .
In this respect , DBKL has taken one step forward by launching the Kuala Lumpur Smart City Master Plan 2021-2025 . DBKL views this master plan as a cornerstone for advancing Kuala Lumpur ’ s global reputation as one of the most
thriving , liveable , and sustainable cities . It provides a platform to enhance the city ’ s unique places and environment , foster its innovation ecosystem , celebrate its rich cultural diversity and strengthen a sense of community and belongingness .
Smart city implementation need not be expensive as described in the article ‘ Enhancing Smart City infrastructure : Leveraging IR4.0 ’ especially for smart street lights , smart parking , smart metering , flood sensing or smart waste technologies . The network needs to be reliable , low cost to maintain and provide a network that provides interoperability and inter-vendor compatibility .
Smart City and smart society should be viewed as information societies able to utilise the benefits of artificial intelligence ( AI ), big data and Internet of things ( IoT ) in life . The article on ‘ Shaping the Future Vision For Smart Cities ’ provides an insight wherein smart cities comprise all-new infrastructures that enable cutting-edge technology and big data and also assist inhabitants in overcoming challenges and obstacles in the city environment .
With new digital transformation and digitalisation elements involved in smart city development , it is imperative that practicing engineers adopt digitalisation to the maximum to stay relevant in the industry .
Dato ’ Ir . Ahmad Redza bin Ghulam Rasool President , BEM
6 VOL 93 JANUARY-MARCH 2023