Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa December/ January 2018/2019 | Page 40

URBAN PLANNING
Better City - Better Life
Building Sustainable and Resilient Cities
BY REFILWE MONYAI
C
ities already account for approximately 70-80% of the
world’s economic growth, and this will only increase as
cities continue to grow. In the next 35 years, the popu-
lation in cities is estimated to expand by an additional 2.5 bil-
lion people, almost double the population of China. As a vital
component for connectivity, public health, social welfare, and
economic development, infrastructure in all its forms – basic,
social, and economic – is critical for the anticipated urban
growth. As a day to promote the international community’s
interest in global urbanisation and contribute to sustainable
development around the world, 31 October marks World Cit-
ies Day  – where the spotlight on building sustainable cities
comes to the fore.
 “Globally, the annual investment required to cover the gap
for resilient infrastructure is estimated at  $4.5-$5.4 trillion,”
says Riaan Graham, sales director for Ruckus Networks, sub-
Saharan Africa. “And while no two cities are the same, more
than than 50% of the global population – live in cities – and
instrumental to achieving sustainable smart cities, is harnessing
a new world of digital technology and communication to first
enable a connected city.”
 Building on connectivity
Connectivity is a foundational layer to Smart Cities, both for
Internet access and new digital services. A great starting point
for cities is to deploy public Wi-Fi. Continues Graham; “Public
Wi-Fi is a great way to create a more vibrant community and
also connect citizens, businesses and visitors. But the benefits
of Wi-Fi don’t stop there. Cities are leveraging smart Wi-Fi
for many applications that go well beyond free public access to
the Internet such as e-routing traffic, monitoring air pollution,
conserving water, improving public safety and encouraging
more direct participation, interaction and collaboration with
local government offered services.”
 In fact, according to an IDC InfoBrief Smart City aspects
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DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 SA Real Estate Investor Magazine
such as networked LED street lighting can provide a 25-50%
reduction in operations and energy costs, connected trash bins
can yield more than 50% reduction in garbage collection costs,
20–30% cost reduction can be obtained with smart parking
and smart water systems can save 40% less clean water loss
due to leaks and burst pipes. Such aspects are key to building
sustainable cities and managing resources and services.
Sustainability lens
Alison Groves, Regional Director, WSP, Building Services,
Africa, agrees, but cautions that when planning, designing and
building infrastructure within the African context, we need to
be conscious that we are operating in spaces that sit at two
extreme ends of the development cycle. “On one end, we have
cities and urban centres that are faced with challenges to the
maintaining the capacity of existing infrastructure networks.
These nodes still boast long-term infrastructure planning,
which includes introducing smart technologies into their city
scape that will make these cities more connected, innovative
and nimble in the face of future disruption. At the other end of
the cycle, however, we have vast areas that are underdeveloped,
geographically dispersed, remote, and with limited accessibility
to-and-from the nearest urban node.”
Groves believes that to be able to support continued and
future growth – of populations, industries and economies
– long-term planning must be approached with a vision
to compensate for both ends of the development cycle and
everything in between. “As we look to build cities and spaces
for rural communities that are liveable, resilient to disruptions,
and futureproofed, sustainability is the way to get there.”
“Sustainability is a lens through which the planning, project
delivery, and development processes focus to achieve the
needs of the communities today without sacrificing capacity
for future generations. A sustainability lens always includes
balancing priorities across several areas, including the economy,