Global data firm NCS NEXT’s James Vincent believes Australian governments should adopt an array of smart city solutions that will assist in the delivery of citizen services, in the wake of unprecedented population growth.

Australia is due to reach 30 million people by the end of the decade. Modern technologies will improve experiences and efficiency of infrastructure and public transport, with smart meters, sensor technology and AI suggested by Vincent, the company’s Australian Chief Technology Officer.

“Urban populations are growing at unprecedented rates, so we need to keep investing in smart city technology to create a brighter and more stable future,” he says.

When further demand is added to systems such as public transport and traffic networks, some will struggle to cope – leading to overcrowding and poor-quality experiences.

“Modern technology is making safe, scalable, sustainable cities and performant governments a reality. In particular, smart city technology helps accommodate large and rapid urban population growth, facilitate resource conservation such as water and carbon, and improve the quality of services for the community across utilities, transport, healthcare, waste management, air quality, safety and wellbeing, and emergency response.

“We’re already starting to see various levels of Government engage in public-private partnerships and sponsored collaboration to modernise and advance services through technology. It’s a great step in improving access for citizens and the broader community and one we hope will continue in response to the changing population’s needs.”

The likes of metres, sensor technology, and AI can reduce the energy consumption, water usage, and waste management of a building. This can lead to lower costs and a smaller environmental impact.

“Historically, we’ve seen a focus on greenfield development precincts to showcase highly efficient building systems, but to have a truly scalable impact, we must leverage these modern technologies to cheaply and readily deploy into existing building sites,” Vincent says.

“These technologies used in combination can control temperature and lighting systems in real time, and achieve up to 25 percent more efficiency.”

VR is now being used to test and analyse human reaction to projects before they are built, gaining insight for the likes of built environments, transportation designs, and event models. This technology allows for improved accessibility for individuals with mobility challenges and ensures effective placement of signage.

“Testing these use cases using 3D representation and VR simulation can save huge amounts of money that is currently spent to build real-world physical replicas of train stations. As more infrastructure is built to accommodate more dense urban areas, it reduces errors when going from concept to the physical built space.

“The traditional method was to test spaces once partially or fully built. Optimising buildings and public transport for inclusiveness and ease of use is a key priority for scaling urban areas without adding frustration and aggravation to commuters.”

A single digital app to optimise travel has also been suggested by Vincent, who believes whole of journey planning makes for a more seamless system from A to B.

“Using these platforms, it’s possible to ensure drivers can book parking ahead of a journey and be incentivised to travel off-peak; be aware of real-time changes in traffic conditions so they can respond to, and make changes to their journey; and have road networks advise a vehicle of its optimum travel speed to avoid stopping at traffic lights – all of which is done using one platform.

“Not only does this reduce travel time but it also optimises journeys for minimum emissions.”

Vincent’s final suggestion leverages AI as a tool to identify emergency events such as fire, flood, earthquake, instantly adjusting traffic signals accommodating greater community flow.

“In an emergency event, data from sensors and monitors would be made available to multiple emergency service providers in real time, so everyone has the same access to information and can provide better coordination.”

Jarrod Reedie

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