In the 21st century we are facing global growth in urbanization , which poses major challenges for today?s cities. Representing around three quarters of energy consumption and 80% of CO2 emissions1a major focus on environmental policy and urban planning is directed towards cities.
Thus, technology seems to revolutionize everything wherever it goes, not leaving aside urban and economic sectors such as Energy. New challenges bring new opportunities and for this reason, urban centers find in this growth a need to enhance and invent new ways of managing their resources and, in this context , digital technology and innovation come as an answer to these new dilemmas.
It is in this panorama that < i>Smart cities (in Portuguese, smart cities) this is because they can substantially subsist based on the maximum use of resources and their conservation, developing sustainable techniques to overcome waste while demonstrating an improvement in society's standard of living
Reduce energy consumption and find new, renewable sources with greater long-term sustainability , has been a path followed by the majority. The convergence between the digital world and the energy sector has emerged as a new ecosystem of services that will allow for a better quality of life and lower energy consumption.
In addition, the advancement of digitalization also leads us to increasing efficiency gains allowing its application in physical and digital infrastructure networks improving the sustainable use of resources (natural or not).
A Smart City thus fills the gap between the two challenges: the growth of urban infrastructure and the sustainable use of resources, giving rise to a new paradigmgreen associated with environmental concern and responsibility for conserving the environment long-term environment.
Go green or go home
Raquel Fernandes