Smarter Cities | IET Talk on the Built Environment in 2050
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Talk organised by The IET (Institution of Engineering & Technology) at Imperial College, London, on 27 November 2009. - Build Environment Technologies sub-group: http://kn.theiet.org/communities/betnet/ The talk commences with example startling data to seek audience attention & participation. Cities are a fulcrum of ever growing population migration, this presents various issues that must be faced promptly so as to allow the next generation an opportunity to define their own built environment (for living, working, and playing). The ecosystem of groups involved is presenting new opportunities for entrepreneurs and new partnerships. The talk ends with a brief look-back at the technology that has been developed over the last 50 years, before posing a set of new questions and opening for discussion. Event Speakers: - Hoare Lea (Huw Blackwell)- Sustainable Homes - Arup (Duncan Wilson) - The future of the workplace - IBM (Alexis Biller and Chris Phillips) - Smart Cities and Urban Informatics Link to this presentation using: www.bit.ly/smartC (IBM internal link http://ibmurl.hursley.ibm.com/20V2)
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Smarter Cities | IET Talk on the Built Environment in 2050
- 1. Alexis Biller & Chris Phillips, IBM Hursley 26 November 2009 IET Event The role of engineering in the built environment Smarter Cities
- 2. A planet of smarter cities: 1900 < 20% world population lived in cities, 0.3 billion people 2007 > 50% population lived in cities, 3.3 billion people 2050 > 70% will be city dwellers, 6.4 billion people
- 3. Question What is contribution of IT to Global CO 2 emissions?
- 4. The Bad News: IT accounts for 2% of global CO 2 emissions The Good News: IT can significantly contribute to control and reduce the 98% of CO 2 emissions caused by other activities and industries Sources: Gartner, Green IT, October 12, 2007; “The Green Road Less Traveled” by Thomas L. Friedman, The New York Times, July 15, 2007, http://bit.ly/greenroadlesstraveled “… you can’t make a product greener, whether it’s a car, a refrigerator or a traffic system, without making it smarter — smarter materials, smarter software or smarter design.” - Thomas L. Friedman
- 5. In 2007 data centres used energy roughly equal to the total electricity consumption of the entire country of Mexico
- 6. Buildings and their construction account for half of global energy consumption ⅔ of buildings needed by 2050 are not yet built
- 8. Definition of smart cities – IBM University Jam Embedded Intelligence Make information available to people to decide Co-Evolution Adaptable, people participation “ a place where collective intelligence is enabled; residents have the power to continuously fix or improve things given a voting ” – Dr Ismail Ari of Ozyegin University, Turkey Source: Jam Report 2009, IBM “ allow people to live healthy and fulfilling lifestyles” “ allow people to live healthy and fulfilling lifestyles” – Student of Indiana University
- 9. Definition of smart cities – Wordle style Source: http://www.wordle.net/
- 10. Perhaps nowhere besides the city can we simultaneously increase the efficiency and sustainability of these systems to create the most livable environment for the greatest number of people.
- 11. The city is a microcosm of the major challenges and opportunities facing the planet today—intensified and accelerated Public Safety Government Services Education Healthcare Transportation Energy and Utilities Telecommunications Man-made systems come together and interact with each other
- 12. Smart instrumented interconnected intelligent Cities
- 13. We now have the ability to measure, sense and monitor the condition of almost everything. By 2010, there will be more than 1 billion camera phones in existence. 1 billion By 2010, 30 billion RFID tags will be embedded into our world and across entire ecosystems. 30 billion Nearly 85% of new automobiles will contain event data recorders by 2010. 85 % Instrumented Interconnected Intelligent
- 14. People, systems and objects can communicate and interact with each other in entirely new ways. There will be an estimated 2 billion people on the internet by 2011. 2 billion There are an estimated 4 billion mobile phone subscribers worldwide. 4 billion Soon, there will be 1 trillion connected devices in the world, constituting an “ internet of things.” 1 trillion Instrumented Interconnected Intelligent
- 15. We can now respond to changes quickly and accurately, and get better results by predicting and optimizing for future events. Every day, 15 petabytes of new information are being generated. This is 8x more than the information in all U.S. libraries. 15 petabytes Scientists are working to prevent influenza pandemics by modeling the viruses with a supercomputer that can operate at one petaflop, or one quadrillion operations per second. 1 petaflop New analytics enable high-resolution weather forecasts for areas as fine as 1 to 2 square kilometers. 1 square kilometer Instrumented Interconnected Intelligent
- 18. Intelligent buildings ecosystem Enterprises Metering Sensing & Networking Architects, Engineering & Construction Engineering & OEM s Integrated Building Management Solutions Property Managers and Owners (Owner Operators) Governments Software Developers Consultants NGO’s Industry Groups Market Insights
- 19. Changes are looming for citizens Mixed transport Alternative energy supplies for vehicles, keeping pace with flow of traffic; less polluting at peak times Gaming our lives Augmented reality, 3d worlds to involve citizens in planning their use of city resources; try ideas + Smart evacuation Reduce loss of life by individually directing people to safety; coordinate emergency response
- 22. Engineering Smarter Cities SMARTER IS … Reducing a city’s traffic congestion and emissions through road usage tolls And today we are … SMARTER IS … Getting real-time line of sight across the transportation supply chain Stockholm, Sweden: An intelligent toll system in the city center resulted in 20% less traffic, 40% lower emissions and 40,000 additional users of the public transportation system. SMARTER IS … Knowing where your in-process components are on the factory floor BMW: Implemented RFID container tracking system improving utilization by 10-20%. SMARTER IS … Knowing real-time about inventory changes in your supply chain
- 25. Many questions remain to be answered Source: Urban Land Institute, The City in 2050, published November 2008
- 26. Cities of our Future: What ideas do you have?
- 27. Let’s Build a Smarter Planet Let’s start with our own city Let’s start with our own home Let’s apply it in our life
- 28. IBM has a long history of environmental tradition and leadership. Collaborating to develop solutions … 1971 : T. J. Watson Jr. issued IBM’s first corporate policy on environmental protection 1976 : Think!, the company magazine, devoted an entire issue to IBM’s energy conservation and environmental programs 1989 : IBM offers its first product take-back program 1987 - 2006: Reduction in hazardous waste generation since the 1987 base year of this pollution prevention metric 95% 2007 : Invested in Intelligent Utility Networks, Intelligent Transportation Systems, Project Big Green 2006 : IBMers “Jam” on innovation for a better planet, and IBM invests in Big Green Innovations 2006 : Amount of IT product and product waste processed by IBM’s product End-of-Life Management operations that was reused or recycled 96% 1990 - 2006: Between 1990 and 2006, IBM’s global energy conservation actions reduced or avoided CO 2 emissions equal to 44% of its 1990 emissions 44% 1990 : Think! Devoted an entire issue to IBM’s environmental programs – beginning IBM’s annual Corporate Environmental Reporting 1991 : Established IBM’s Product Stewardship Program 1992 : IBM becomes charter member of Energy Star Program 1994 : Established Global Materials Recovery Center Network for product re-use and recycling 1997: IBM becomes the first major multi-national to earn a single global registration to the ISO 14001 environmental management system standard
- 29. + + = An opportunity for cities to think and act in new ways.
Editor's Notes
- Introduction of speakers To challenge you to start thinking about the urban environment that you need now, and what type of legacy we wish to offer the next generation – to permit them to create their living space as they need. To expose some of the challenges facing our urban environment, and to discuss areas in need of attention. Much of this need arises from the intense urban population growth. 100 years ago there were just 19 cities with a population of 1 million or more Today there are 450 such cities…..
- As we look at the planet, it is clear that cities play an important role and many hold significant prominence in our world. When looking at the world’s population, in 1900, only 13% of the world's population lived in cities. In 2007, for the first time in history, the majority of the world’s population—3.3 billion people—lived in cities. By 2050, that number will have risen to 70% of the Earth’s total population. We are adding the equivalent of seven New Yorks to the planet every year. This unprecedented urbanization is both an emblem of our economic and societal progress—especially for the world's emerging nations—and a huge strain on the planet's infrastructure. It's a challenge felt urgently by mayors, heads of economic development, school administrators, police chiefs and other civic and business leaders. An urbanizing world means cities must gain greater control over their development, economically and politically. Our vision is to bring a new level of smart intelligence to how the world works — how every person, business, organization, government, natural system, and man-made system interacts. Each interaction represents a chance to do something better, more efficiently, more productively. As the systems of the planet become smart, we have a chance to open up meaningful new possibilities for progress.
- Question to the audience – estimate the contribution of Information Technology to the Global CO2 emissions (It might be a bit of a surprise)
- Across the board, information technology can make enormous contributions to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases. IT accounts for just 2% of global carbon emissions. Yet IT can significantly contribute to control and reduce the 98% of carbon emissions caused by other activities and industries – including transportation, smart grids and more. The economic advantages for businesses—both large and small—to &quot;go green&quot; are enormous. Not only are energy efficient technology and processes good for their own sake, but they enable most companies to realize dramatic cost savings. This goes to the root of &quot;sustainable development.&quot; Economic prosperity and environmental protection must go hand-in-hand. Often, when you improve the efficiency of a product or process, you also improve the environment. It's a win/win situation for companies and society as a whole. Additional data points: some digital media firms are forecasting doubling consumption annually companies spent more than $29B in power and cooling in 2007 (US Energy Information Administration, IDC) 1 billion computers will become potential scrap by 2010 and only 45% of US companies have eco-friendly disposal plans. The potential toxic risks of improper disposal are enormous. (IDC, National Safety Council) It’s estimated that the enabling role of IT and other advanced technologies can deliver more than 50% of the goals set within the EU Energy Efficiency Action Plan. (Source: AeA Europe, 9-17-07)
- This is not to suggest that IT does not consume vast amounts of energy IT energy usage will double in the next 4 years. (Green IT: A New Industry Shock Wave – Gartner Symposium/ITxpo, October 2007) data centers consumed 180B kwh in 2007, a figure that’s expected to double over the next 4 years
- And there are important notifications for the Built Environment too. The construction and running of building account for ½ the global energy consumption The majority of buildings needed for 2050 are not yet built
- Retrieve ideas from the audience…
- IBM has run a number of cross-institution collaboration events. These have been used internally for a number of years, and also with external groups. Seeking input on the challenges that are being faced within business, government, education and enterprises. The consensus is that existing processes are not smart enough to be sustainable. And that we must work together to chip away at the problems. Technology will play an important part is exposing inefficiencies in a meaningful and timely manner. CONSIDER THESE FACTS: The losses of electrical energy due to inefficiency - 40 to 70 percent around the world. Impact of congested roadways in the U.S. - 4.2 billion lost hours and 2.9 billion gallons of gas. Global water usage has increased six-fold since the 1900s, twice the rate of human population growth.
- Wordle, an attractive visualization of larger text. Particularly useful for gleaning key terminology from learned publications! This example highlights the central role that will be played by the PEOPLE.
- City governments, more so than other levels of government, will increasingly serve as the crucibles where the success of failure of our planet is determined. - The influx of people and concentration of knowledge will assure that this is true. Cities must prepare for change that will be revolutionary, rather than evolutionary, as they put in place next-generation systems that work in entirely new ways. To take the path to transformation and becoming a ‘smarter city,’ city leaders must lead their ‘team’ by integrating their own organizations, and work with other levels of government, from both the private and non-profit sectors
- Cities are a microcosm of major challenges and opportunities facing the planet today. It is in cities where all man-made systems come together and interact with one another and the environment. As implied earlier, growing populations are causing cities to face significant sustainability challenges and threats to these infrastructures that deliver vital services. Adding to the strain of public demand for better education, greener programs, public safety, accessible government, affordable housing and more options for senior citizens and better quality of life for all. Consider: How much energy we waste—losses of electrical energy because grid systems are not smart How gridlocked our cities are—congested roadways in the U.S. only result in 2.9 billion gallons of wasted gas annually How inefficient our supply chains are—consumer product and retail industries lose about $40B annually, 3.5% of sales due to inefficiencies How our planet’s water supply is drying up—global water usage has increased six-fold since the 1900’s, twice the rate of population growth And of course, the crisis in our financial markets—this will have a long-term impact, undermining our confidence. When you consider the trajectories of developments impacting our planet and our cities, we are going to have to run a lot smarter and more efficiently - especially as we seek to drive economic growth and sustainability.
- The convergence of these technological advancements are changing all the “things” that we interact with in our daily lives. Changing them from being analog and dumb into digital and smart. All of the appliances, devices and machines in our homes and offices; all of the systems that manage the flow of people, goods, services, energy and water; and the possessing of materials and manufacturing – all of these things are coming to life and becoming “smart”. They are becoming smart because they are “instrumented”, with the ability to sense their environments and monitor their performance . They are becoming smart because they are “interconnected”, using the internet, GPS, radio frequency tags and other means to communicate with other devices upstream and downstream from them. And these devices are also becoming “intelligent”. This one seems obvious but true intelligence is more than just embedding transistors into objects. It’s the ability of these things to begin to manage themselves, to make choices and self optimize, and in some cases to learn . INTERCONNECTED = Built on ecosystem thinking: Designed with an end-to-end systems approach. Built on open standards so systems can interconnect. Each element is able to contribute because of a deeper level of systems management. INSTRUMENTED = EVERYTHINGTHAT MATTERSISINSTRUMENTED: Instrumenting not just “things,” but entire ecosystems of supply-chains, partnerships, services, customers, infrastructures, even nature’s systems. Next-generation analytics make every transaction within those ecosystems a source of insight. INTELLIGENT = EVERY INSIGHT RESULTS IN ACTION THAT DRIVES VALUE: A new kind of enterprise application: Sense-analyze-act. An ability to see and model the future, for better decision-making. Optimal resource allocation across the ecosystem—smart use of natural resources, human energy, and time. Through the three dimensions of ‘smart’—INSTRUMENTED, INTERCONNECTED, INTELLIGENT--intelligence is being infused into the way the world and cities works. Making cities more instrumented, interconnected and intelligent isn't only about overcoming the challenges they face. It also recognizes that cities provide us with some of the greatest opportunities for making the planet smarter, too. Cities symbolize and centralize so many aspects of what will make for a smarter planet: smarter education, smarter healthcare, smarter water and energy use, smarter public safety, smarter transportation, and smarter government ... to name but a few. Becoming smarter is leading to new savings and efficiencies, and equally important, new possibilities for programs and sustainability of our cities. Let’s now explore each facet of ‘smart’t in turn.
- What is making all of this possible? First, the world and its cities are becoming instrumented . We now have the ability to measure, sense and monitor the condition of almost everything. Imagine, if you can, a billion transistors for every human being. Sensors are being embedded everywhere—across entire ecosystems—supply-chains, healthcare networks, cities… even in livestock and natural systems like rivers. By 2010, 30 billion RFID tags will be embedded into our world and across entire ecosystems. By 2010, there will be more than 1 billion camera phones in existence, if not more. And also by 2010, nearly 85% of new automobiles will contain event data records.
- Second, for the first time in history, almost anything can become digitally aware and interconnected. People, systems and objects can communicate in new ways. Very soon there will be 2 billion people on the Internet. Today, there are an estimated 4 billion mobile phone subscribers worldwide. In an instrumented world, systems and objects can now &quot;speak&quot; to one another, too. Think about the prospect of a trillion connected and intelligent things—cars, appliances, cameras, roadways, pipelines… even pharmaceuticals and livestock. The amount of information produced by the interaction of all those things will be unprecedented.
- Third, all things are becoming intelligent --being instrumented and connected are simply not sufficient. We must infuse intelligence into our systems and ways of working. Cities can now depend on n ew computing models to manage the massive amounts of data generated by the proliferation of end-user devices, sensors, and actuators, that are connected to back-end systems. Combined with advanced analytics, these technologies can turn mountains of data into intelligence that can be translated into action, making our systems, processes and infrastructures more efficient, more productive and responsive—ultimately, making them smarter.
- StatoilHydro Pumping up production levels through information sharing and ‘smart’ practices Business challenge: StatoilHydro is an integrated oil and gas company based in Norway with 25,400 employees and activities in 31 countries. The group is the operator for 60 percent of all Norwegian oil and gas production, and it is one of the world’s largest sellers of crude oil. In April 2006 the Norwegian Oil Industry Association (OLF) published a report stating that if the oil and gas companies on the Norwegian continental shelf were to quickly integrate their operations by advanced use of information and communications technology they would increase their revenues by US$41.5 billion. If they did not integrate their operations, they would risk losing US$10 billion in potential revenue within the next three years. Solution: StatoilHydro initiated the TAIL Integrated Operations project with key industry partners IBM, ABB, SKF and Aker Solutions, with the goal to identify the methods, technology and work processes needed to integrate its operations. TAIL IO is aimed initially at improving operations at fields approaching the end of their lifetime. A key part of IBM’s mission in this consortium is to bridge the gaps between different parts of StatoilHydro’s operations so that data and employee knowledge can be leveraged across all processes. IBM is extending IBM WebSphere® integration software with manufacturing domain adapters and an integration industrial-semantic model based on a linkage of key oil and gas standards to create a flexible information integration and interoperability framework. When implemented, this will allow StatoilHydro to aggregate its collective knowledge across rigs and fields, thus creating a foundation for more informed decisions, optimized processes and—ultimately—higher production efficiency. IBM is also providing the key elements required for StatoilHydro to implement “smart” field management practices. Using data from wireless sensors, the solution will provide StatoilHydro’s engineers with the information they need to know when, where and how much to pump. BENEFITS: Expected 5 percent annual increase in oil and gas production through reductions in unplanned equipment downtime Expected 30 percent reduction in costs through the use of predictive maintenance practices Extension of oil field life and increase in production yield through “smart” field management, enabled by real-time wireless sensing of subsurface oil field installations Lower costs and improved production efficiency through the consolidation of well monitoring and management into onshore facilities Increased interdisciplinary collaboration through improved information sharing Usage Level : Win/Ongoing project/Completed project: External Ongoing project Industry : Chemicals and petroleum
- Returning to the built environment, with the example of the St Regis Hotel in Shanghai – China. Not only does this stand out as being the only one of its type in the region – it can operate far more efficiently than its neighbours/competitors - Returning results that are better than were forecasted
- Intelligent Buildings cannot be achieved alone. It therefore offers a – pathway to new partnerships – new field for competition (existing and emerging) But there will also be changes to the citizens’ way of life… and dealing with emergencies
- The way we travel around our cities will necessarily change. Perhaps sooner we will experience the use of different energy supplies that match the performance requirements and resulting popullution. You could imagine a slower speed service that runs during peak traffic periods. In the collaboration and entertainment sector, why not model our movements in 3D prior to moving out from our home? Could we print that? (3d map) visualizing complex data will certainly become easier - or at least more legible and accessible And when things go wrong, the emergency evacuation will limit loss of life by offering personalised escape guidance. This might be tailored not only to real-time environment conditions (fire, building structure, temperature, air) but also our own capabilities or disabilities. The focus is on the people, with consideration also for limiting damage to property too. If we now look across the systems that form the city ecosytem… we might start to envisage solutions
- A modern city should assess their needs, set priorities, manage progress and coordinate basic services. Being able to monitor, in real-time, the status of the systems allows for the data to be analysed and appropriate responses made. Spotting trends using visual tools – much like a car dashboard, or using advanced modeling and analysis to expose new insights – and offer optimization pathways. Recent example: In face of economic upheaval - Different nations and levels of government have different responsibilities and reactions. EU Zone led decision to partially nationalize, US followed suit driving a market rebound and some renewal of confidence. LIBOR and Euribor gentle decreases (more important indicator than the Dow). Global coordination in interest rates cuts also – new appetite for regulatory oversight will be national and international.
- Smart traffic isn't yet the norm—but it's not some far-off vision of tomorrow. In many places, IBM is helping to make it happen today. Here are a few examples of smarter transportation transformations—the Swedish Road Administration initiative in Stockholm, and a multiple modal transportation system in Singapore: Stockholm – Swedish Road Administration: http://w3-01.ibm.com/sales/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?infotype=CR&subtype=NA&htmlfid=0GLOS-6A9FHE&appname=crmd The system is based on RFID technology. A small RFID transponder, or on-board unit, is placed inside citizens' vehicles. Defined toll points along roads coming into and going out of the city feature both sensors that read the vehicles' transponders and mounted cameras that use optical character readers technology developed by IBM Research Services to detect the license plate numbers of vehicles without transponders. Citizens with transponders can register for the program and pay for each passage via automatic payments or the Internet. Citizens without on-board units pay at a manual service point. Using a fiber network, the system connects all of the toll points to a central data system that IBM designed and built using IBM WebSphere and SAP software as well as various middleware components such as IBM WebSphere MQ and IBM WebSphere Business Integration technology. IBM hosts and runs this central IT system. Hampshire ROMANSE is not an IBM client reference - but offers insight into how a instumented, interconnected, and intelligent system can keep the traffic moving and limit citizen frustration. Another IBM client reference: Singapore Land Transport Authority: http://w3-01.ibm.com/sales/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?infotype=CR&subtype=NA&htmlfid=0GLOS-7SGQGU&appname=crmd#adddetails With Singapore’s population growing, the Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) needed a way to head off traffic congestion and maintain its world-class business climate. Even in a part of the world known for its brisk growth, Singapore stands out as a beacon of economic vitality. The island nation has achieved one of the world’s highest per capita incomes despite having virtually no natural resources. Singapore's most important resources are its people, including a government committed to keeping the company a magnet for foreign investment. With nearly 5 million people sharing an island smaller than New York City, Singapore's faces a continuing challenge in managing the impacts of its high population density, especially traffic congestion. Its record has been stellar. As a result of heavy investment in its public transportation infrastructure—including the deployment of the world's first congestion charging system—Singapore has created one of the most modern, affordable and heavily used public transport networks in the world, with nearly 3 million people riding the bus and 1.6 million people riding the train on any given day.
- The creation of smarter cities will involve change. We have already mentioned traffic congestion How about real-time supply chain and inventory tracking? Speed-up or slow-down production lines based on where components are in the factory processes Sometimes it might not be obvious or intuitive, this is where the analytical tools can be productively deployed…
- Smarter cities focus on the economic health and welfare of citizens and businesses—providing needed services, creating an economically sound environment and improving the quality of life for all. To do this ‘smartly’, city leaders must cross a new threshold in their ability to manage pervasive information, analyze it to gain insight, predict risks and opportunities, and drive faster, smarter decisions and actions… they must, and will with a smarter performance management solution, gain a new kind of intelligence from their information, make better decisions, and optimize their assets and operations.
- 1968 - Computer Mouse by Douglas Engelbart
- IBM has a long history of Environmental Tradition and Leadership IBM’s first corporate environmental policy was established by its CEO in 1971, followed by a corporate energy conservation policy in 1974. The IBM environmental policy is supported by a Global Environmental Management System (EMS) that governs IBM’s operations worldwide to the same environmental requirements and standards. IBM was the first company to earn a single global registration to ISO 14001 (1997), thanks to the above-noted global EMS that covers all intersections between IBM and the environment We have publicly disclosed environmental performance each year since 1990 via a voluntary corporate environmental report Our documented baseline for energy conservation and CO2 emissions reduction goes back to 1990. From 1990 through 2006, IBM’s energy conservation actions: conserved 4.5 billion kWhrs of electricity; avoided approximately 3 million metric tons of CO2 emissions (equivalent to 44% of the company’s 1990 emissions); and saved $290 million. Notwithstanding its significant early action and results, IBM has established a &quot;next generation&quot; CO2 emissions reduction goal: to further reduce CO2 emissions associated with IBM's energy use by 12% between 2005 and 2012 based on conservation, use of renewable energy, and/or funding renewable energy credits. We led in voluntary efforts to reduce PFC emissions from semiconductor manufacturing: first semiconductor manufacturer to announce numeric goal for reducing PFC emissions (1998); and reduced PFC emissions 55% from 2000-2006 We significantly increased procurement of renewable energy from 11 million kWhrs in 2001 to 368 million kWhrs in 2006 (7.4% of IBM’s global electricity purchases) IBM was a pioneer of employee telecommuting and work-at-home programs: Conserved approximately 8 million gallons of fuel and avoided over 68,000 tons of CO2 emissions in the U.S. alone in 2006.
- Delivering change across the three dimensions of ‘smart’--instrumented, interconnected and intelligent--enable cities to set the agenda and think and act in new ways. Smarter cities are shifting their focus from ‘within’ to ‘between,’ pursing collaborative networking and technology innovation to protect and connect citizens, increase shared information awareness, and speed communications -- ultimately, elevating smart decision-making. Cities and their key stakeholders must work together to act in new ways through innovative approaches to solve their top priorities. City leaders, may have the need to identify new approaches and solutions for your city’s driving motivations. For example, they may be focused on one of the following key areas: Improving citizen and business services Managing resources effectively and efficiently Strengthening national security and public safety Ensuring a sustainable environment We would like to think that these, although simplistic in ‘vernacular’, can be powerful foundation elements for most successful and sustainable cities. Let us now look at some examples from the ecosystem that is so important to our ciities…