Trends
March 25 / 2022
The concept of Smart City refers to those cities whose management is carried out in an intelligent, integrated and connected way through optimised resources.
Its application in areas related to urban mobility, the environment, health, safety or the economy makes it possible to improve the lives of its inhabitants. The cornerstone of this technology is the IoT (Internet of Things), an ecosystem of interconnected objects accessed through the Internet.
Barcelona Smart City is not yet in the top positions of the ranking of this type of cities. London, Paris, New York, Tokyo or Singapore currently lead the avant-garde list. However, its constant digital transformation improves its ranking with ever greater rapidity.
The proof is that since 2012 Barcelona has implemented response and intercom technologies in systems such as waste management, public transport, noise and parking sensors or public lighting.
Efficiently disposing of waste generated by the inhabitants of a city is a considerable challenge for any city council. Barcelona is certainly on the right track. In many places in the city, it is possible to come across smart containers.
An intelligent waste disposal system makes all the waste deposited by residents disappear. For this, it uses a vacuum system that sucks up the waste underground. This means a reduction in noise pollution and bad odours usually generated by garbage trucks.
The technology used in the metropolis allows to detect the level of waste in the different neighbourhoods and thus optimize the its collection. An effective management that saves time and resources. In addition, the incineration of waste is used to generate energy for heating systems.
The implementation of an efficient public transport system that is less harmful to the environment reinforces the idea of Barcelona Smart City. The use of solar panels in canopies and the appearance of hybrid buses are clear evidence of this.
So is the layout of a network of horizontal, vertical and diagonal routes that facilitate the speed and frequency of buses. In 95% of trips, users only make a maximum of one transfer between two destinations located in Barcelona.
All citizens of Barcelona benefit from a public lighting system with low energy consumption. The use of LED lighting through a network of sensors allows to considerably reduce the energy consumption generated by pre-existing lamps.
The sensors receive information about temperature, pollution, humidity or the presence of people and with this data they are readjusted. A central unit on the street facilitates communication between lights and the management of other services such as fibre optic cabling, Wi-Fi or electric car charging stations.
They are a clear example that the city is on the right path so that Barcelona Smart City will one day reach the top of the list of smart cities.
The city has a wide network of autonomous noise sensors distributed throughout different conflict areas of the city. These sensors, cost effective and easy to use, allow to control and manage the problems of noise pollution. They detect noise levels, temperature, air pollution and humidity.
Thanks to the network of noise sensors, technicians and managers obtain very specific noise pollution values. After analysing them thoroughly, they can then take charge of applying strategies and actions with absolute objective decision-making capacity.
It’s another interesting system that drives a city to become a smart city. Barcelona’s parking sensors warn drivers of free parking spaces.
They are installed under the roads. Parking sensors promote the reduction of emissions and the decongestion of traffic. This happens because drivers go straight to the place where there are free spaces, thus avoiding having to continuously go around until they find one. There is also an App that allows you to pay the parking fee online.
The improvements made have a very positive impact on the quality of life of its inhabitants. They also encourage digital nomads to choose Barcelona as an attractive place from which to work remotely and enjoy living there.
In Cloudworks we also play our part in the common project of Barcelona Smart City. We offer coworking spaces for companies and freelancers where they can carry out efficient and versatile work. The IT team makes available to the coworkers own lines with fixed IP or a customised infrastructure. We have high speed internet.
Our locations (Casa Les Punxes; Drassanes, La Rambla; Passeig de Gràcia; Sagrada Familia; Sant Antoni and Sant Joan) are extremely well connected and have common areas and spectacular terraces that promote synergies among professionals. Are you a digital nomad, entrepreneur or freelancer? Do not hesitate to contact us!