IoT-Enabled Smart Sustainable Cities: Challenges and Approaches

TLDR

The diffusion of IoT technologies is enabling the smart city paradigm, which integrates IoT and ICT into city management to address urbanization, improve quality of life, and promote sustainability through reduced environmental impact, optimized energy use, and innovative services, with many cities adopting this model through significant stakeholder and EC investment. The paper analyzes key aspects of an IoT infrastructure for smart cities, using Parma, Italy, as a successful example. The study focuses on smart urban mobility within this infrastructure.

Abstract

The ongoing diffusion of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies is opening new possibilities, and one of the most remarkable applications is associated with the smart city paradigm, which is continuously evolving. In general, it can be defined as the integration of IoT and Information Communication Technologies (ICT) into city management, with the aim of addressing the exponential growth of urbanization and population, thus significantly increasing people’s quality of life. The smart city paradigm is also strictly connected to sustainability aspects, taking into account, for example, the reduction of environmental impact of urban activities, the optimized management of energy resources, and the design of innovative services and solution for citizens. Abiding by this new paradigm, several cities started a process of strong innovation in different fields (such as mobility and transportation, industry, health, tourism, and education), thanks to significant investments provided by stakeholders and the European Commission (EC). In this paper, we analyze key aspects of an IoT infrastructure for smart cities, outlining the innovations implemented in the city of Parma (Emilia Romagna region, Italy) as a successful example. Special attention is dedicated to the theme of smart urban mobility.