About us: initiatives and programs of the Smart City Dialogue

Smart cities - urban development in the digital age

If everything is becoming smart, such as watches, televisions, cars or the home, to make everyday life easier, then why not cities too? For example: roads that regulate traffic themselves to avoid congestion, buildings that adapt their energy consumption to save resources. Or, public spaces that respond to the needs of citizens and are designed in collaboration with communities.

Acting today, shaping tomorrow

These ideas are not unrealistic dreams of an unlikely future. They are already a concrete and tangible reality in smart cities and regions. Smart cities and regions collect data in real time, analyze it and use it to make people's everyday lives easier and improve their quality of life. They are far more than just a network of high-tech devices and sensors. With the help of information and communication technologies, they offer answers and opportunities for current urbanization challenges. Their digital solutions and tools support the development of cities and regions in which everyone feels at home: sustainable, future-proof and equitable.

Smart cities and regions for everyone

A “Smart City” is not just about the digitalization of urban infrastructures, but rather about close cooperation between the city administration and citizens. The aim is to develop smart digital solutions which make everyday life easier, conserve or use resources efficiently, and, all in all, make the city of tomorrow a place worth living in for everyone. By using technologies intelligently and processing data sensibly, an urban space is created that focuses on the well-being of all. 

The “smartness” or intelligence of a municipality can be seen in the development of a holistic concept that offers solutions for a wide range of urban development challenges. This concept encompasses the areas of energy, mobility, urban emissions, climate protection and quality of life in conjunction with the use of information and communication technologies. At the same time, smart municipalities also strengthen cooperation and exchange between urban policy, municipal economy, administration and citizens at a social level. In other words: sustainable use of resources, improved mobility and a stronger community - this is what smart cities and regions stand for.