Smart cities and data

The world is drowning in data, with some 2.5 quintillion bytes of it being generated each day. For cities, this can be a goldmine or a minefield. Cities that are ‘smart’ see the potential this data can offer them in creating a sustainable future but need to use the right tools to be able to make sense of the data and use it wisely.

This is no mean feat for smart cities as they generate large volumes of data from a wide range of sources such as schools, shops, healthcare facilities, utilities and transport systems. The data is collected in various ways such as from things like real-time sensors for air pollution, water meters, aerial photos, administration and much more.

What’s more, they are complex and their systems and infrastructures are interdependent and interconnected.

Ontologies are a way of helping cities see how everything within any system of interest fits together. By defining the concepts and relationships of the different properties of a subject, they provide greater levels of interoperability, linkability and traceability of digital content. They enable a greater level of interpretation that can then inform intelligent decision-making.

Standards have an important role. ISO/IEC 21972:2020 'Information technology - Upper level ontology for smart city indicators', establishes general principles and gives guidelines for smart cities that enable the representation of indicator definitions and the data used to derive them.

Concept and data models are also useful tools to help cities wade through the data pile and see how everything fits together.

Data models organize elements of data and standardize how they relate to one another and real-world entities. The ISO/IEC 5087 series is designed to help in the development of common data models by providing a precise, unambiguous representation of common terms. It enables data sets and data streams to be combined to get greater insights into what is going on in the city.

Digital twins are another useful way in which cities can use their data. City planners can, for example, recreate their city and test different types of infrastructure or transportation systems to see the impact they have.

These are just some of the ways that standards can help cities make the best use of their data to contribute to achieving their sustainability objectives and provide an acceptable quality of life for their citizens.

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