The World Smart City Forum is intended to attract professionals such as city planners, architects, consultants, utilities, transport planners, safety/security/data specialists, standardization specialists, and industry (solution providers) for interactive discussions and idea-exchange on best practices, standards activities, and other needs and solutions for smarter cities. In support of the forum, the new online community has been established to identify top "pain points" that are barriers to city development.
IEC reports that an estimated 66% of the world's population will live in urban areas by 2050, but supplying populations with basic resources like safe food, clean water and sufficient energy, while ensuring overall economic, social and environmental sustainability, will be a major challenge. Cities need to substantially increase the efficiency in which they operate and use their resources.
Major efficiency improvements could be achieved by horizontally interconnecting individual systems such as energy, water, sanitation and waste management, transportation, security, environmental monitoring or weather intelligence, with the help of standardized interfaces.
The forum is intended to address these issues. Admission is free of charge for those who register via www.worldsmartcity.org, members and invitees of IEC, ISO, and ITU, and registered participants of the World Cities Summit and World Water Week.
"Smart cities make sense: they waste less, offer better quality of life and ensure a brighter future for the next generation," said Kevin McKinley, acting ISO Secretary-General. "But cities face many challenges in their quest to improve," he said, noting how ISO standards help cities measure and improve their performance and provide best practices and harmonized solutions that can be used everywhere.
ANSI also supports smart cities through its ANSI Network on Smart and Sustainable Cities (ANSSC) — a forum for information sharing and coordination on voluntary standards, conformity assessment and related activities for smart and sustainable cities in the U.S. and abroad. Launched in 2014, ANSCC convenes via monthly webinars featuring guest speakers with discussion and open information sharing among all participants [see more about the upcoming February 4 event].
To join the online World Smart City online community, which has designated "hang out" dates on social media, or to register for the forum, visit the website at www.worldsmartcity.org/.