{"id":30365,"date":"2026-02-20T15:27:34","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T07:27:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/?p=30365"},"modified":"2026-03-12T15:20:25","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T07:20:25","slug":"tfo-what-is-a-smart-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/tfo-what-is-a-smart-city\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a \u2018smart city\u2019?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>With more than <a href=\"https:\/\/climatepromise.undp.org\/news-and-stories\/cities-have-key-role-play-tackling-climate-change-heres-why\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">half of the world\u2019s population living in cities<\/a>, and urban areas responsible for over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/en\/climatechange\/climate-solutions\/cities-pollution#:~:text=Cities%20and%20Pollution,and%20the%20rapid%20climate%20change.\">60% of greenhouse gas emissions<\/a>, it\u2019s clear we need to be smarter about urban planning and development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The term \u2018smart city\u2019 seems ubiquitous when it comes to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/advice\/frontiers-sustainable-innovation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">urban sustainability<\/a> discourse and practice, but what does it actually mean?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To find out, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/podcasts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Future Of<\/a><\/em> podcast team spoke with <a href=\"https:\/\/staffportal.curtin.edu.au\/staff\/profile\/view\/courtney-babb-81ac8a13\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr Courtney Babb<\/a>, a senior lecturer in the School of Design and the Built Environment. They explore what makes a city \u2018smart&#8217; as well as the possibilities and potential risks of using &#8216;intelligence&#8217; to improve the quality of life for urban citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read a snippet below or <a href=\"#full-episode\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#full-episode\">listen the full episode<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/0XKOabCx8Wvz3JX2BKKqSy?utm_source=generator\" width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-testid=\"embed-iframe\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Q. What is a \u2018smart city\u2019?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A.<\/strong> Essentially, a \u2018smart city\u2019 is about information and, more accurately, about data. It\u2019s about capturing the data from all the different systems that are used to assist living in urban areas, such as security cameras and sensors, and using that data to help make a better, more liveable city for current and future residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The term gained a lot of traction from the 1990s onwards with the acceleration of the internet, but by the early 2000s, the \u2018smart city\u2019 concept began to include an environmental component, given that cities are major consumers of resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_1414276944-1000x500.jpeg\" alt=\"Two security cameras are mounted on a pole, watching over the area under a clear sky\" class=\"wp-image-30273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_1414276944-1000x500.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_1414276944-740x370.jpeg 740w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_1414276944-480x240.jpeg 480w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_1414276944-1260x630.jpeg 1260w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_1414276944-1520x760.jpeg 1520w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_1414276944-1920x960.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Security cameras are often a feature of a smart city.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Q. Can you give us an example of a smart city?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A.<\/strong> Singapore kicked off smart cities earlier, but Songdo in South Korea is a good example of a mature, smart city. It was purpose-built in the early 2000s and more than 40 per cent of it is open space and parks. It also has water recycling and sensors and cameras everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_1758294095-1-1000x500.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30265\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_1758294095-1-1000x500.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_1758294095-1-740x370.jpeg 740w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_1758294095-1-480x240.jpeg 480w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_1758294095-1-1260x630.jpeg 1260w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_1758294095-1-1520x760.jpeg 1520w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_1758294095-1-1920x960.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Songdo Central Park in Incheon, South Korea.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>All this data is collected in real time at what is, basically, an AI command centre, where operations can respond to activities and direct services where needed, such as in an emergency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Locally, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.watercorporation.com.au\/help-and-advice\/waterwise\/business\/city-of-canning-wharf-st-basin\">Wharf Street Basin<\/a> in Cannington is WA\u2019s first-ever smart park. It was originally a fenced-off stormwater drain, but through the Smart Cities and Suburbs Scheme, it has been transformed into an interactive, inclusive and green community space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Wharf Street Basin - a next generation community park\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ec4HLCvF3js?start=34&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Q. Can any city become smart?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A.<\/strong> We should move away from thinking about smart cities as this total, utopian vision like Songdo and look instead at the more subtle ways that technology can be integrated into cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is because urban development is a lot messier than the process in Songdo, as a progress is incremental and involves a lot of stakeholders. We need to embrace this messiness and look at how we can include smart technology in smaller projects, such as the Wharf Street example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/interactiveAugmentedApp-800x500.jpg\" alt=\"An interactive augmented reality app. \" class=\"wp-image-30274\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Visitors can learn more about the biodervisity at Wharf Street using an augmented reality app. Credit: Dr Courtney Babb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Examples of smart city initiatives<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Barcelona: sensors in the city&#8217;s streetlights can change illumination based on pedestrian presence and the time of day, helping the city save significant power.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Amsterdam: the Edge building uses aqua thermal energy harvesting and consumes 70% less electricity than similar buildings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shanghai: a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/advice\/new-trends-in-architecture-adaptive-design-digital-twins-and-tall-timber\/\"><\/a> virtual representation or \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/advice\/new-trends-in-architecture-adaptive-design-digital-twins-and-tall-timber\/\">digital twin\u2019<\/a> of the entire city has been created to predict infrastructure performance and gain insight into future planning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Perth: RAC\u2019s air quality monitor shows hourly changes to the city\u2019s air quality and is the biggest of its kind in Australia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_333487450-1000x500.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_333487450-1000x500.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_333487450-740x370.jpeg 740w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_333487450-480x240.jpeg 480w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_333487450-1260x630.jpeg 1260w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_333487450-1520x760.jpeg 1520w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_333487450-1920x960.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Street lighting in Barcelona operates autonomously, based on astronomical calendar, light level sensors or motion detectors.&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Q. We give out a lot of personal information when we use smart technology. Is our data safe?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A. <\/strong>That&#8217;s a really good question. And I think the best way people can get involved in any smart city development is to ask questions like: is my data being secured safely? Are there protocols in place that respect my privacy? Am I fully made aware of the way my data will be used?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Smart cities is a great term in that it draws attention to some of these technologies that are being rolled out. But sometimes they&#8217;re being rolled out outside the smart cities label.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With any urban development project, it\u2019s important to ask: is technology necessary? Is there a solution that doesn&#8217;t require it? Who&#8217;s benefiting from this and who&#8217;s losing out?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/HAL_closeup-1000x500.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/HAL_closeup-1000x500.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/HAL_closeup-740x370.webp 740w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/HAL_closeup-480x240.webp 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;I&#8217;m sorry, Dave, I&#8217;m afraid I can&#8217;t do that.&#8221; There are always risks to consider when using technology.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"full-episode\">Listen to the full episode for more insight into integrating smart tech into urban areas:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Future Of: Smart Cities [FULL PODCAST EPISODE]\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6ru2KZuiEc4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With more than half of the world\u2019s population living in cities, and urban areas responsible [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4182,"featured_media":30262,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"5377,26845,5220,5115,8449,4924","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","wds_primary_category":1355,"wds_primary_research-areas":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1355,239,40],"tags":[174,248,1357],"research-areas":[],"class_list":["post-30365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-applied-science","category-sustainability","category-technology","tag-sustainability","tag-technology","tag-the-future-of"],"acf":{"post_components":false,"post_options":{"":null,"additional_content":{"title":"","content":"","image":false},"related_courses":[{"title":"","qualification":"","link":"","description":"","faculty":""}],"credits":{"author":"","photographer":"","media":false},"display_author":true,"banner":{"image":false}}},"featured_image":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AdobeStock_409918871-1-1000x500.jpeg","author_meta":{"first_name":"Zoe","last_name":"Taylor","display_name":"Zoe Taylor"},"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-22 14:11:43","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4182"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30365"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30365\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30262"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30365"},{"taxonomy":"research-areas","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/research-areas?post=30365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}