The smart city, in Italian "intelligent city", is a new idea of an urban reality that manages resources in an intelligent way, aiming to become economically sustainable and self-sufficient from an energy point of view, in order to improve the quality of life of its citizens .
The European Commission defines the smart city as a place "where traditional networks and services are made more efficient with the use of digital and telecommunications technologies for the benefit of its inhabitants and business".
In the smart city, the use of IoT technologies (Internet of Things) it is fundamental in the process of renewing infrastructure and services provided to citizens. In fact, thanks to the use of connected and integrated technological systems, it is possible to better manage resources, reduce emissions, develop sustainable urban transport networks, create effective water supply and waste disposal systems and study more efficient solutions for lighting and heating.
The concept of "smart city" is part of the broad panorama of digital transformation, however the smart city is not just an urban area in which technological innovation guarantees greater economic efficiency and a reduction in costs. Smart cities, in fact, are also the place capable of connecting material infrastructures with human, intellectual and social capital which takes on a central role within a model of intelligent urban planning.
Smart cities are, therefore, sustainable, efficient and innovative cities, where territorial planning strategies are aimed at the optimization and innovation of public services, urban spaces are safer and able to satisfy the needs of an aging population, alternative forms of mobility take the place of traditional ones , the citizen actively contributes to public policy and the city administration is more interactive and responsive.
Furthermore, it should not be forgotten that, to ensure sustainable development, the smart city must abandon the linear economy model in favor of a circular economy. What is the Circular Economy? It is a virtuous economic system that involves the reuse, sharing, repair, refurbishment and recycling of existing materials and products with the aim of reducing waste and reducing the emission of substances considered harmful to the health of people. people and the environment.
Smart City: what are the characteristics of a smart city
According to the European Union, the smart city is based on six main axes:
- Smart People: the heart of a smart city is participatory politics: all individuals are involved in decision-making processes and share ideas, thoughts and information.
- Smart Governance: the concept of smart city implies a new type of governance that links human capital, environmental resources and community assets.
- Smart Living: in a smart city, services must be easily accessible and able to guarantee a high quality of life. Every citizen must be able to enjoy a high level of health, education, safety and culture.
- Smart Economy: the economy and urban commerce of a smart city must be aimed at increasing productivity and employment within the city through technological innovation and respecting the resources offered by the surrounding environment.
- Smart Mobility Projects: within smart cities, sustainable, shared and accessible forms of mobility are favoured: from e-mobility to sharing mobility via other forms of mobility management. The objective is to optimize the world of transport by making it accessible and economical.
- SmartEnvironment: attention to sustainable development is the basis of the smart city project: respect for the surrounding environment, correct use of natural resources and energy efficiency are priority objectives of the city of the future.
Here are the main advantages of smart cities:
- greater safety and efficiency;
- attention to sustainability;
- more connected, participatory, inclusive and less expensive cities.
Smart City and sustainable mobility: electric car sharing E-VAI
According to the report data ICity Rank 2020, the study on smart and sustainable Italian cities carried out by FPA, a company of the Digital360 group, Milan is one of the smartest cities in Italy thanks to investments in digital technologies and sustainable mobility.
And it is precisely in Lombardy that, from the union between e-mobility and sharing mobility, is born E-VAI, the first electric car sharing active at a regional level with fleets made up exclusively of electric and hybrid cars that allow you to easily move from the city center or the province to the main transit hubs.
The widespread presence of E-VAI in the Lombardy region it makes intermodality between electric cars and public transport possible. In this way, E-VAI improves regional mobility with the aim of simplifying travel from one place to another in the Region using both train and car, significantly saving on car sharing costs linked to mileage and avoiding having to encounter urban traffic on a daily basis.
Silent, light, easy to drive and above all ecological, thanks to C02 emissions reduced to a minimum, the cars of E-VAI they have free access to Limited Traffic Zones and Area C and it is possible to park them in the spaces delimited by blue and yellow lines.
Rent a car E-VAI it's simple: just connect to the official website E-VAI or download the App available for iOS and Android. There are no registration fees for the service and, once registered, simply identify theE-VAI Point nearest, book your car and pick it up conveniently at the indicated time. The vehicle can then be returned to any of the over 140 E-VAI Point distributed throughout the regional territory.
