Page 78 - enLIGHTenment Magazine - April 2017

strategies in light rEport

How

“Smart”

Do You

Want

Cities To

Be?

Susanne Seitinger, PhD, Global Sub-Segment Manager/Smarter

Cities at Philips Lighting detailed the results of a European

survey asking consumers what they want from a “smart” city.

A
recent study by the Economist Intel- of view. Digital technology will be transforming

ligence Unit (EIU) – the research and urban areas in the years ahead — and telecommu-

analysis division of The Economist nications is only the start of it.
Group, which includes The Econo- For example, through technology it will be pos-

mist magazine – and supported by
sible for citizens to provide and receive real-time
Philips Lighting, examined 12 diverse cities from all feedback on city services such as transportation

over the globe that include both old cities (where and tra c updates (i.e. Google maps suggesting

technology must work with infrastructure that is alternate routes), improved emergency services,
hundreds of years old) to new cities in emerg- the reduction of noise and sound pollution, and

ing markets to gain a broad perspective of what practical applications such as reporting pot holes
consumers would like to control in their town via or a street lighting being out. Lighting manufac-

“smart” technology.
turers have already experimented with “acoustic

“There are a lot of pressures on the urban envi- monitoring,” whereby a device incorporated into
ronment, such as tra c congestion,” said Susanne the street light can record sound levels, le ing city

Seitinger. The survey examined the perspectives planners know the busiest – and loudest – times of
of both the consumer as well as the business point
day, which could then in uence tra c planning or

76 enLIGHTenment Magazine | april 2017
www.enlightenmentmag.com