Sunderland City Council aims to become one of the UK’s most advanced smart cities by 2030, but what will this mean for its residents and visitors, asks Seán Keating CTO, UK and Ireland at Boldyn Networks
Cities worldwide are rapidly evolving to meet the demands of growing populations. As of April 2023, 56% of the global population lives in urban areas, and this number is set to rise to 68% by 2050.
In response to this rapid urbanisation, more and more smart cities are emerging, designed to meet the challenges they pose head-on. By leveraging technology, they are transforming how we interact with our surroundings, making them smarter, more sustainable, resilient, and adaptive to our changing needs.
From harnessing new technologies to improve the quality of life, to using data-led insight to support city management, we’re already seeing the benefits of introducing a free public Wi-Fi expansion, 5G, IoT and data analytics.
Among the cities embracing this transformation, the Sunderland Smart City Programme stands out as a leading example in the UK. The ambitious initiative is driving a new era of world-class digital infrastructure, ensuring a connected and inclusive future. Together with Boldyn Networks, a range of advanced wireless technologies is powering the city’s digital transformation that is bringing significant social and economic benefits across the City of Sunderland.
With an upgraded free public Wi-Fi, a high-speed 5G coverage network and an IoT network based on a wireless long range wide area network (LoRaWAN) solution, the programme underscores the essential role that reliable connectivity has in improving everyday life.
In addition to connectivity, the city’s network infrastructure is underpinned by a centralised Cloud-based data and analytics platform. This platform collects data from various sources, including IoT sensors, city applications, external sources and third-party providers. Data ingestion, cleaning, analysis, and reporting capabilities has been implemented to generate valuable insights for the city. These insights inform decision-making across various departments and support the development of smart city applications and dashboards to improve city services.
What role does digital infrastructure play in smart city management?
Central to the success of any smart city is robust digital infrastructure, which plays a crucial role in managing the complex demands of urban life. As society becomes more interconnected, cities must adopt networks capable of handling the vast data generated by connected devices. Sunderland has met this challenge with its development of a city-wide 5G and fibre-optic broadband network.
This infrastructure enables real-time data collection and analysis, allowing city managers to make informed decisions about transportation, public services, energy usage, and emergency response.
For instance, sensors embedded throughout the city monitor aspects from traffic flow to air quality, offering insights that help improve traffic management, reduce emissions, and enhance public safety. These sensors provide real-time insights across the city and are powering several trials of new solutions.
For example, bin fill sensors are being piloted to improve the monitoring and management of waste collection. Data from sensors in local bins tell resource teams when they are full and need to be emptied. This enables more accurate predictions for collection times.
Rainfall monitoring has also been digitised, allowing the council to view rainfall trends over time and use 3D mapping tools for flood modelling. This informs understanding of storm frequencies and flooding so that proactive warnings and interventions can be enabled to enhance public communication and safety.
The ability to make data-driven decisions in real time is the hallmark of a smart city, and Sunderland’s infrastructure can serve as a blueprint for other cities looking to achieve similar outcomes.
Decarbonising public transport
Connected technology can also deliver significant benefits to city transportation. In partnership with regional transport and technology companies, Sunderland is testing self-driving passenger transport, revolutionising transport in the region. Autonomous vehicles, powered by advanced data networks, don’t just streamline urban mobility, but can also reduce congestion and lower carbon emissions.
The Sunderland Advanced Mobility Shuttle (SAMS) will be piloted along a 5km busy city centre route, integrating with and supplementing existing public transport provision and testing remote supervision.
The programme, backed by the Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles (CCA) and Innovate UK, will transport passengers on public roads between Sunderland Interchange, the Sunderland Royal Hospital, and the University of Sunderland City Campus.
Sunderland’s trials not only represent a glimpse into the future of transportation but also showcase how smart cities can integrate IoT technologies to develop sustainable and efficient public services.
Smart cities can bridge social inequalities
While improved connectivity and resource efficiency are some of the clear benefits of smart-city infrastructure, there are also added benefits when it comes to social inclusivity and digital inclusion.
Sunderland has made deliberate efforts to ensure that all residents are brought up to speed through various digital inclusion programmes, from digital upskilling to assisted care.
Sunderland’s Digital Inclusion Programme, designed to bridge the digital divide and empower residents, is enhancing social inclusion. By focusing on creating access to full-fibre connectivity, public Wi-Fi expansion and establishing 22 Digital Hubs in the city’s most underserved communities, there is a real drive to ensure everyone has access to digital devices and upskilling services. The programme’s success was recently hailed at this year’s Connected Britain Awards, where it was awarded the ‘Community Improvement Award.’
The Council has also been trialling a range of connected assistive care technologies to support the assessment of care needs and the independent living of vulnerable people.
These trials use networks that link sensors in private or residential homes to applications that use artificial intelligence, which monitor for required intervention. From mobility, fluid intake and medication dispensation, these smart technologies can help improve health care, making services more effective and accessible.
What to expect going forward
This programme is an excellent example for how smart cities are more than just a means of showcasing futuristic innovations or having good connectivity, but a way of creating inclusive opportunities, promoting sustainability and driving local economies forward.
The city’s investment in public Wi-Fi and affordable high-speed internet access has helped democratise access to digital resources, enabling residents to connect to the services they need, from healthcare to education. This ensures that Sunderland’s Smart City Programme remains a force for good, where technological progress serves as an enabler for social progress.
As more cities explore smart city concepts, Sunderland’s experience highlights the importance of not only investing in technology, but also ensuring that the social fabric of the city is strengthened in the process.
Author: Seán Keating CTO, UK and Ireland at Boldyn Networks
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