Perhaps 10 or 20 years ago, the public’s perception of why sustainable systems were important translated into something of a looming threat. The idea of having to adapt our consumption habits to stem the rate at which the earth’s natural resources are being depleted was building but somewhat deferred in the public consciousness. Today it’s a different story. Before our very eyes, the planet has started showing signs of change due to the pressures of burning carbon fuels and consuming more and more energy.
Every human on the planet has the right to live a safe and comfortable existence in a healthy environment but the current extent of our earthly reliance is not compatible with guaranteeing this for much longer. Siemens as a brand has always been synonymous with thinking big, and applying this mindset to the world’s needs has resulted in the invention of technological solutions that have changed the world. In 1867 we invented the first Euro-Indian telegraph line and right now in 2019, we have our sites on something even bigger – making our cities and infrastructure smart and sustainable for the future.
The Challenges Of Modern Urbanisation
The planet is experiencing a global rise in population and the obvious solution is to accommodate the extra inhabitants by building new cities. In 30 years’ time, two-thirds of the world’s population will reside in urban areas. The problem is that most cities today were built long before sustainability and the environment become a concern and consequently do not lend themselves to efficiency and sustainability. At present we are starting to feel the effects of these cities on energy consumption and through the subsequent CO2 emissions.
Building more cities that use energy and resources in the way we are currently using them is simply not an option. As we build bigger cities, we increase the need for the population to commute and therefore create more carbon emissions. The same concept applies to things like streetlights – another metropolitan city means another network of pavement lamps powering on to a set time table and consuming huge amounts of energy even though they may only assist people 70% of the time they are switched on.
What Are Smart Cities?
In short, smart cities use technology and data gathered from population habits in order to create an environment that serves this population efficiently and more sustainably. Technological advances in engineering and the development of information-based systems have given way to a magnificent standard of sensory & automated technology. Infusing the potential of these advancements to deliver effective food access, clean water, energy and sanitation systems to the growing urban environment embodies everything about the smart city and it is an area in which Siemens Smart Infrastructure division is involved in heavily.
Supporting The Next Generation Of Smart Visionaries
In our immediate lifetime, urban infrastructures, transport and even our outdated energy grid will become better connected and managed effectively through the use of real-time data. This transformation has already started but to see the full benefits, we need to completely embrace the idea of a society that is continuously developing and becoming smarter.
Key to delivering this is making sure that we are preparing the next generation of engineers, statisticians and scientists to deliver smart solutions of the future. At present, the UK is experiencing a shortfall in young people choosing to study science, technology, engineering & maths (STEM) which is why Siemens is supporting partners that promote STEM such as Greenpower.
It is imperative that we cultivate as many curiously minded individuals as possible and introduce them to the wonders of a career in STEM. Our ambitions to become a smarter society can only be fulfilled by those who think creatively and have the right aptitude to find solutions to the challenges that we face along the way.