SMART CITIES businesses, technology partners and citizens is essential to smart city success. Taking a holistic and integrated approach to engaging these disparate groups helps build a network of projects that all tie back to the foundational goal of enhancing livability, workability and sustainability. By engaging all stakeholders, a smart city can ensure it is making the most of all of its resources: human, financial, technology and natural resources. 6. Prioritize open-standards network infrastructure The evolution of a smart city starts with a smart grid, which can be used to drive efficiencies. A single multi-service/multi- purpose network that features open standards creates the foundation for a smart city. With this network, data can be shared, creating more efficient utility operations and new possibilities for cities. With sensors and intelligence embedded in every device, the network provides the backbone for all city connections. Moving from a smart grid to a smart city will create new opportunities for efficiencies, conservation and economic development. Open standards are essential to helping a city become more effective in delivering services to its citizens, as they provide the mechanism for two-way communications, as well as a source of real-time data for reducing energy and water waste. 7. Create an open pathway for innovation Committing to an open network will allow for interoperability and innovation. With an open network comes open development processes that inspire new technologies and applications that haven’t been imagined yet, creating numerous possibilities for smart cities. A smart city encourages open collaboration and innovation to create various smart city applications. METERING INTERNATIONAL ISSUE – 1 | 2016 One such example is the Itron Riva™ Developers Community, which invites developers to participate in innovation and create apps for smart cities and the Internet of Things (IoT). Leveraging the power of many, the Developers Community accelerates innovation to create an ecosystem of IoT apps for industries, including energy and water management, building energy management, smart street lighting and solar monitoring. 8. Leverage the power of data Data is instrumental to the success of a smart city, whether applying transportation management, balancing the energy and water nexus, lighting controls, building efficiencies, safety measures or other applications. Data sharing and analytics are the gateway to getting greater value out of smart technology and enhancing a city to be more sustainable, resilient and livable. Smart devices, including sensors and smart meters, provide real-time data that can be leveraged to create efficiencies, reduce waste and empower citizens. With analytics, that real-time data can be turned into insights that a smart city can share across city departments. Data puts the ‘smart’ in smart cities. 9. Engage participation A successful smart city creates the foundation to engage, inform and empower its citizens. Using a mobile app creates greater awareness and action among citizens to reduce energy, save water, eliminate waste and improve air quality. Not only can citizens use an app to make decisions about their own impact on energy, water and waste, they can also use it as a real-time reporting tool to communicate issues, such a pothole or graffiti, to the city for quick action. Mobile technology is yet another way that cities can connect with citizens and businesses to improve livability, workability and sustainability. 10. Lean on partners and experts The pathway to developing and implementing a smart city is far bigger and more complex than any one company or entity. Managed services can help a city more quickly realize smart city benefits by relying on industry experts to help generate true business outcomes, allowing the city to do what it does best and focus on its core services to citizens. Creating the Smart City Best practices, communication, an open network, real-time data and more, these 10 tenets are the essential building blocks for a smart city. A smart city, through collaboration and innovation, provides reliable access to energy and water, engages citizens in new ways, creates economic opportunities and enables communities to thrive. A smart city is livable, workable and sustainable. And it is achievable with the right elements in place. MI ABOUT THE AUTHOR Russ Vanos was named vice president of sales and marketing for global software, services and smart cities in November 2015. In this role, Vanos is leading Itron’s global software and services teams to enable true solution selling in collaboration with Itron’s Electricity, Gas and Water business lines. He is also integral to the Internet of Things and smart cities initiatives for the company. Vanos joined Itron in 1980 and has held various positions in sales, marketing and operations. ABOUT ITRON Itron is a world-leading technology and services company dedicated to the resourceful use of energy and water. We provide comprehensive solutions that measure, manage and analyze energy and water. Our broad product portfolio includes electricity, gas, water and thermal energy measurement devices and control technology; communications systems; software; as well as managed and consulting services. 33