The circulation of information and its reuse represents the basis on which to build any project to create a smart city

Smart city = smart data. This is a simple but fundamental equation for understanding the relationship between urban redesign initiatives and data sharing within cities. To have a smart city, it is necessary to have “smart” data, that is, information that is easily transmitted and reusable in the urban context. The circulation of information and its reuse represents the basis on which to build any project to create a smart city. Smart cities are based on the analysis, sharing and storage of data, both personal (i.e. relating to a natural person) and non-personal, collected through the devices of inhabitants or tourists, urban sensors and other touchpoints present in the area.

These operations are carried out in order to ensure a more efficient organization of public services and the improvement of the quality of life of the inhabitants. However, ensuring access to large volumes of data, especially to the personal data of citizens (so-called big data), can represent an enormous technological challenge for a small urban center. Furthermore, the management of this amount of data requires the existence of a powerful and solid infrastructure, capable of ensuring both the circulation of urban data and the security of this information against possible cyberattacks. In this article we will try to understand how data sharing works within the urban context, what are the potential dangers and the main difficulties behind these operations.

Why is data important for a smart city?

Have you ever wondered why data is so important for a smart city? As we know, a smart city is defined as a center capable of managing its resources in an efficient and sustainable way thanks to the use of new technologies in order to improve the quality of its services. The engines that allow the city 'machine' to achieve this goal are two: the technological solutions and the data with which they are fed. Simplifying, we can therefore say that data is the necessary fuel that allows cities to renew themselves. There are a number of different sources from which this information comes. The first is represented by the users themselves who, through their devices, can connect to the urban infrastructure and thus transmit a series of information on their needs and preferences. The second source is represented by the touchpoints present in the territory. In this case, the 'door' through which the information enters is permanently inserted into the urban fabric. As an example, we can cite CCTV cameras and other devices for monitoring public spaces, IoT devices, sensors on the road surface and other hardware or software solutions that allow the collection of urban data. The third source is represented by private databases made available to public bodies. Under certain conditions and in compliance with legal guarantees, economic operators can also contribute to the development of a smart city by making their digital archives available in such a way as to facilitate forecasting activities by the city. But the process of collecting and sharing data can also take place in the opposite direction, that is, from the public to the private. Often, cities have essential information for the development of innovative technological solutions. Let's think of all the applications for the intelligent management of parking lots, for monitoring air quality, for the efficient disposal of waste. These software are frequently based on artificial intelligence systems that require a significant amount of data to be properly trained.

In this case, urban data could be used to develop innovative solutions for that same city, thus creating a virtuous circle for all stakeholders. In all these cases, the importance of data sharing is clear, without which it would not be possible to obtain similar results.

Data sharing yes, but how? ...

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