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Anytime, Anywhere—is possible through IT. One of the
key components that enables L3 and A3 is the concept of
e- learning. E-learning refers to a Web-based educational
delivery mechanism through which students can access the
trainings anytime, anywhere through the use of the Internet.
e emergence of e-learning has revolutionized the field of
education and is a very crucial component for the develop-
ment of digital cities.
• IT-enabled construction. Use of IT to reengineer the construc-
tion industry is a key element of a digital city. is is mainly
because IT-enabled building-automation systems help in the
design and construction of energy-efficient buildings. ese
buildings in turn help to reduce energy consumption and
facilitate judicious use of space within buildings. Energy-
efficient and eco-friendly buildings form the core infrastruc-
tural component of digital cities.
• IT-enabled grids and utilities. e use of IT to design and
develop real-time metering and control systems for electricity
networks and gas and water utilities is a vital aspect for the
emergence of a digital city. ese real-time metering systems
reduce fraud and theft by allowing real-time usage monitor-
ing and reporting. ese metering systems also help to devise
specific tariffs or plans for different types of consumers based
on their consumption patterns. It also helps to devise a bet-
ter alignment of supply and demand to optimize and reduce
overall resource consumption.
• IT-led economic development. Creation of technology-intensive
business units or research and development initiatives and
special economic zones to attract fresh investments that cata-
lyze the growth of hardware- and software-intensive indus-
tries is a must-have factor for the development of digital cities.
Early examples include Japan’s Shinanogawa Technopolis,
Malaysia’s Cyberjaya, Bangalore’s software and tech parks,
and the Wuxi New District in China. More recent technopo-
lis developments include India’s Kochi Electronic Park and
Chengdu’s Tianfu Software Park, the largest software park
in China.
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7.3 IT-Enabled Social Initiatives
As discussed previously, IT-enabled social initiatives complement
IT-enabled city strategies by using IT to deliver some features as
shown in the following figure:
IT-enabled
social
initiatives
Urban action
forums
Service
interfaces
Hyper-local
websites
Volunteering
networks
Collective
action
forums
Carpooling
networks
Apart from the previously listed topics, IT-enabled social initia-
tives also involve the use of social media networks such as Facebook
to form communities and mobilize local action.
7.3.1 Urban Action Forums
IT-enabled urban action forums are communities that use informa-
tion technology for a common cause directed toward the benefit of
the citizens. e evolution of Web 2.0 technologies has played a major
role in the evolution of such urban action forums that use interactive
websites to direct the thoughts of the citizens in an area toward a
common goal.
One excellent example of an urban action forum is Your Library, the
Web portal that was launched in the city of Edinburgh by the Library
and Information Services department of the city. In Edinburgh,
libraries were extensively used by people not only as access points for
gaining a wealth of information about various aspects, but also as
a socializing venue for formal and informal interactions with other
citizens.
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After the launch of Web 2.0 services, it was decided to integrate IT
with various aspects of library processes and also to integrate social
media with the library IT infrastructure so that even after digiti-
zation, libraries could continue to provide a platform for people to
socialize with one another. All of these aspects led to the design of
Your Library, the Web portal with the following features:
• e “Virtual Library” Web portal contained links to two main
applications: YourEdinburgh and Library2Go.
• Integration of social media sites such as Twitter, Flicker, and
YouTube under a common identity, “Tales of One City.” e
overall aim of integrating the social networks to the library
portal was to promote local libraries across the city and to
provide a platform for residents to share their views about the
library. is also provided a platform for the library staff to
receive complaints and take appropriate corrective actions.
7.3.1.1 e Virtual Library Web Portal e Virtual Library Web portal
is a unique portal that united all the digital resources of the library
such as catalogues, databases, and other websites under a single por-
tal. e portal also provided various options to renew library mem-
bership, reserve books, and download and use the various digital
resources of the library.
7.3.1.2 YourEdinburgh e YourEdinburgh element of the Virtual
Library is an important technique that was devised to promote
involvement among neighborhoods and community groups. It also
aimed to ensure that library users could feel a sense of ownership.
7.3.1.3 Library2Go is supports downloading of audio books and
other e-books to mobile devices. is innovative library system
devised by the city of Edinburgh proved to be a huge success and was
adopted by many neighboring cities to promote their own libraries.
7.3.1.4 Service Interfaces Service interfaces are IT resources that act as
interfaces between the citizens and the government. One excellent
example of a service interface is the website http://www.fixmystreet.com.
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INTELLIGENT CITIES: STRATEGY-MAKING
At such websites, citizens typically are asked to follow a three-step
process to raise a concern or lodge a complaint, as shown in the fol-
lowing diagram:
Step 1
•Enter location details
Step 2
•Enter the problem or complaint details
Step 3
•Complaint is submitted to the government on
behalf of the citizens
Such useful websites go a long way in incorporating intelligent gover-
nance system in cities.
7.3.1.5 Hyper-Local Websites Hyper-local websites are typically used
for conveying all kinds of information pertaining to a specific city
or sometimes the neighboring cities as well. One classic example of a
hyper-local website is EveryBlock (http://www.everyblock.com), which
is the leading website for neighborhood discussions and engagement,
including the latest local media stories, crime reports, real estate
listings, and business reviews. EveryBlock is currently available in
Chicago [2].
7.3.1.6 Support Networks Support networks are typically websites
that offer customized support services for citizens. Several kinds
of support activities are required for the smooth functioning of our
everyday lives. Some of them could be support for elderly parents
when other family members are at work, property monitoring (espe-
cially if the property is in a location that is far away from the current
habitation), search for rental houses in a specific locality, and so on.
7.3.1.6.1 Host of Real Estate Property Services from HomeShikari.com
(http://www.homeshikari.com/property-services) is website offers a
host of real estate property related services to the citizens of Bangalore
City, India. Some of the services they offer are property monitoring,
sale and purchase of property, and so on.
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INTELLIGENT CITIES
7.3.1.7 Volunteering Networks Volunteering is generally considered an
activity that is not done for any financial benefit or gain, but rather as
a service to mankind. It can be done for socialization and enjoyment as
well. ere are many types of volunteering such as skill-based volunteer-
ing, virtual volunteering, corporate volunteering, and so on. Volunteering
activities go a long way toward improving the quality of life of citizens
in a city. Many websites are available to support volunteering activities
to ensure that their benefits are fully realized by the residents.
7.3.1.7.1 Volunteering Network: International Volunteer HQ Inter-
national Volunteer HQ (IVHQ; http://www.volunteerhq.org/) is an
organization that provides safe, responsible, and affordable volunteer
abroad programs in countries around the world. Each year, IVHQ
sends thousands of volunteers on these programs and offers a wide
range of volunteer travel opportunities to many countries throughout
the world. Established in 2007, this organization has now become one
of the world’s popular volunteer travel companies. It offers a wide range
of projects for volunteer travelers in various domains such as teaching,
childcare, community development programs, medical and nursing
programs, construction, renovation, and wildlife conservation.
7.3.1.8 Collective Action Forums Collective action forums help to orga-
nize and support initiatives that for various reasons may require the
support of a larger audience. For example, someone may decide to host a
website for a specific cause only if a certain number of people agree to
support or follow the website. In such a scenario, it becomes necessary
for a third party to coordinate with others to get their approval and
support. Collective action forums refer to websites of organizations
that perform the role of a third party in the preceding example.
7.3.1.9 Collective Action Forum—Pledgebank PledgeBank (http://www
.pledgebank.com) allows users to set up pledges and then encourages
other people to sign up for them. A pledge is a statement of the form
“I will do something if a certain number of people will help me do
it.” e creator of the pledge then publicizes his or her pledge and
encourages people to sign up. Two outcomes are possible—either the
pledge fails to get enough subscribers before it expires (in which case,
we contact everyone and tell them “better luck next time”), or, the
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