Citizens from all over the world believe a lot in smart cities and they do especially to fight against smog. This trend is revealed by a maxi survey carried out by Capgemini in 10 countries around the world (including Italy), interviewing 10.000 citizens and hundreds of municipal officials: as a result, more than half of the people (58%) believe that the smart cities are sustainable and ensure a better quality of services, and above all that more than a third of those interviewed (36%) are even willing to pay more to get a better urban experience.
In particular, according to the report, those who live in the city place increasing value on sustainability. In fact, citizens believe that challenges such as pollution (42%) and lack of sustainability initiatives (36%) are among the main concerns that may push them to move elsewhere. Legitimate concerns, given that more than 42% of city officials confessed to Capgemini that the implementation of sustainability initiatives has been delayed in the last three years, while 41% say their cities will no longer be sustainable within the next 5- 10 years due to non-adoption of digital technology.
Capgemini also found that citizens who use smart city services are in fact more satisfied with the quality of their life in the city, so much so that, for example, 73% declare they are more satisfied in terms of health-related factors such as air quality. And it is no coincidence that the figure drops sharply to 56% among those who have not used this type of service. More than a third of citizens (36%) are willing to pay more to live in a "smart" city, a figure that increases among respondents younger and better-off: 44% for millennials, 41% for Gen Z4 and 43% for those with an annual income of more than $80.000.
In short, everyone likes smart cities, but in the common perception they remain something "for the rich". “The perception and status of smart cities have become an important differentiator for citizens. It is essential for planners and officials to understand that citizens are the smartest resource a city has and which must therefore be placed at the center of smart city initiatives. We need to ensure that technology gives people the experience and quality of life they want and need,” commented Domenico Leone, Public Sector Director at Capgemini in Italy.
“When considering a smart city initiative, it's best to start with small use cases that can be tested before large-scale implementation, ensuring visibility and feasibility for funding. Smaller solutions will help municipal officials who have recently embarked on a smart city journey to innovate faster and, consequently, should be preferred to larger and more complex solutions. This also makes it easier to obtain approval, support and funding for projects,” said Matthias Wieckmann, Head of Digital Strategy, City of Hamburg.
