Smart City

10 April 2025
ESG, Industry 4.0, IoT, Society

With increasing urbanisation around the world and increasingly important social issues such as air pollution, urban litter, the fight against climate change or over-reliance on car transport, the need to manage cities more efficiently is emerging. Modern technologies can be used to achieve this. The idea of Smart Cities is to use communication technologies to create a more interactive and efficient urban infrastructure, as well as to raise citizens’ awareness of its operation [1]. Smart Cities therefore represent a wide range of solutions that, in combination, improve the lives of residents and help combat the problems of today’s world. In the following article, we will present some of the Smart City solutions. The role of data collection in the Smart City, Smart City technologies for transport, smart energy management, as well as for combating environmental and noise pollution will be discussed.

Data collection and analysis in a Smart City

A fundamental role in the functioning of a Smart City is the collection of data through all sorts of measurement tools such as sensors, probes and cameras. The collection of real and up-to-date data on the operation of the city is crucial to the proper functioning of Smart City solutions, as their analysis allows real-time decision-making, significantly reducing resource consumption without compromising the standard of living of the inhabitants [2]. The proper collection and analysis of the vast amount of data needed for the proper operation of Smart City systems is a huge challenge.

BFirst.Tech specialises in the implementation of IoT technology, providing advanced solutions for smart monitoring, data analysis and optimisation of urban infrastructure. As a member of the United Nations Global Compact Network Poland and co-author of the Recommendations for Cities by the World Urban Forum 11 Business Council, the company actively supports the development of sustainable technologies, focusing on innovative diagnostics, environmental acoustics and data engineering systems.

Smart City in transport

One of the main areas of use of Smart City solutions is in transport. Today’s cities are able to collect far more transport data using smart tools in public transport vehicles, at important points on the road such as intersections, or through public monitoring.

The data collected in this way can then be processed accordingly and used to improve the efficiency of the city’s transport system. The collected information can be used to display timetable information and the current position of public transport vehicles with the estimated time of arrival at the stop, making public transport a very attractive alternative to the car.

*Rys. 1. Using the Smart City in Transport. Source:* *https://www.digi.com/blog/post/introduction-to-smart-transportation-benefits*

Data flowing into traffic management systems allows real-time optimisation of urban traffic to improve safety and reduce emissions. Smart parking systems make use of data on parking spaces, monitoring them and informing drivers of their availability, and allow payment for parking to be collected, improving driver comfort and also reducing pollution by reducing the time used to find a parking space [3].

Smart City solutions also help to solve the so-called first and last kilometre problem – the first and last part of a journey in a city, usually being considerably shorter than the public transport journey itself, while possibly taking a similar amount of time. Smart City systems can allow the linking of the public transport network with the use of lightweight short-distance transport modes such as bicycles or electric scooters. Properly placed hubs for such transport, combined with ease of use, can significantly facilitate urban travel and even encourage some drivers to use public transport [4].

Smart energy management

With the increasing demand for electricity, due in part to the need to decarbonise the economy as much as possible, there is a growing emphasis not only on increasing the production of energy from renewable sources, but also on using it more efficiently. The use of intelligent energy management solutions leads to less energy consumption and therefore less energy production, which can have a major impact on environmental protection.

*Rys. 2. Green energy in the city. Source:* *https://leadersinternational.org/sme4smartcities-insights/revolutionising-urban-life-how-smart-technologies-and-sustainable-energy-are-creating-the-cities-of-the-future/*

Among the Smart City systems that support better management are smart grids that monitor energy distribution and consumption, efficient systems for storing cheaply produced energy at peak production times, and smart sensors able to regulate the use of lighting according to the amount of natural light. All these solutions in combination also make it possible to create programmes that optimise when energy is used, using it mainly during the periods of lowest production costs, which is used, among other things, in the charging of electric vehicles [5].

In addition to the above-mentioned ways of using electricity more efficiently, less energy consumption can also be influenced by technical developments and new regulations for the construction and renovation of buildings so that they use as little energy as possible. This can be done, among other things, by using efficient and environmentally friendly materials, by designing buildings to minimise heat loss while allowing as much natural light as possible, or by using intelligent systems to optimise heating and lighting consumption.

Efficient energy management is one of the key aspects of the energy transition and the fight against progressive climate change. The transformation of cities into smart cities will require large amounts of electricity, which must be produced efficiently to contribute to better environmental protection [6].

BFirst.Tech has become a member of the Business Council at PRECOP29, which produced a “White Paper” providing a Polish perspective on climate issues, including energy management ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2024. BFirst.Tech offers end-to-end solutions for monitoring, diagnostics and management of big data, including energy. To learn more, explore our solutions under this link.

Smart City in the fight against pollution and noise

One of the biggest problems facing modern cities is air pollution, resulting from a number of factors, such as the burning of solid fuels in cookers and urban planning. High levels of pollution affect the health of city dwellers, reducing their productivity, occupying the raw materials of health services and reducing attractiveness for business and tourists.

In order to effectively combat air pollution, it is necessary to have accurate information on its levels and spatial distribution provided by a large number of sensors across the city. The information gathered in this way helps to make appropriate decisions on measures to improve the state of the air. In addition, properly presented information on the state of the air to residents can strengthen public awareness of the problem and increase pressure to find appropriate solutions to combat pollution [7].

In addition to air pollution, the problem of urban noise is also increasingly discussed. Traffic jams, renovations, construction of new buildings and other sources of noise in cities can sometimes pose a serious threat to human health [8], further worsening levels of concentration and focus, lowering the standard of living of residents.

*Rys. 3. Sources of noise for urban residents. Source:* *https://www.hseblog.com/noise-pollution/*

Smart sensors that are able to estimate not only the level of noise recorded but also the source of the noise can be used to combat this problem. This data can then be processed and used by experts to prepare a plan to mitigate noise levels, thus improving the lives of residents [9].

BFirst.Tech is a company with many years of expert experience in implementing solutions to combat noise pollution. BFirst.Tech offers a modern and advanced approach in the field of noise reduction, in line with the needs not only of smart cities but also of modern industry. Explore our products and solutions under this link.

Summary

Smart Cities make use of today’s advanced data acquisition, processing and storage techniques. Through their use, our cities are gaining new tools and techniques to combat the increasingly pressing problems of the modern world. These technologies can help not only with the problems of public transport, air pollution, noise and energy management mentioned in the article, but also with many others, among which are better prevention and crisis management, public safety or waste management. Which cities make the best use of them could be a key factor in their further development and the key to better meeting the needs of their inhabitants.