Smart Communities are characterized by the use of technology to improve the quality of life, sustainability and citizenship of their inhabitants. They are based on concepts such as Smart Cities, Internet of Things, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence to solve urban, social and environmental problems.
Some characteristics of a smart community can be seen as providing:
- access to information and communication quickly, easily and securely,
- the use of sensors, devices and applications to monitor, analyze and manage resources such as energy, water, transport, health and safety,
- the promotion of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship through collaborative spaces, cooperation networks and educational incentives,
- encouraging full citizen participation, transparency and democratic governance through digital platforms, public consultations and participatory budgets,
- respect for diversity, inclusion and human rights, ensuring equitable access to services and opportunities.
Smart Communities represent an opportunity for the economic, social and environmental development of cities and regions, but they also require planning, investment and training to be implemented in an effective and integrated way.
These same Smart Communities constitute areas for generating enormous volumes of data, coming from different sectors/verticals, thus presenting themselves as an area of enormous potential for the development and experimentation of new concepts and software that will support the new economy of data, something that is already of great relevance today and that will certainly become unavoidable in the future. The Gaia-X initiative aims to create a secure and transparent data infrastructure for Europe, bringing significant benefits to Smart Cities and Communities:
- Data Sovereignty : Allow cities and communities to have greater control over their own data, which can be stored and processed in accordance with European laws and regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and guarantee privacy and the protection of citizens' data.
- Interoperability : Establishing common standards and protocols that facilitate the exchange of data between different systems and platforms, essential to allow smart cities to share information and collaborate effectively, making urban management more efficient.
- Transparency and Trust : Promote transparency in data use and governance, essential for establishing trust between data providers and consumers, as well as ensuring that data is used ethically and responsibly.
- Innovation : By creating a unified data ecosystem, the Gaia-X initiative offers cities and communities access to a broad set of information, which could lead to the development of new services and innovative solutions that benefit citizens and improve the quality of life in cities. urban areas.
- Digital Sovereignty : Reduce dependence on non-European cloud infrastructure operators by offering an alternative that meets EU values and regulations and strengthen the digital sovereignty of cities and communities by ensuring that data and services remain within European jurisdiction.
It is a sector/vertical of full interest to the Gaia-X initiative to collaborate in the construction of intelligent and sustainable solutions that strengthen data management and boost the progress of cities and communities in Portugal.
Coordinator:
Contactos: gaiax@ubiwhere.com