Smart City 4.0

By Dr Winnie Tang

I would like to dedicate this book to the startups which make good use of innovative technologies. Thank you for bravely taking the first step, your perseverance in improving society allows us to enjoy a better life.

What is a liveable city ?

What is a quality life ?

What has gone wrong on earth ?

Smart City expert Boyd Cohen defined “smart city” in 2015 as follows:

Smart City 1.0 : technology-centric. Driven by technology providers, cities adopt technical solutions when they have not fully appreciated how these technologies may impact a citizen's quality of life. Smart City 2.0: technology enabled, city authority-led. City administrators increasingly focus on technology solutions as a means to improve quality of life.

Smart City 3.0: citizen co-creation. To strike a balance between conservation and development, a bottom-up approach is used to drive city growth.

A new phase Smart City 4.0 has emerged during the post-Covid-19 era. The 4.0 version further zooms as the driving force of smart city development in which both startups and the geographic information system (GIS) play an indispensable role.

From healthcare, transportation, and city management to vegetation, GIS helps forward-thinking organisations, from all levels of government, institutes and the public, startups in particular, to make use of GIS together with advanced technologies in guiding development efforts and conservation, at the same time maintaining constant awareness of a community’s aspirations and staying connected with all of the stakeholders.

What is Smart City 4.0?

Standing at the forefront of science and technology, grasping the global trend, the author explains Smart City 4.0 thoroughly. She points out how various stakeholders in the society can use startups in the post-epidemic era, through a geographic information system (GIS) platform, to predict the risk of virus transmission, improve urban planning and mobility efficiency, and promote communication between the government and citizens. This book contains the best practice of nine real life applications in Hong Kong, a number of overseas cases and large amounts of data to outline the huge business opportunities brought about by smart city development. Furthermore, this book deeply analyses the advantages of Hong Kong. Through this book, readers will clearly understand the overall trends, allowing them to equip themselves to meet new opportunities in the post epidemic era.

 “  Her new book, Smart City 4.0, is both a review of the past 25 years, and is forward-looking. I am particularly glad to see successful stories from nine public and private organisations and the government, and how Hong Kong has made great progress through the application of advanced technology.

These are also the results of Winnie's years of hard work. The digital transformation has become a global trend, the massive amounts of data it can master is why GIS can play a critical role. When it comes to what we could create with GIS, the sky is the limit. So let’s co-create a more sustainable and smarter future together ! ”

 Jack Dangermond Founder & President, Esri 

Export smart city intelligence to capture huge business opportunities

The smart city brings unlimited business opportunities of which the global value is expected to reach HK$12 trillion by 2025. Southeast Asia has a great demand for smart city applications, countries can learn from Hong Kong, subsequently creating unlimited opportunities for us. Hong Kong has always been ahead of mainland cities in the global smart city rankings. However, in the post-epidemic era, Shenzhen has adopted advanced technology to fight the epidemic and Shanghai has accelerated the development of its smart city. Hong Kong needs to speed up by using advanced techno logy more actively to strengthen its leading smart city position.

Singapore

The ePlanner developed by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in Singapore which collects spatial data from different agencies to optimise the decisions in land use planning. The system is also deployed in healthcare and community organisations for better resource allocation. For neighbourhoods with large elderly populations, for instance, more appropriate health and social programmes can be planned. Singapore also set up the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) and selected 26 ASEAN cities as pilot smart cities.

South Korea

South Korea established the Korea Smart City Open Network (K-SCON) to share urban development experience and solutions with the ASEAN countries.

India

India invested US$75 billion in building 100 smart cities under the Digital India initiative.

Vietnam

Vietnam's InnoTech outlook with 4 cities (Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City) having pilot projects on smart city development.

Shanghai

The Shanghai Government released a submission on speeding up the construction of its smart city infrastructure. The submission proposes open urban public datasets, the development of cross-departmental data sharing mechanisms and big data joint innovation laboratories among different industries for new data applications. To formulate standards and certification testing, and work with enterprises to establish the safety testing system and standards for smart city applications.

The U.K.

In 2019, the Geospatial Commission in the U.K. published the Linked Identifiers Best Practice Guide, which recommends that every geographical object in the nation, including buildings, waterways, and roads should have a unique identifier or code.

New Zealand

The Auckland Transport Open GIS Data website combines information of public transport (buses, trains, ferries), road conditions (diversions, road works), parking spaces, cycling tracks and walkways, facilitating mobility planning.

Dubai

Dubai government’s full operation of a blockchain, which enhances efficiency and promotes industrial development. The country also hopes to take the lead in the international arena.

Israel

Tel Aviv, Israel consolidated and displayed useful information on a mobile application for the convenience of the public, such as city activities, restaurants, transportation, parking spaces, hazard alerts, and special notices, etc.

Netherlands

Amsterdam has also opened up spatial data, including real-time public transportation and road condition information, to promote innovation and entrepreneurship, in particular, with the younger generation.

Singapore

The ePlanner developed by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in Singapore which collects spatial data from different agencies to optimise the decisions in land use planning. The system is also deployed in healthcare and community organisations for better resource allocation. For neighbourhoods with large elderly populations, for instance, more appropriate health and social programmes can be planned. Singapore also set up the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN) and selected 26 ASEAN cities as pilot smart cities.

South Korea

South Korea established the Korea Smart City Open Network (K-SCON) to share urban development experience and solutions with the ASEAN countries.

India

India invested US$75 billion in building 100 smart cities under the Digital India initiative.

Vietnam

Vietnam's InnoTech outlook with 4 cities (Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City) having pilot projects on smart city development.

Shanghai

The Shanghai Government released a submission on speeding up the construction of its smart city infrastructure. The submission proposes open urban public datasets, the development of cross-departmental data sharing mechanisms and big data joint innovation laboratories among different industries for new data applications. To formulate standards and certification testing, and work with enterprises to establish the safety testing system and standards for smart city applications.

The U.K.

In 2019, the Geospatial Commission in the U.K. published the Linked Identifiers Best Practice Guide, which recommends that every geographical object in the nation, including buildings, waterways, and roads should have a unique identifier or code.

Organisations can link these codes to the data in their hands, so that different objects at the same location, originally spreading across different datasets, can then be linked together. It saves time and makes it easier to get an exact overview of the information connected to a particular location. This simple and clever approach helps turn fragmented data into useful information for activities like managing a road network, or responding to an emergency.

New Zealand

The Auckland Transport Open GIS Data website combines information of public transport (buses, trains, ferries), road conditions (diversions, road works), parking spaces, cycling tracks and walkways, facilitating mobility planning.

Dubai

Dubai government’s full operation of a blockchain, which enhances efficiency and promotes industrial development. The country also hopes to take the lead in the international arena.

Israel

Tel Aviv, Israel consolidated and displayed useful information on a mobile application for the convenience of the public, such as city activities, restaurants, transportation, parking spaces, hazard alerts, and special notices, etc.

Netherlands

Amsterdam has also opened up spatial data, including real-time public transportation and road condition information, to promote innovation and entrepreneurship, in particular, with the younger generation.

Maps are valuable in various applications

Spatial data is the foundation for the development of a smart city. Through GIS, scattered data are integrated to effectively improve the city’s competitiveness, so that "a map is worth more than a thousand words".

Through GIS, the scattered data of a city’s geomorphology, demographics, infrastructure, and resource distribution are integrated, so that decision makers can use a holistic view to better plan infrastructure, railway systems, road networks, clean energy, population census, elderly services, aerospace development, and to fight the epidemic.

Startups use data to realise their inspiration

Many young entrepreneurs all over the world have carved out a niche by making good use of spatial data to improve people’s lives, examples include: Mapillary and StreetScan which enhance road conditions and facilitate drivers, Fishery that increases the fun of fishing activities, Match Rider that provides a ride sharing service, and more. Hong Kong young people can learn from them and prepare themselves for the upcoming challenges.

Geographic information is valuable and marketable. Young people in different regions of the world use GIS to transform spatial insight into applications for enhancing mobility, business planning or disaster management. Young people in Hong Kong have also demonstrated their talent to improve the quality of life of the community with spatial intelligence, from preventing rodent infestation, making good use of open spaces, improving road design and urban planning, to selecting niche sites.

Hong Kong’s digital transformation

In the post-epidemic era, people's lives have undergone a paradigm shift and a rapid digital transformation of which GIS plays an indispensable role. The government should actively promote GIS to improve governance, city planning and communications with its people. 

In the post-epidemic era, to fully embrace digital transformation, the Hong Kong government needs a high-level organization to move forward in a concerted manner, from planning sustainable strategies with holistic thinking, to strengthening civil servants’ awareness of spatial data. It is only by doing so that Hong Kong can take the smart city development to a higher level, enhancing its competitiveness in an all-round manner. 

Best practice of Hong Kong’s smart city applications

The applications by 9 organisations demonstrate Hong Kong’s best practice in smart city transformation. They are: the Airport Authority Hong Kong, the Civil Engineering and Development Department, the Environmental Protection Department, the Food and Health Bureau, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited, Hongkong Electric Company Ltd., Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, the Lands Department and the Urban Renewal Authority.

 (Organisations and government departments are arranged in alphabetical order)

Special thanks to the above 9 organisations and government departments for contributing articles and pictures.

“ GIS enables our teams to collaborate efficiently via maps and cartography. ”

 - Mr Ricky W K Leung, Executive Director, Engineering & Technology, Airport Authority Hong Kong  “ GIS is an essential tool for the Geotechnical Engineering Office in managing and analysing vast amount of geospatial slope and geotechnical data. This provides crucial support for discharging our duties of keeping slopes safe and protecting the lives and property. ”

 - Ir Dr Raymond Cheung, JP, Head of Geotechnical Engineering Office, Civil Engineering and Development, HKSAR Government 

“ GIS technologies give you the power to capture, visualise and interact with information, presenting it with geographic precision on a map in real time with your displays help you make more informed decisions. Applying the power of GIS to the Environmental Compliance Division of the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department has greatly enhanced our operational efficiency in a surprising degree in terms of information sharing, record management, manpower saving, improved communication during operations, better decision making and strategic planning. Do give it a go, and you will also be amazed how GIS can do the same for your organisation. ”

 -  Mr Wong Yiu-kwong, Ken, Former Assistant Director (Environmental Compliance), Environmental Protection Department, HKSAR Government 

“ The fight against the Covid-19 epidemic has been guided by science and evidence, and the application of innovation and technology has played an indispensable facilitating role. The robust application of GIS allows us to visualise and analyse vast amount of data and attributes of Covid-19 cases. This supports us in making strategic and targeted decisions promptly and precisely, in order to cut the viral transmission chain and safeguard public health. ”

-  Mr Thomas Chan, JP, Permanent Secretary for Food & Health (Health), Food & Health Bureau, HKSAR Government 

“ We work with GIS experts at Esri China (HK) to develop specialised programmes, services and solutions that help the logistics industry transform the way air cargos are moved around the globe with higher efficiencies, increased customer service levels, and better on-time delivery performance.”

 - Ms Cindy Ng, Executive Director, Information Services, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited 

“ HK Electric’s GIS is indispensable for managing our electricity network. By continually upgrading our system with market-available technologies, our capability of planning, expansion, modification, replacement and upgrading of our network assets have been enhanced. ”

 - Mr Francis C.Y. Cheng, Operations Director, Hongkong Electric 

“ Knowledge is embedded in nature. GIS enable us to explore the knowledge and make a better decision by visualising, summarising, and analysing the spatial relationships of various environmental settings. ”

 - Dr Cheuk Mang Lung, Senior GIS Specialist, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden 

“ The traditional two-dimensional paper maps that have been widely used in the past century have evolved into a three-dimensional digital model of the real world. We are now going beyond that to encompass not only the geometric description of the real world, which is effectively a digital map, but to provide the maturity element to develop Digital Twin through transforming the real world into a complete digital model. ”

 - Mr Chan Siu-bun, Ben, Deputy Director/Survey & Mapping ; Mr Fan Ko-kwan, Ben, Land Surveyor/3D Mapping, Lands Department, HKSAR Government 

“ A Journey of Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step ( 千里之行 始於足下). As GIS technology is inherently suitable for urban planning and renewal, I have motivated my team to develop a GIS-based Urban Renewal Information System (URIS). With technical support from a competent ESRI team based in Hong Kong, I personally chaired a steering committee to drive development of URIS applications covering various functions in URA, while investing substantially in training programmes on big data and location intelligence to groom data analysis and GIS talents within URA. ”

 - Ir Wai Chi Sing, GBS, JP, FHKEng, Managing Director, Urban Renewal Authority 

The successful cases from these 9 organisations, covering transportation and logistics, environmental hygiene, public utilities, and the improvement of urban living spaces, demonstrate the determination of Hong Kong’s public and private organisations in using innovative technologies, such as GIS, to improve efficiency and people’s quality of life.

Epilogue: Inheritance

I have a humble wish for the publication of this book that the readers, especially teachers and young people, will be inspired by the local and overseas examples as well as the cases of 9 public and private organisations and government departments. I hope that they will gain insights into how spatial information improves a city’s competitiveness and quality of life, and that they further think about how to capture the worldwide trend of digital transformation, so as to contribute to the development of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.

 

About the author

Dr Winnie Tang, MH, JP, is a locally born IT entrepreneur from Hong Kong. She is the Founder and Chairman of Esri China (HK) Limited, and the Founder and Honorary President of the Smart City Consortium. She is also an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Engineering (Computer Science), the Faculty of Social Sciences (Geography) and the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Hong Kong (HKU).

Dr Tang specialises in geographic information system (GIS) and smart city technologies, and led the world’s first SARS mapping and data analytics effort, which have become indispensable for timely and effective epidemic monitoring and response. She is also keen to ensure the younger generations have better problem-solving skills and a stronger geospatial sense through a number of initiatives.

An e-learning programme Map in Learning (MiL) was launched allowing primary and secondary school students in Hong Kong to use the professional GIS software ArcGIS Online for free. Over 220 schools have participated in the programme with training for over 1,700 teachers and students by the end of 2021. She also started teaching master’s degree courses on ‘smart city’ in various local universities, from HKU’s Engineering Faculty, Social Sciences Faculty and Architecture Faculty to the Division of Public Policy of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Lingnan University and the EMBA programme of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

In addition, she has set up many scholarships and startup funds, aiming to unlock the potential of young entrepreneurs to serve the community.

Dr Tang has constantly shared her insights at international conferences organised by the World Bank Group, International Telecommunication Union and the Asian Productivity Organization. She has published 14 Chinese and English books and over 600 research papers and newspaper articles. Her Chinese books,  Surfing the IT World,  won the publishing award (the category of Commerce and Management ) in the Hong Kong Publishing Biennial Awards 2017.

In recognition of her work, Dr Tang was awarded an Honorary Fellow by Lingnan University in 2020, a Distinguished Alumni by HKU Faculty of Science in 2009, the Ten Outstanding Young Persons award in 2006, the Women of Influence – Young Achiever of the Year Award by the American Chamber of Commerce in 2004 and the Ten Outstanding Young Digi Persons Selection in 2001.

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Disclaimer

All information provided in this book, including photos and website links are for reference only. Within reasonable scope, the publisher and I have done everything possible to ensure that as of the publication date, the information and photos in this book are accurate and there is no copyright infringement. With regard to the accuracy of such information, photos, and website links, I do not express or imply any warranty. I do not assume any liabilities for the content of the book or any loss due to copy, distribution, or reprint of the book. (Email:  iam@winnietang.hk )