Technology will play crucial role in rapid urban development, experts say

The role of technology is becoming increasingly critical in urban development as planners address challenges to promote competitive business environments and stimulate sustainable societies.

Cities of the future must deliver seamless customer experiences and governments should consider embracing technology to “listen, understand and act” on behalf of their citizens, said Kashif Siddiqui, customer experience solutions expert at SAP, at of a round table organized by the German software company. at Expo 2020 Dubai.

The global smart buildings market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 11.33% to reach $ 229.1 billion by 2026, according to Modor Intelligence. Growing energy conservation efforts and environmental concerns are driving the growth of the sector, he added.

“We believe that smart building information plays a crucial role in improving the overall performance of buildings and the quality of life for occupants and visitors,” said Selda Konucku, responsible for connected construction activities for the Middle region. -Orient, Turkey and Africa within the American conglomerate. Honeywell.

The Covid-19 pandemic has touched the heart of city life, and local governments needed to respond quickly to protect people’s lives and simultaneously seek the best approaches to manage the long-term effects of the pandemic, the cabinet said. Deloitte advice, which was part of the discussion.

He said cities should care about people the most by making urban living areas more human and fostering a strong sense of connection.

Deloitte identified 12 trends in a recent report that would define the future of cities, including those that address smart health, digital innovation and sustainable buildings.

He also listed the circular economy – an economic system which focuses on reducing natural resource extraction, minimizing waste and regenerating natural systems – and local production.

Multimodal mobility – the flexible and integrated use of different forms of transport – will also play a key role in future urban development, notably with the integration of autonomous technologies.

Globally, the autonomous vehicle market has reached $ 1.65 billion, according to figures compiled by Fortune Business Insights Pin up. He said the UAE was a world leader, having announced several plans to test autonomous vehicles. Abu Dhabi recently completed the trial phase of a driverless taxi service on Yas Island and the service can now be booked by the public through the TXAI app.

Access and reliability, security and the cost of inefficient operations are the top three challenges of mobility, said Shahzeb Memon, vice president and global head of transport as a service at Swvl, the transport service provider. in common and shared mobility based in Dubai. set up for listing on Nasdaq.

“These mobility challenges must be tackled in a smart and efficient manner, focusing on commuting, order of trips and technology for end-to-end transport services,” he added.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, vice president and ruler of Dubai, has announced a target that 25% of all transport trips in the emirate will be smart and driverless by 2030. The city has saved 210 billion dirhams ($ 57.18 billion) in man hours, time and fuel. between 2006 and 2020 through “smart” investments in roads and transport infrastructure, officials said last month.

The digital life cycle of data-driven projects is important in city planning, with “organizations that master technology and digital transformation becoming a real differentiator in the industry with a 5 to 30 percent increase in productivity” , Mark Smith, managing director of investment projects at Deloitte Middle East, said.

“Customer focus and human factors are key success factors for any business,” said Jihad Tayara, managing director of Evoteq, the digital business arm of Sharjah Bee’ah waste management company.

Urban areas, traditionally characterized by high population density and heavy constructions to support modern amenities, such as transport and commercial buildings, now face increasing pressure from population growth, limited resources and the growing impact of climate change, according to the Deloitte report.

Cities should lead a decarbonization program, because becoming low carbon is the first step towards mitigating carbon emissions and achieving ecosystem resilience. At the same time, cities should ensure that urban planning is able to cope with the pressures of climate change in the adaptation agenda, he added.

The roundtable was held in conjunction with the Urban and Rural Development Expo Week and involved the participation of Google Cloud.

Update: December 26, 2021, 12:42 p.m.