Barcelona, Spain

A smart city uses digital technologies to enhance performance and well being, to reduce costs and resource consumption, and to engage more effectively and actively with its citizens. Key 'smart' sectors include transport, energy, health care, water and waste. The focus of this article will be on one of the most globally recognized smart cities, Barcelona. Additionally on how Barcelona as a smart city is improving its environment and how it is efficiently using energy. Barcelona has electric vehicle charging stations and it also has sensors on trash and recycling bins to minimize costs and the environmental footprint for city waste and recycling collectors. Barcelona has water sensors in parks to ensure water is more intelligently used, it has sensors in parking areas to indicate empty spaces (minimizing driving time and thus less polluting gases are produced by vehicles). The new geothermal system, which takes advantage of stable underground temperatures, cools the bus stations in summer by sinking heat into the ground, which stores the energy. This accumulated energy can then be used for heating in winter. The new geothermal heating and cooling system uses a source of renewable energy, free of cost and freely available, reducing CO^2 emissions and improving the comfort of users at the bus station. Barcelona intends on building more solar panels. This will provide homes and businesses sustainable energy, reducing emissions equivalent to 440 tons of carbon dioxide.

Author: Madzivhandila Tshianzi

Editor: Carshiefa Sissing

References:

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