‘Smarter’ cities will stay ahead of the pack

Steve Wood, vice president of strategy at the computer giant, said cities that build well-functioning and efficient environments will better attract skilled labour and competitive businesses.

“We are in a global race. There’s no way out of it,” he told the 550-strong audience at BASE Leeds City Region, a conference promoting environmental sustainability and economic growth.

Mr Wood said: “Resources and investment will flow, faster than ever, not only to cities that offer cost advantages, skills and expertise, but to those that offer smart infrastructure, efficient transport systems, secure trade lanes and reliable energy grids, inclusive governance, trusted markets and enhanced wellbeing.”

Stockholm’s smart transport system cut traffic by 20 per cent but led to a rise in retail sales and Singapore’s smart card system doubled passenger capacity and cut fare leakage by 80 per cent, he said.

New York’s predictive policing cut street crime and Rio’s intelligent operations centre coordinates 30 agencies to respond in the best way to emergencies, added Mr Wood.

In the UK, “chipped” wheelie bins are managing their own collection schedules and social programmes in Kent and Glasgow are helping people most vulnerable to unemployment, crime, abuse and fuel poverty, he said.

Mr Wood added: “The world is becoming instrumented, these instruments are interconnected and these interconnected instruments are intelligent.”

To illustrate the challenge facing the Western world, he said 440 cities, mostly in the emerging markets, will generate half of global GDP and spend $20 trillion on infrastructure by 2025.

Mr Wood said: “Cities must plan and finance the urban environment for sufficient housing, effective transport, electricity, water, communications and other services and through smart regulation provide an environment that encourages entrepreneurialism and business.”

David Tonkin, UK chief executive of the engineering multinational Atkins, told delegates that Leeds and Bradford became an economic powerhouse in Victorian times through strategic investment in infrastructure.

“Railways and canals put them at the heart of the textile industry in the UK,” he said.

The city region has since moved its focus from industry to financial services and is now shifting again to a low carbon economy, he said.

Mr Tonkin added: “This economic transition and the ability of infrastructure projects to drive growth is a recurring theme across our global market.”

He said the city region would be more “resilient” by improving public open spaces, developing zero-carbon neighbourhood energy networks, retro-fitting building stock with new technology, limiting the use of private cars and improving public transport, increasing home working, diversifying the economy and promoting flexibility in the workforce.

He said: “Securing investment will be key with such stiff competition for Treasury funds. Stakeholders need to speak with a single voice. Effective public-private partnerships will be key.”

Neil McLean, chairman of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said the city region faces a challenge in delivering green growth both from the economic downturn and “massive and long-term under-investment in the North of England”.

He said there are significant opportunities for “green growth” across the city region. New homes must be zero carbon by 2016, with commercial buildings following behind; new industries must be energy efficient and powered by low cost, renewable and low carbon forms of energy, he added.

“If we do this, we will build a city region that can compete on a global scale to attract new business and offer an unparalleled quality of life,” said Mr McLean.

“The risk if we do not is that we will be left with an infrastructure legacy that will be unattractive to business, investment and lifestyle.”

He said the city region has invested £2m in retro-fit programmes, launched the Aire Valley enterprise zone to attract low-carbon manufacturing, waste and renewables firms and is developing four mixed-use eco-friendly regeneration schemes. It has also won funding for fast broadband.

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