The backbone of Smart City is its smart infrastructure that is driven by smart technologies. They could regulate energy consumption, overcome planning obstacles and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

One of the foremost elements in infrastructure development is the establishment of smart grid. It involves modernisation of the electric grid with advanced sensing, automation, control and analytic technologies.

Besides greater interactivity, efficiency and reliability, the grid modernisation is a key step towards improving energy efficiency enabling effective integration of distributed and renewable energy resources.

The new green house gas emission (GHG) reduction commitments announced at the Paris Climate Conference, will also increase the pressure on municipal utilities to adopt smart grid programmes.

Another step that Smart City should take is to develop an energy management system. Smart sensors, software and other technologies can combine to produce actionable information that prompts consumption changes and lowers emissions. Consumption patterns become actionable through information that can reduce wasted energy and greenhouse gases.

Smart City should also go for adaptive planning. This involves use of layers of data to create, compare and optimise complex planning decisions that give utilities and cities powerful tools to become smarter and resilient.

Use of alternative fuel vehicles will be useful to reduce GHG emission. Alternative-vehicle adoption is growing as new longer-range options enter the market and prices decline. However, electric-vehicle charging and hydrogen-fuel station buildouts need to keep pace.

Water management technologies will boost efficiently to the treatment, delivery and reuse of water’s finite supply. Smart meters will detect leaks faster, predict water demands, and optimise pumping energy. The data analytics will help identify lost revenue and water theft.

Cities are increasingly turning to networked LED lights that provide not only energy savings but also provide information about outages or other anomalies. Lights can be remotely dimmed to reduce burn, or managed by smart devices that detect traffic patterns to make sure lights are used effectively.

While incremental steps towards infrastructure developments are significant for cities, some municipalities are taking ambitious, holistic approaches to make their communities more efficient, green and resilient.

Technologies can help Smart Cities reduce energy use and boost efficiency. Through smart devices, data analytics and software Smart Cities can revamp its critical infrastructure – lighting, garbage collection, Wi-Fi delivery and other city services.