The future of smart cities and nano technology

by

Dr. Azab Al-Aziz Al-Hashemi

International expert in information systems,

city technology and clean energy

Introduction

Studies unanimously agree that the current trend towards smart cities is the first feature of the transformation towards cities of the future, we cannot imagine our current cities resilient in the face of the terrible digital development, the spread of the Internet of things and the virtual world

Smart contemporary devices play a pivotal role in this transformation, as city officials rely on the spread of these devices to develop city services, communicate directly with citizens, send all information related to traffic conditions and places of congestion, pay all bills and tax fees, in addition to obtaining instructions in the event of floods. Or earthquakes or the spread of epidemics.

Investing in smart cities:

Certainly, the current trend towards investing in smart cities will create for us two worlds that are moving at different speeds. We find developed cities that provide their residents with all means of comfort, safety and progress, and there are other cities that are floundering in countless problems. Sometimes the funds are not enough to create the optimal conditions for the development of smart cities. If these funds and investments are not used in an efficient manner that takes into account the context of each city and the challenges it faces, then it is not possible, for example, to invest in modern and advanced means of transportation, without a healthy environment for living, learning and working.

This gradual investment in technology requires taking into account the priorities of city dwellers, and listening to their requirements before undertaking any projects, as the volume of spending on smart city technology in the world will reach 160 billion dollars by the end of 2022, after this figure did not exceed 120 billion dollars in 2016, according to the company. IDC International Data Consulting. It is also expected that the global market for smart city technologies will grow to reach $1.7 trillion by 2023

This trend also indicates that technological systems will become a standard for smart cities in the future, at the expense of the social aspect, which will have repercussions on the way of living in these cities, which will become excessive in the system as a result of intensive monitoring with cameras and sensors, and excessive consumption for ease of acquisition of goods through Internet and remote performance, these things do not always bring value to those who live and work in a smart city. Attempts to reduce environmental degradation and population pressure by urban policy makers, should not be at the expense of the social life of the population, which is the primary advantage of humankind.

Nanotechnology, clean energy and the future of smart cities

Nanotechnology is an innovative technology that enables the development of materials with improved or completely new properties, and it is a technology that focuses on studying, understanding, controlling and then controlling materials in dimensions ranging from one to one hundred nano meters, which is equivalent to a part per billion of a metre. The other is amazing and unexpected, all in the interest of society and science, as it has helped improve many industrial and technological sectors and even revolutionize information technology, medicine, energy, transportation, science, environmental security sectors, food safety and other fast-growing sectors as a result of the benefits of nanotechnology.

Characteristics of nanotechnology in smart cities:

There are many uses for nanotechnology in creating smart cities in terms of building structure

1. Nanotechnologies for the production of sustainable building units
2.  Towards a sustainable architectural formation in building facades using multi-layer optical coatings
3.  The use of nanoparticles in concrete is one of the few emerging issues, and the researcher aimed in her paper to describe the positive effect of nanoparticles on the microstructure and properties of cement-based materials, which she summarized in the following aspects:
4.  Nanotechnology plays a major role in improving the mechanical properties and thermal insulation of concrete.
5. Nanotechnology has added new functionality to existing materials and products, as evidenced by antimicrobial paints, self-cleaning, air-purifying paints and optically transparent insulation.
6.  It improves structural integrity and reduces the environmental impact of energy associated with buildings.
7. It improves the structural monitoring of buildings through the sensing feature, thus reducing traditional monitoring devices and reducing labor costs.
8. Improve the corrosion-resistant coating and then reduce the environmental damage caused by the leakage of toxic substances from these materials.
9. Improves the workability of concrete due to its ability to dispersal.
10. It freezes the hot water between the cement particles by filling the spaces between the cement particles.
11. It speeds up the hydration process because the dispersed particles act as crystallization centres for hydration products.
12. It improves durability, tensile strength and shear due to its ability to prevent cracks and tangles between sliding levels.
13. It increases the bonding strength between cement paste and aggregates due to its ability to improve the contact area with aggregates.
14. Finally, carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers are the most commonly used nanoparticles in concrete that help improve the durability, sustainability and performance of concrete for smart cities.

Therefore, we recommend the following:

1. Concerned institutions should encourage the manufacture of nanomaterials and green products for construction such as nano coating, nano cells, nano filers and nano insulation materials. …. etc., and made available to consumers and architects, and their costs should be reduced, taking into account the sustainability of products, especially as we are in an advanced state in the establishment of smart cities.
2. Imposing demands on the owners of public and private buildings to use environmentally friendly materials increasingly through instructions and regulations that force engineers to use environmentally friendly materials in buildings, which contributes to a boom in the demand for nanotechnology to build green architecture to achieve sustainability.
3. Working to increase awareness of the importance of nanotechnology in various fields through educational workshops and the use of infographics, which is an easy, simple and inexpensive way to build and spread awareness by transforming data, information and complex concepts into images and drawings that can be understood and absorbed, clearly, interestingly, and visually depicting extensive information about a story or News or topic in a smooth, easy and clear way.
4.  Working on the formulation of policies for the transition to smart cities to enhance the use of digital technology in various aspects of individuals’ lives, which would support innovation and investment.
5. Supporting scientific efforts and research centres to invest research outputs related to nanotechnology and the availability of the appropriate infrastructure for it, so that it becomes capable of creativity and innovation in the field of technology and integration.