I went on a whirlwind two-day trip to Barcelona, which is gaining attention as a cutting-edge smart city! I even got to speak with the Catalan Regional Minister of Culture (such a cool woman!) and asked her to visit Japan around the time of an event we’re planning to hold next year. She said she’d try to work it into her schedule—I wonder how that’ll turn out?!

Since 2000, the City of Barcelona has been promoting a smart city project aimed at fostering the creative industries and innovation. It has rolled out a citywide Wi-Fi network as a common ICT infrastructure and built a platform to aggregate data from sensors installed throughout the city.In 2014, the city was selected by the European Commission as an “iCapital,” recognizing it as the city most actively promoting innovation.
Smart lighting improves energy efficiency and reduces city costs. It can receive data on temperature, humidity, human presence, and noise levels, and adjust brightness based on conditions such as foot traffic. Utility costs are reported to have been reduced by approximately 30 percent.
Smart Garbage uses sensors to detect when city trash bins are full or empty, calculating optimal garbage collection routes. This has led to reductions in the city’s garbage collection costs.
Smart Parking uses sensors embedded in parking lot roads to notify drivers of available parking spaces. This has helped alleviate congestion and increase the city’s parking fee revenue. It is also said to have the added benefit of increasing tourists’ length of stay, thereby boosting tourism revenue.

Smart mobility involves expanding bike-sharing services to reduce car use. By promoting bicycle use, the number of cars on the city’s streets has decreased, which is said to be helping to alleviate traffic congestion and reduce emissions. Bicycles play a major role as a means of transportation in Barcelona, with a reported 12,000 users.

"Smart Bus" features strategically placed bus stops to make it easier for citizens to use the bus. Digital signage at the bus stops displays bus schedules, government information, advertisements, and more.
Sensors installed in parks detect data such as temperature, humidity, sunlight, and atmospheric pressure. This allows the system to water the soil only when it’s dry.They’ve successfully reduced water usage by a quarter. Apparently, mechanizing operations has also cut labor costs. I wonder if this is “Smart Water”?
I was strolling through town early in the morning, staring intently at trash cans and such, and people started looking at me suspiciously ^^;

Barcelona’s smart city initiative aims to promote economic growth while improving citizens’ quality of life. The city has clearly articulated a policy that prioritizes the use of technology for the benefit of citizens rather than technology for its own sake, and is actively encouraging citizen participation in smart city development.Data is made open source and owned by both the city and its residents. Furthermore, recognizing that improving citizens’ technological literacy is essential for achieving digital democratization and digital empowerment, the city is also focusing on digital education and STEAM education. Fab Labs reportedly play a major role in this effort.I also visited a Fab Lab located in Barcelona’s “22@” innovation district, where I was shown the IoT devices embedded throughout the city.

The City of Barcelona has achieved concrete results, such as revitalizing industries and expanding employment, through the implementation of IoT in the city. According to a Cisco study, this has generated $3 billion in value within the city. At the same time, it has led to solutions for urban challenges, such as improving the efficiency of public services. Above all, it’s wonderful to see how this has brought about significant changes in the lives of citizens.