Copenhagen Connecting

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Smart technology can help growing cities to meet coming challenges. Copenhagen is one of these evolving ‘smart cities’.

Copenhagen boosts innovative business and action across sectors through a game-changing data-approach. Last year Copenhagen claimed the prestigious World Smart Cities Award for its ”Copenhagen Connecting” plan. Thereby Copenhagen brings connectivity to a new level by playing a key role in city infrastructure.

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How can a city ensure its inhabitants city services, life quality and a stimulating business environment, while the population will be growing by 20% in the next decade? The integrated approach will not only improve city services, ensure quality of life but also create growth opportunities.

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However, opinions on how a ‘smart city’ should be are as many as the aspirants, though there is an end result which counts for them all. Modern technologies knitted together ensure a more sustainable society.

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Copenhagen’s new approach is a game-changing factor leading to socio-economic gains; fully implemented the Copenhagen Connecting plan will lead to a socio-economic gain of EUR 600 million annually.

Last year it was claimed that Copenhagen has the best plan in the world for collecting and using data to create both a greener city and a better business climate. An intelligent use of wireless data from cell phones, GPS’s in busses and sensors in sewers and garbage cans will assist the Copenhagen politicians in achieving the city’s objectives of reduced congestion, air pollution and CO2emissions.

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In Metropolitan areas the concept is a way to meet the pressures resulting from an increasing population. The EU is an enthusiastic promoter of the movement and is running its own “Smart Cities Initiative” in order to accelerate the transformation of cities into fossil-free and low-resource communities.

Lord Mayor Frank Jensen
Lord Mayor Frank Jensen

Copenhagen aims to become the first CO2 neutral capital by 2025. ”Every day we strive to make Copenhagen a better city to live in and at the same time we create more jobs for the Copenhageners,” said Lord Mayor Frank Jensen.

‘Copenhagen Connecting’ allows for new, cross-cutting analyses and services that target end-user needs better or more timely – e.g. to contain risks from storms and cloudbursts, or to reap energy efficiency gains at scale and speed through bundled efforts and business investments.

North Harbor Copenhagen
North Harbor Copenhagen

Copenhagen has not only a ‘smart plan’ but is already well ahead with the investments to implement it. The City of Copenhagen has invested 34 million Euros in new streetlights and more than DKK 100 million (EUR 13 million) in new traffic lights and intelligent traffic management.

Soren Kvist
Soren Kvist

“It’s extremely important that you don’t embark on this kind of project for technology’s own sake,”  says Søren Kvist, spokesperson and Project Manager at Copenhagen Solutions Lab, the City of Copenhagens incubator for smart city initiatives.

Smart City Copenhagen
Smart City Copenhagen

The plan is in cooperation  with private companies as Rambøll and the University of Copenhagen, the University of Aalborg, The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and the IT University of Copenhagen.

Copenhagen Connecting, written by Tor Kjolberg