Stockholm—Smart City

Abstract

For Stockholm, a smart city is quite simply a city that utilizes digitalization and new technology to simplify and improve life for its residents, its visitors and businesses. This is manifested in the city strategy for a smart and connected city. The city-owned company Stokab leases, since 1994, fibre optic networks that telecom operators, businesses, local authorities and organizations use for digital communications. Efficient public e-services are key factors in a thriving city and are characterized by a common desire to prioritize citizens’ different needs and desires. To easily apply for permits, find your way around town and being able to run errands around-the-clock should be possible for all of our citizens. As part of this goal, the city offers e-services that make it more convenient than ever to be a Stockholm resident. Since 2011, Stockholm has published open data in several areas. The goal is to promote innovation and openness, and the city works actively to provide open data through the portal Open Stockholm. Since 1995 the city has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions per capita by 60%. Much of this has been accomplished by the transition from single oil furnaces in buildings to more district heating with co-generation of heat using renewable fuels. Now the city needs new smart solutions to go further in reducing its emissions. These solutions need to better engage the inhabitants themselves who stand for most of the emission by the way they use energy for transport and heat/hot water. GrowSmarter (https://www.grow-smarter.eu/solutions/) was a five-year project (2015–2019) supported by the European Commission led by the city of Stockholm. It focused on implementing smart solutions in refurbishments that help the city reach its ambitious climate goals.