City smartNESS: The energy dimension of the urban system

Abstract

This paper proposes a re-thought of the concept of urban smartness, particularly referring to the energy component. Recognizing that the new technologies, which are the most popular aspect of smartness, can play a fundamental role in the new approach, it has been suggested that we consider them in an adoptive way rather than in an adjunctive way, as it is commonly intended in the general sense of a smart city. According to this vision, in the first part of the paper, a new concept of smartness is proposed (SmartNESS: Smart New Energy Saving System). This concept is also related to the possibility of identifying some leading urban functions that can play a strategic role in improving urban smartness. In this sense, in the second part, tourism is considered as a drive function able to make cities more efficient and attractive if it will be integrated inside the urban governance process. The third part of the paper highlights how the rationalization and reduction of energy consumption is one of the essential fields to rely on in order to improve the smartness of a city. This part provides an overview of the most significant initiatives that are being developed on energy efficiency, and investigates some cases particularly innovative addressing the issue with an integrated and non-sectorial approach. Through the analyzed experiences, some possible intervention strategies to integrate the issues of energy efficiency in urban planning are suggested in the conclusive part of the paper.