Dubuque Uses Cloud Computing and Sensors to Build a Smarter City

IBM Smart CitiesDubuque Uses Cloud Computing and Sensors to Build a Smarter CityBy Team 4AmigosMBA 665.01Summer, 2015The Univeristy of Findlay

IntroductionWhat does it mean to be a smart city?A smart city is a city where the day-to-day processes and the infrastructure of the city are able to provide real-time data to the city and its citizens, allowing them to better allocate resources and plan for the future.

IntroductionHow can we identify a smart city?

SummaryCities are smart when investments in social capital and infrastructure coupled with wise management of natural resources fuel sustainable economic development and a high quality of life.Smart cities focus on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Wireless sensor network. Create a distributed network of sensors which measure a host of parameters that allow city management to run their citymore efficiently.

SummarySome features of Smart CitiesCitizens of smart cities can monitor pollution concentration on their specific street, and trash cans can send signals when they are close to full. Vehicle traffic and street light usage can be monitored to optimize city lights dynamically.People have the tools to quickly and easily get the data they need to make smarter choices about their energy consumption.

ModelIBM/Dubuque Smarter Sustainable City PartnershipAnnounced September 17, 2009IBMs first Smart City in the U.S.Project features: Replicable for cities under 200,000 people.Coordinating: smart technology/community engagement.Providing residents with reliable data needed to: Save money and resources. Improve environment and local economy.Improve health & wellness.

Model

ModelSmarter Water

Problem

ModelSmarter Water

Solution

ModelSmarter Water89,090 gallons were saved among 151 households over 9 weeks.Full year = 514,742 gallons in total, or 3,409 gallons per household annually.23,000 households = 64,944,218 gallons. Water bill saving of $190,936 a year in total. Results

ModelSmarter Water56 households that used the portal multiple times reported the most benefits and they include: 77% reported an increased understanding of their water use,70% felt it helped them assess the impacts of the changes they had made,48% felt that it helped them conserve water,61% reported that, during the study, they had made a change to their water equipment or in the ways they used water, or both. 48% reported that, in the future, they plan to make changes to their water equipment or in the ways they used water (or both).

Results

Q & A1. Why is the cloud important to cities like Dubuque as they pursue their visions of a smart city?

1. Reduces the cost:

Cloud Traditional method

2. Supports Software as a Service (SaaS):

(SaaS)Purchase or operate data centers

Q & A2. What do Dubuque officials mean when they talk about a smarter city?

Smart city = cloud computing project. Distributing sensors across the city (including homes, schools, and public utilities, etc.)Gathering data about the usage of water, electricity, energy, etc.Analyzing these data.Generating useful reports to decision makers to use them forDeveloping the city & improving the quality of residents life

The Ultimate goal: making city sustainable which means efficient in it use of natural and human resources.

Q & A3. List the major smarter city projects in Dubuque. What has been the impact of the smarter domestic water program?

Major smarter city projects in Dubuque

The impact of smarter domestic water program:6.6% reduction in usage.8 fold increase in leak detection.

Smart

Q & A4. What is Dubuques next move now that they have developed some successful pilot projects like the water program and electricity program?

Integrate the usage of water, electricity, travel, and gas into one smart system.Analyze the relationships among each of these components.Suggest a community planning program.Recommend solutions.

Q & A5. How is the approach taken in Portland similar or different to the approach taken in Dubuque?

DubuqueIA

Partnering with IBMPartnering with IBMPlanning orientation for decision makersBuilding a large data PortlandORUnderstand the implications for decisions made by decision makersGather, analyze data of diff. elements & find relationship among them

References

Laudon, K. & Laudon, J. (2015). Essentials of MIS. New York, NY: Pearson Education Inc.Dubuque, Iowa and IBM Combine Analytics, Cloud Computing and Community Engagement to Conserve Water (2011). IBM.com. Retrieved from https://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/34575.wss