In Europe, Austria is at forefront to apply latest technology and improve the lives of its citizens. Vienna has adopted a strategy ‘smart city’ as part of digital innovation and make the lives of people better. Benefits and easy access makes this new strategy acceptable to the citizens of Vienna for quick transformation.
Multiple fields for transformation
The Smart City Vienna adopted in 2014 works as a tool to accomplish social change quickly. In this initiative, the technology is used as a servant to the humanity. The new strategy takes into account various factors like real estate, mobility, and energy for a quick change. It has set 38 objectives till the year 2050. The first milestone is set in 2025, a second one in 2030 and the third one in 2050.
Blockchain
Blockchain plays a key role in realizing the set goals. It finds wide usage in Smart City initiative. For example, one of the uses is to notarize the OGD (open government data). The city administration managed Wien Energie, an electric supplier, would explore the use of blockchain technology for efficient distribution.
Excerpts of CIO
According to the CIO of Vienna, Ulrike Huemer, Vienna is using the technology as a vehicle for environment sustainability and social change. The blockchain based technology is being used in every city administration office and connects with private sector as well. The broad network is the key for transformation.
Roland Berger, a consultancy firm, has awarded the first rank in the Smart City Index for the digital initiatives taken by Vienna. It has commended the efforts to improve the healthcare system with the help of technology innovation. The progress in education, environmental sustainability, and mobility and Open Government Data has put Vienna initiative in the top spot.
Austria masters the future challenges because of a variety of public infrastructure frameworks. The success of the smart city concept is cooperating with relevant actors. It needs to give priority to science, economy, and the civil society to share their interests with City Administration. Success of the adoption lies in integrating all the interested parties. It also needs political support, agenda and an evaluation process.
Individual actors and departments have to allocate funds for implementing smart city initiative and realize the benefits because Vienna City does not have funds.
