More than 900 cities will gather in Barcelona from Tuesday to Thursday, in what will be the most ambitious edition of the Smart City Expo World Congress. At Fira de Barcelona's Gran Via venue, smart cities will take center stage through more than a thousand exhibitors and presentations by 600 experts.
Fleeing dystopian visions, Valenti imagines a Barcelona of the future more connected to the metropolitan environment and with more space for pedestrians and vegetation. Among the technologies that are gaining ground in the city, one stands out, which generates considerable international interest: the superblocks.
— Where are smart cities focusing?
— There is a very wide range, and we cover all areas in the congress, from mobility to the blue economy and even governance. And always with the citizen at the center. In this edition, AI will play a very important role, and we will address it from real applications.
— For example?
— The study of large-scale data to facilitate decision-making. An example is digital twins, digital twins of cities, which allow knowing the implications that a decision can have.
— How could it be applied in Barcelona?
— To study the tram connection, for example. A digital twin can foresee what will happen with a mobility change like this, how traffic will move, what will happen during the works... These applications are working very well.
— What other real applications can AI have in the daily life of the city?
— Infinite. In driving, security, public transport, energy efficiency, even water use, because it serves to predict the progression of temperatures and rain, and irrigation can be adapted according to needs automatically. Or cleaning, with mechanisms that distribute the service according to the influx of people.
— How does AI fit with other technologies that have already landed in smart cities?
— Artificial intelligence adheres to existing ones. However, with AI we are still mostly in a prototype phase and not so much in implementation. There are other areas of the planet that have it much more deployed, such as China.
— Do we have to go there?
— In my opinion, no. Each continent will apply it in its own way. The Chinese model is not replicable in Europe, due to regulations and because they have a top-down model, from government instructions downwards. Here, private initiative is alive and very important, and even more so in the United States.
— Where should Europe be heading?
— Here, the digital conversation between citizens and the administration will develop. A point will come where it will be quite common for any procedure to be done digitally. And interaction with technology in our daily lives will increase.
— Will cities be the engine of this change?
— The city is the space where most of the population lives, and 80% of the world's GDP is accumulated there. Problems occur in cities, and solutions must be in cities.
— Where does this change lead?
— There are many dystopian voices, but I believe this will turn out well. I can imagine all scenarios —I have read a lot of science fiction—, but I believe we are taking the right steps. The areas are many: designs of more sustainable buildings, infrastructure renovation, smart mobility…
— In this context, will cities that do not bet on AI be left behind?
— Almost unintentionally, all cities are moving in that direction. There are different needs and different speeds, each country and city has its culture and rhythms, and the solutions one needs are not the same as another. But all are heading towards the same path; each at its own pace, but there is a generalized advance.
— In this advance, should cities compete, or should they collaborate?
— Definitely, they have to collaborate and, in reality, they already do. Events like our congresses contribute in this direction. In Barcelona, 900 cities from all over the world gather: they share experiences, share situations, talk with suppliers, about solutions… Although each city is different and needs different solutions, there are many common possibilities that can be applied with adaptation.
— In what solutions does Barcelona shine?
— There are many innovations that work very well in Barcelona. And there is one that stands out among the rest, linked to mobility and urban planning: the superblocks. They have externalities, of course, like gentrification, but they are highly valued models that generate international interest.
— Do other cities want to reproduce them?
— It's an easily replicable model and yes, it's being taken to other cities around the world. We have an avalanche of requests to go and see the superblocks, to see how they work. We do visits during the congress so they can be seen in situ.
— Barcelona is also betting on the blue economy. What role does it play?
— It is very present in a large part of cities. There needs to be a stronger connection between ports and coastal areas with the city. There is an exceptional business opportunity; they are still key points for the social and economic development of the citizenry.
— What will the Barcelona of the future be like?
— It will be a Barcelona with fewer vehicles, constantly communicating with the rest of the metropolitan territory, much more connected. It will continue to be a dense Barcelona, but there will be more green and more space for pedestrians. I see a more friendly city.
— This idea is far from futuristic images with cities full of tangled highways and isolated citizens. What would you say to the dystopians?
— There are places in the world where that could happen, but here the population doesn't want to go that way. It's difficult to move in a direction that society doesn't want. I am optimistic about technology: we will move towards a more comfortable city.