Smart cities

Smart cities

Find more information about our strategy and current standards portfolio             

Find more information about our strategy and current standards portfolio             
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Smart cities
Smart cities
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The challenge

Cities and their delivery partners face complex choices about what type of future they are seeking to create in order to meet aspirations of their citizens. Different cities will have different visions, reflecting the needs and circumstances of their populations and economic activities. Strain on traditional service delivery from increasing populations poses a significant challenge to the sustainable growth of cities. Managing physical resources, such as energy or water as well as managing healthcare, traffic and city logistics, among others, is a major challenge that cities need to address to ensure sustainable growth in the future. ‘Smart city’ standards provide city leadership with new tools and opportunities for effective change that can help them meet these challenges.

The role for standards 

Subsequently, smart & sustainable city standards are being written through BSI to reflect the identified needs of our stakeholders, addressing urban challenges and creating common markets. Through standards, cities can provide the right conditions for open innovation and reduce barriers to systems integration. They enable collaboration and an open ecosystem for city partnerships resulting in productivity increase and service transformation in our future cities.

The standards landscape

The standards landscape reflects the idea that each city has a different vision for a smart, sustainable transformation, which might result in varying levels of engagement. There are multiple entry points to the use of standards in this field, but predominantly the advised approach is to start with a vision.

Find out more about the standards landscape >

Sustainable cities and communities: ISO 37106

Free download- Summary guidance on establishing smart city operating models for sustainable communities Cities increasingly want to transform the way they operate by moving from a traditional model – based on functionally-oriented service providers operating in unconnected vertical silos – to one that drives innovation and collaboration across vertical silos and is built around user needs. This standard provides guidance on how to shift to this smarter, sustainable city operating model. It is the international revision of PAS 181 Smart City Framework - Guide to establishing strategies for smart cities and communities.

Get free guide >

SDS/2 Smart and sustainable cities and communities

SDS/2 is the BSI committee responsible for the preparation of national and international standards in the field of smart and sustainable cities and communities. The committee is composed of volunteer nominations from cities, government, trade bodies, academic bodies, etc. gathered to discuss the context and challenges associated with cities, and how standards can address these.

It has successfully overseen the conversion of national standards developed by CSI into international standards, championing UK leadership in this field.
If you are interested in finding out more, please email sustainability@bsigroup.com

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The Cities Standards Institute

The Cities Standards Institute, a joint initiative of the British Standards Institution (BSI) and the Future Cities Catapult, brings together cities and key industry leaders and innovators to work together in identifying the challenges facing cities, providing solutions to common problems and defining the future of smart city standards.

Find out more about The Cities Standards Institute  >

Background to BSI work

The UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS as was)  commissioned BSI to develop a standards strategy for smart cities in the UK. The strategy identified the role of standards in accelerating the implementation of smart cities and providing assurance to citizens that the risks are being managed appropriately.

Subsequently, the Cities Standards Institute was launched: a joint initiative between the British Standards Institution (BSI) and the Future Cities Catapult, brings together cities, key industry leaders, and innovators to work together in identifying the challenges facing cities, providing solutions to common problems and defining the future of smart city standards.

Download - Making cities smarter - Guide for city leaders (PDF)
Download - The Role of Standards in Smart Cities (PDF)
Download - City Data Report (PDF)

BSI also undertook a mapping exercise to bring together all the work that is currently underway in Smart city standards and standards development including international work.

View smart city standards mapping research and modelling >

Smart Parks

Read BSI’s proposal to develop a new standard for Smart Parks, which will specify requirements for planning, implementing, maintaining, and continuously improving management systems delivering gains in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Read now >