How is Romania adopting smart city development models?

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The European Commission defines a smart city as a place where digital technologies are used to make existing networks and services more efficient for the benefit of local residents and businesses. They use innovative solutions  and data to improve decision-making and quality of life. 

Smart city technologies have enormous potential and numerous cities around Europe are adopting this concept and working towards making it a reality for their citizens. For local leaders all around Europe and the world, more sustainability and liveability are policy goals that are considered vital. In all aspects of urban life, smart city technologies can help cities in maximizing resources and increasing efficiency.

Romania joined the European Union back in 2007. Since then, Romanian cities have been working very hard to adopt sustainable development models. The city of Alba Iulia, located on the Mureș River in the historical region of Transylvania, has established a reputation as one of Romania’s leading smart cities. Alba Iulia Smart City 2018 was a pilot project aimed at making Alba Iulia Municipality the first in Romania to implement smart city technologies. The pilot project aimed to deploy smart and innovative solutions at the local level and marked a significant milestone since it was the first smart city project developed between the national government, a local public authority, and private companies.

Cluj-Napoca is another place in Romania with very strong smart city aspirations. Along with Leuven, Milan, Vienna, Linz, Valencia, and several other European cities, it was a finalist in the competition for the title of “European Capital of Innovation 2020”. The prize honors European cities that create active innovation ecosystems to address social challenges. In 2020, the street Molnar Piuariu in this city was transformed into a smart street, which marked the first project of this kind in Romania. Mayor of Cluj-Napoca Emil Boc said that the first smart street in Romania, built with the support of the EU, featured all of the amenities of a modern and public space that is tailored to today’s technical and urban mobility realities.

The Romanian Smart City Association is behind numerous smart city initiatives that are being implemented in Romania and are bringing enormous benefits to local residents. Last year, they launched the first national programme that monitors air quality in schools in Romania, Business Review reported. The campaign aimed to become Romania’s largest movement to improve air quality in schools, with a trial project beginning in Bucharest in June. Air quality is defined using the indicators “good,” “average,” and “poor,” so that data collected by the stations may be easily understood. Reports are sent on a regular basis indicating how the air quality has changed over time.

Eduard Dumitrașcu, president of The Romanian Association for Smart City, stated: ‘’We are in the phase where we test stations, we test technologies, we go into the middle of the community and learn together. We cannot talk about urban development if we do not understand what problems pollution brings.’’

“Just as when we feel bad, we go to the doctor so we can get a diagnosis and do investigations, in the same way, we have to act when it comes to pollution. That is why City Air is an infrastructure available for central and local authorities, civil society, and all those interested in finding solutions”, he continued.

Outstanding accomplishments of Romanian cities regarding smart city solutions are regularly highlighted at events and conferences which serve as platforms for the exchange of ideas and concepts. Last month, the Romanian Smart City Association hosted the 6th edition of the Smart City Industry Awards Gala, Romania’s most prominent smart city event. According to the Diplomat-Bucharest, the event gathered more than 400 of the industry’s top decision-makers.

This month, the 10th edition of the annual Cities of Tomorrow conference also took place. The event, which is centered around the promotion of smart city initiatives in Romania, has earned a reputation as a top-tier event for urban development in the country. (photo credit: frimufilms/Freepik)