In several chapters we can see the impressive work done and the successes achieved
The unprecedented rate of urban growth and the challenges that come with it, brought up the necessity for urban management to seek optimal solutions. Solutions that should be able to address all different aspects of urbanism, including sustainable development, education, energy, environment, safety and public services, etc. Following the improvement of information and communication technologies, these solutions had been defined as being "smart" and the concept of "smart city" is introduced as a way to achieve efficient and sustainable cities that can face all deferent urban challenges regarding to their cultural, environmental, economic and logical context.
Iran had been started the development of infrastructure required for developing smart and innovative solution, specifies for the Persian’s urban context and now is in its way to stablish "smart transformation" as a process to undertake ICT technologies and infrastructure to meet the local urban challenges. Cities such as Tehran (the capital), Mashhad, Tabriz, Arak, Tehran, Qom, Isfahan, Shiraz, Kish Island, Urmia and other cities have entered the process.
There are several governmental and non-governmental organisations in which had the development of the process of smart transformation amongst their main missions, including:
- Ministry of Information and Communications Technology of Iran (Information Technology Organization of Iran)
- Ministry of Interior
- Iran Ministry of Roads & Urban Development
- Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance
- Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology
- Supreme Council of Provinces
- Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA)
- Law Enforcement Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran
- Department of Environment
- ICT guild organization of Iran
- And all cities councils
Apart from development of ICT infrastructure, several projects and initiatives had been established and implemented with respect to Iran's main challenges that metropolises are involved, in the fields of transportation, housing, pollution, and urban services. It should be noted that as the diverse urban environment (different urban climate, social and cultural context and economic situation) in Iran local solutions and initiatives that can meet all different aspects of urban life are yet under progress, but very valuable steps have been taken in development of infrastructure debate. We mentioned some of the successful infrastructure developments and initiatives of some cities below.
To date, noticeable steps had been taken with regards to implementing smart transformation for Persian cities specified for their own local characteristics to undertake new technologies to meet local challenges. It should be mentioned that the smart transportation process is a process, which has main overall steps and it would be different in different cities regarding the own urban culture.
After numerous studies and needs assessments in various organizational, urban and national dimensions and in collaboration with the University of Tehran, Smart City Research Center of Iran has been established to meet some of the research, study and executive needs of Iran in the field of smart city and other related fields.
In this regard, and in order to further synergy and transfer of experience and knowledge among smart city activists, the Smart City Research Center of Iran has set the National Smart City Day on November 24 (Simultaneously with the day of commemoration of Farabi (creator of the utopia theory)). This research center has also organized the National Smart City Committee in cooperation with the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology of Iran, as well as the Information Technology Organization of Iran, with the participation of 19 members from public and private organizations.
In the following parts, we will discuss in detail the measures taken in Iranian cities.
Authors
Engr. Amin Gharibi, Vice-President of Smart City Research Center of Iran, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dr. Farinaz Moghtaderi, Member of the Research Council and Directory of the smart Planning and Design Commission of the Smart Cities Research Center of Iran, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
