Smart city makes sci-fi fantasies come true

       LifeinIncheon, South Korea, embraces technology to the fullest, creating a more efficient and environmentally-friendly society. Story and pictures by Borisuthiboun Dasaneyavaja
       If you have ever watched the sci-fi movies, no doubt you will have seen visions of life where all technology is put to use with a single remote control. But such scenes may no longer be the stuff of movies, especially if you live in Incheon city.
       Incheon, the newly-built Korea city,offers its residents a high-tech lifestyle with online community services, hightech schools and green energy.
       Incheon Metropolitan City Mayor Sang-Soo Ahn said:"Future cities that operate with cutting-edge IT will improve public safety and security, commerce,healthcare, manufacturing and education and benefit consumers.
       "We are certain that this initiative will significantly enhance the quality of people's lives, build a stronger governance model and attract more business and investment to Incheon."
       To fulfil this dream, Incheon has teamed up with Cisco to lay out its IT infrastructure network and implement Cisco Smart+Connected Communities solutions that helped utilise the network and its devices capabilities accordingly.
       In transforming the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ), Cisco has provided its experience, expertise and networking technologies for the globalisation of Incheon Metropolitan City.
       A key element of the project was the development of advanced "u-City" technologies, designed to create a unified,common Internet Protocol (IP) network platform for the project.
       In order to carry out this initiative, a Cisco u-City Global Centre will be established in Songdo. This service centre also offers comprehensive integrated solutions to help citizens experience a technology-enabled lifestyle in work,health care, education and at home.
       Cisco has deployed video networking technology and energy management software tools city-wide and melded municipal systems, such as education, health care, transportation and hospitality, into a common network.
       Its Smart+Connected Communities software has been used to address the growing need for sustainable energy by providing a network-enabled blueprint for successful, smart cities of the future that run on networked information, according to a Cisco executive who gave a brief tour of the fully equipped the Founder's Club, a penthouse apartment in Songdo.
       He added that one of the key components of the solutions was Smart Connected Buildings that provided the intelligence to interconnect and enable building systems such as heating, ven-tilation and cooling (HVAC), lighting,electrical, security, and renewables over the IP network to build smart and energyefficient buildings of the future.
       This provides operators and owners of these buildings with new ways of managing how energy is used.
       Smart buildings are equipped with an integrated array of sensors that can also monitor such things as the amount of sunlight coming into a room and adjust indoor lighting accordingly. It can turn on the appropriate lights, equipment and environmental controls.
       Residents will be able to chat with their children's teachers, consult doctors and apply for city permits and licenses via monitors in their apartments.
       Besides smart buildings, the Songdo International School also offers a smart school. Children will be offered Internet and tele-present solutions and the locations of the students will be known at all times as part of the school's safety and security policy - although.Old city vs new city
       As Incheon is a new city, the data network and IT infrastructure should be easy to implement and install - which would not be the case for an old city like Bangkok, said Metropolis secretary-general Josep Roig.
       However, he said old cities could still be smart but they would require collaboration between the city council and private sector to study and utilise existing IT networks.
       He added:"Information technology has become the fourth utility in cities.
       "City leaders and urban planners need to consider the critical contribution that information and communication technology provides to the solution of urban challenges.
       "The products and services are in place; the challenge is to get people to use them."The future city
       Wim Elfrink, chief globalisation officer and executive vice president,
       Cisco Services,said:"The Internet is quickly expanding from mobile devices and computers as it begins to encompass not only the consumer and business internet,but now the industrialisation of the Internet.
       "Cities that are run on information will transform the quality of life for citizens, drive economic growth and improve city services and management.
       "Particularly in these tough economic times, cities that use the network to accelerate and multiply their infrastructure investments will be those who not only survive challenges,but thrive and lead into the future."
       Elfrink added:"The network is also key to addressing one of the 21st century's most significant issues environmental sustainability.
       "While technology contributes to about 2 percent of the world's carbon emissions, it can be a substantial part of the solution.
       "It is estimated that technology can reduce carbon emissions by 15 percent by 2020; an environmental savings of 1 ton of CO2 per capita that translates into $946 billion (31.8 trillion baht) in financial savings.
       "Additionally, cities that run on information can improve energy efficiency by 30 percent in 20 years."