In the first of a series on smart cities, GreenBiz.com cites the Council's definition of smart cities and the framework outlined in the Smart Cities Readiness Guide. Below is a brief excerpt; click here to read the full article. ICT is at the core of the Smart City. The Smart Cities Council defines a smart city as one which "uses information and communications technology (ICT) to enhance its livability, workability and sustainability" by "collecting, communicating and crunching" data — within and across departments and third parties. The council's Smart Cities Readiness Guide provides a framework which maps "the relationship between a city's responsibilities and its seven ICT enablers." Says the guide: "If you hope to achieve your smart city goals, different technologies from different vendors must be able to work together. … You want 'open' standards ... which contribute to interoperability, choice and flexibility. … Select suppliers with a public, proven commitment to open standards."
