BAHRAIN remains committed to its smart city initiatives despite challenges imposed by the pandemic, a determined top official outlined at a major conference.
Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf yesterday highlighted the importance of creativity and high-tech solutions as the kingdom continues to develop.
The Bahrain Smart Cities Summit covered topics such as sustainable energy and intelligent energy saving, intelligent systems for real estate solutions, government and private initiatives for smart cities and smart waste management, as well as smart financial applications.
“The spread of the pandemic has further highlighted the importance of accelerating transformation towards smart cities to ensure the capabilities of dealing with various health and economic circumstances,” said Mr Khalaf at the summit, now in its fifth edition, after inaugurating the event at the Gulf Hotel Bahrain Convention and Spa.
“The continued organising of the summit is tangible evidence of its importance to help us achieve sustainable development in Bahrain through the transformation towards smart cities in a way that suits Bahrain’s requirements and resources, as well as its future vision.
“We have examples of this transformation such as the flyover that was built at the intersection of Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Highway with Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Highway and the Saar Intersection – constructed using the ‘incremental launching technique’ that does not require the need for closing streets or confusing traffic.
“Meanwhile, agricultural and marine wealth level initiatives include soil-less initiatives and the use of garden technology to increase production, as well as fish farming projects employing modern technologies to overcome challenges.”
Support for the country’s endeavours came from far and near. French Ambassador Jerome Cauchard, for example, highlighted the importance of amending and changing policies in order to achieve ‘smart city goals’ rather than sticking to outdated agendas.
Mr Khalaf addresses the summit
“Bahrain is fully involved in these matters with sustainable goals and current developments and there are already many achievements I have seen since my arrival, such as innovative projects and urban farming,” he said.
“As an ambassador to Bahrain I am more than optimistic that smart cities is a work-in-progress and this summit comes in due time.”
The GDN previously reported that Bahrain has made impressive strides in the field already by introducing energy efficiency ratings for commercial and residential buildings, the replacement of 70,000 street lights and 400,000 bulbs with LED bulb systems, the implementation of two solar panel factories and solar panels being installed at a number of sites – including schools, homes and the Bahrain International Circuit.
“In the GCC we are one of the world’s most urbanised populations as 85 per cent of the population lives in cities and this will rise to 90pc by 2050,” said Edamah (Bahrain’s real estate investment company) chief executive Amin Alarrayed.
“In order to realise our kingdom’s vision for 2030 we must take a closer look at how our cities are serving us and, with the help of technology, we will achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals our nation is committed to.
“Smart cities rely on connectivity – which means Met Data – therefore, we need a network of devices, cameras and sensors positioned across the city gathering data such as traffic flow, waste water, electricity and even the weather.
“We need a robust IT infrastructure to process all the data and generate outputs that help our decision-makers make effective choices.
“We already have the foundations in place.
“European cities took centuries to evolve, whereas ours have done rapidly in just a few short decades – meaning the models which worked elsewhere, may not have direct applications here.
“We need our urban spaces to improve not just our productivity and economic output but also our ‘quality of life’ and with a smart approach we can develop a future city that isn’t just a powerhouse for economic growth but also a pleasure to thrive and live in.”
The summit will continue today featuring panel discussions and interactive research papers from around the region and the world.
reem@gdn.com.bh
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