In 1989, Copenhagen initiated several smart city projects aimed at promoting sustainable urban development, improving transportation systems, and enhancing quality of life for residents.
With the deployment of intelligent solutions in their city for the past 30 years, Copenhagen is quickly becoming a leader in smart city technology, enriching citizen experiences and improving operational efficiencies. Electronic government (or e-Government) is the application of Information and Communication Technologies to government functions and procedures to increase efficiency, transparency, and citizen participation.
Municipalities have a unique direct interaction with citizens. The relationship between municipalities and their citizens is unavoidable: business registrations, auto registry, real state development, or even the subscription of a child in a school, for instance – all require citizens to come in contact with the municipality. The local e-Government objective is to create a new dynamic relationship between governments and citizens: a cycle that will become simpler and more participative for citizens. To achieve this, it is important to introduce technology in the conventional tasks of the municipality and public sector management, with public citizens and their needs being the focal point of this innovation. Copenhagen Base is a public database with crowdsourcing options for useful local information accessible via the Internet and via text-TV.
The appropriate application of national e-Government allows for higher levels of effectiveness and efficiency in governmental tasks, improvement of processes and procedures, increases the quality of public services, also improves the use of information in the decision-making processes, and allows for better communication among different governmental offices.
City infrastructure digitization improves citizen experiences, expands e-Parking services, and reduces carbon emission, making Copenhagen the place where new businesses want to invest and where new residents want to move. This enables more intelligent use of the city’s existing resources and improves how they deliver services to the growing number of citizens, commuters, and tourists who use the city. This creates a massive attraction for new business investments and entrepreneurs. Related to this is also the development in the field of guides for entrepreneurship.
Some of the key projects included:
- The Copenhagen Bicycle Strategy: This project aimed to promote cycling as a primary mode of transportation by improving bicycle infrastructure and creating a more bike-friendly city. It included the construction of dedicated bike lanes, bicycle parking facilities, and the development of cycling routes.
- The Energy Savings Plan: This project focused on reducing energy consumption in buildings and public facilities by implementing energy-efficient technologies and practices. The plan included the installation of insulation, energy-efficient lighting systems, and the use of renewable energy sources.
- The Green Roof Project: This project aimed to promote urban agriculture and green space by encouraging the use of green roofs. The initiative involved the installation of rooftop gardens, which not only provided additional green space but also helped to reduce energy consumption and mitigate the urban heat island effect.
- The Public Transport Plan: This project aimed to improve public transportation in Copenhagen by developing an integrated transport system that combined buses, trains, and metro services. The plan also included the development of a ticketing system that allowed for seamless transfers between different modes of transport.
Key Activities: local e-Government services, national e-Government services, city guide, e-Parking services, guides for entrepreneurship.
