Smart Cities Research Initiative (SIRI)

	Hari Srinivas
	One-Pager Series C-019

Overview: The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has introduced ISO 37106: Sustainable Cities and Communities, a new certification aimed at guiding cities in developing smart city operating models for sustainable urban management. This initiative builds upon the BSI Kitemark Certification, ensuring a structured approach to urban innovation, resilience, and sustainability.

What is the ISO 37106 standard?

ISO 37106 is a standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that provides guidelines for the development of smart city indicators. The standard was published in 2018 and is titled "Sustainable cities and communities - Indicators for smart cities."

Elements of Smart Indicators ISO 37106 calls for smart indicators to be outlined for the following elements: Economy - to promote sustainable economic growth through innovation and resilience. Education - to ensure accessible, inclusive, and lifelong learning opportunities. Energy - to support efficient, clean, and renewable energy solutions for cities. Environment - to encourage sustainable resource management and environmental protection. Finance - to establishe transparent and efficient financial systems for urban development. Governance - to strengthen participatory, accountable, and data-driven decision-making. Health - to enhance healthcare accessibility, quality, and public well-being. Housing - Advocates for affordable, safe, and sustainable housing solutions. Recreation - to develop inclusive public spaces for social and cultural well-being. Safety - to ensure secure urban environments through risk management and resilience. Sewerage and Sanitation - to provide efficient wastewater management for public health. Solid Waste - to promotes circular economy practices and waste minimization. Telecommunication and Innovation - to advance smart technologies for urban efficiency. Transportation - to enable sustainable, accessible, and multimodal urban mobility. Urban Planning - to integrate smart, inclusive, and resilient city development. Water Supply - to ensure sustainable and equitable water access for all.

ISO 37106 provides a framework for cities and communities to define, develop, and measure their smart city initiatives using a set of indicators that are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The standard includes a comprehensive list of 88 indicators that cover a range of areas including governance, economy, environment, mobility, urban planning, and social and cultural aspects.

The indicators in ISO 37106 are designed to help cities and communities measure their progress towards becoming smarter and more sustainable. By providing a standardized set of indicators, ISO 37106 allows for easier benchmarking and comparison of smart city initiatives across different cities and regions.

ISO 37106 provides a valuable tool for cities and communities looking to develop and implement smart city initiatives in a structured and measurable way.

Key Objectives

• Provide a framework for integrated smart city governance and operations.
• Support cities in enhancing digital transformation and data-driven decision-making.
• Align with global sustainability goals, including the UN SDGs and climate commitments.
• Foster collaboration across public and private sectors to improve urban services.

Core Components

ISO 37106 offers a practical roadmap for cities to implement smart city strategies effectively. It emphasizes:

• Citizen-centric services - Ensuring urban solutions meet community needs.
• Interoperable systems - Promoting seamless integration of city services.
• Sustainable infrastructure - Encouraging resource-efficient development.
• Data and technology governance - Enhancing security and transparency.

How have cities adopted the standard?

ISO 37106 is a relatively new standard, having been published in 2018, so its adoption by cities and communities is still in its early stages. However, some cities and organizations have already started to incorporate the standard into their smart city initiatives.

For example, the city of Barcelona, Spain has incorporated the ISO 37106 indicators into its smart city strategy, and uses them to measure the impact of its initiatives on the environment, mobility, and citizen participation. The city of Buenos Aires, Argentina has also adopted the standard, and is using the indicators to evaluate its progress towards becoming a more sustainable and connected city.

In addition, some organizations and industry groups have developed tools and frameworks based on ISO 37106 to help cities and communities implement the standard. For example, the Smart Sustainable Cities Framework developed by the Global Smart City and Community Coalition (GSC3) is based on the ISO 37106 indicators, and provides guidance on how to implement smart city initiatives in a way that is aligned with the standard.

While the adoption of ISO 37106 is still in its early stages, it has the potential to become an important tool for cities and communities looking to develop and measure their smart city initiatives in a structured and standardized way.

Key Takeaway: The ISO 37106 certification sets a global benchmark for sustainable smart city development, providing cities with a strategic framework to achieve efficient, technology-driven, and sustainable urban growth.

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