Olly Thomas, Director of Advisory Services, EMEA, Bentley Systems, shares their insights on the priorities and approach of future Smart Cities, and why citizens should be front and centre of their design.
‘What’s a Smart City?’ I once asked a colleague. Her reply? That a Smart City, in many parts of the world, is one where you can turn on a tap 24/7 and expect clean water to come out.
Definitions differ. But one thing is certain: That any ‘smart’ city should be focused on making life for its citizens better.
Today, according to the World Bank, over 4 billion people around the world – more than half the global population – live in cities. That’s up from 15% six decades ago. This makes city dwelling a focal point for policymakers, economists and planners as well as sustainability professionals.
Nowhere is the idea of the ‘Smart City’ taking hold more than the Middle East which is globally known for its ambitious development projects and futuristic vision.
Mega projects such as the flagship NEOM, JCDC, Qiddiya City and Diriyah Gate, some planned, some underway, are promising to transform what constitutes city living and what our cities look like.
The need for re-thinking our urban spaces is clear. In Dubai, for example, in the first quarter of 2025, the population crossed 3.9 million.
The challenges around design and delivery for programmes of this size and scale is significant. But what about the challenge of making sure that this infrastructure remains fit for purpose and delivers as intended 40, 50,+ years from now. How do we maintain it effectively? How do we achieve maximum ‘whole life’ value from it? How do we ensure the ‘liveability’ of the infrastructure for decades to come?
New cities, new approach
One way is to look to the latest technology that can support us – AI, Digital Twins and so on – and how we can put it to best use.
We need to think about how that technology will serve the citizens and communities living in those spaces and how it will contribute to ‘whole life’ performance. And what about its role in supporting the realisation of ‘net zero’ goals?
These topics were explored at a major conference that took place last week in Dubai, Construction Technology ConFex UAE 2025. It brought together BIM and digital construction specialists with data management specialists, GIS specialists and city planners, as well as architects and engineers. Over two days they shared experiences and evidence regarding digital approaches to work and how they have increased efficiency and provided the organisations adopting them with a competitive edge.
They explored how digital twins can support developers across the lifecycle to create places which enhance quality of living, help keep people safe and help core services such as traffic management and people flow to be managed effectively.
They also studied examples of those programmes in the Middle East which are already benefiting from digital twin technology such as Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, a sustainable urban development, which is using digital twins to optimise energy usage and resource management.
I talked about the importance of a common/connected data environment as the foundation for any infrastructure programme and why data quality and governance are key to unlocking the potential of digital twins, AI and other technologies.
Smart skills
To build, manage and operate Smart Cities fit for today’s world, we must also consider core areas such as the incentivisation of outcomes, not outputs, in contracts.
Skills too are a vital part of the mix. The teams involved with these mega programmes must include not just traditional construction and engineer professionals but data and digital specialists with the necessary experience and knowledge to ensure long-lasting, high performing and sustainable infrastructure.
The Middle East is positioning itself as a global hub for smart infrastructure development. With consideration of all of this it will show the world that its cities are resilient, sustainable and highly attuned to the needs of their citizens.
