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8/1/25, 1:16 PM Why our new Smart Cities must put citizens first – Intelligent CIO Europe
Why our new Smart Cities must
put citizens first
Ellen Flannery | 31 July, 2025
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
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