International Workshop on Sustainable Smart Cities

University Of Alabama At Birmingham, Birmingham AL

Investigators

Abstract

This workshop will bring together, in Egypt, 15 senior and 3 student participants from the US to meet with approximately 60 participants from Egypt and other countries in the Middle East and Europe to discuss and plan future research on Sustainable Smart Cities. Research on sustainable urban infrastructure and living is urgently needed as the pace of urbanization continues to increase. Some estimates suggest that by 2050 70% of the world?s population will live in cities. Already nearly one billion people live in urban slums that lack basic services like water and electricity. At the same time, cities consume a tremendous share of resources like water and energy for which demand globally is only increasing. Urbanization is increasing most rapidly in developing countries, making the topic of sustainable cities particularly valuable for collaboration between US and developing country scientists. Egypt is a particularly valuable location for this meeting, with Cairo facing some of the greatest urban infrastructure challenges of any city in the world. The main goals of the workshop are to: A. Provide a forum for engineers, scientists and planners to discuss current research on sustainable smart cities. B. Establish an international collaborative research agenda and promote joint research between C. US and Egyptian scientists in urban sustainability D. Outline opportunities for junior researchers in the form of training courses, fellowships, and educational exchanges The topics proposed for the three-day meeting are: 1. Sustainable Smart City Planning and Infrastructure 2. The Built Environment 3. Economic Aspects of Urban Development (Sustainable Smart Tourism) 4. Impact of Smart Cities on Health and Quality of Life, 5. The Role of Higher Education in Sustainable Smart Cities The overarching topic and selected themes are timely. Research efforts are underway in the US and around the world to find ways for cities to operate and grow that are efficient, attractive and economical while also supporting the needs of residents. This workshop will bring together experts from the US, Egypt, the rest of the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) and Europe to share results, coordinate new collaborative research endeavors and develop training materials, all of which will be valuable in the US and around the world. Because this meeting will bring together researchers committed to understanding and improving urban areas in developing countries, the potential for valuable knowledge exchange and longer term collaboration is tremendous. Funding for this project is provided by the Office of International Science and Engineering through the US-Egypt Joint Fund.