Smart cities are pivoting hardware in pandemic

11 Dec 2020 CW Team

However, in 2020 smart cities have been pivoting reinvented hardware and associated systems. There is a realisation that these may take up to 90% of the investment. That means smart buildings even in the sea and in deserts. Forest City Malaysia will be reclaimed from the sea and be a jungle of self-watering vegetation.

Some technologies in future zero-emission smart cities. Source: IDTechEx Research, “Smart Cities Market 2021-2041: Energy, Food, Water, Materials, Transportation Forecasts”, www.IDTechEx.com/SmartCities.

It means new forms of transport such as autonomous cars travelling at speed in underground tubes (Elon Musk Loop). Will it be Hyperloop achieving airline speeds in vacuum tubes between cities using magnetic levitation with trains only three seconds apart? Important now is cities making their own food, fresh water and electricity for security and cost reasons.

Multipurpose is key. Examples are Toyota robot shuttles replacing many types of city vehicles in its planned "Woven City", repurposing through the day. School bus then parcel delivery then taxi? They will go over solar plazas and even into shopping malls. Smart glass will perform many functions together. Aquaponics grows fish and vegetables as food in a single set of tubing, the plants feeding on the fish excrement. Agrivoltaics has the new bifacial solar cells mounted vertically like rows of fences so a small field is both a farm and a power station. Yes, multipurpose and smart materials are important now and IDTechEx forecasts that radically new smart city technology may rise to around $1.7 trillion yearly in 20 years.

Republished by arrangement with IDTechEx. Original report "Smart Cities Market 2021-2041: Energy, Food, Water, Materials, Transportation Forecasts" at www.IDTechEx.com/SmartCities.

The focus of smart cities has changed. They have become more ambitious as budgets increased to trillions of dollars overall, unaffected by Covid-19. The original concept was based on widespread deployment of information and communications technology ICT such as Internet of Things and 5G. However, in 2020 smart cities have been pivoting reinvented hardware and associated systems. There is a realisation that these may take up to 90% of the investment. That means smart buildings even in the sea and in deserts. Forest City Malaysia will be reclaimed from the sea and be a jungle of self-watering vegetation.Some technologies in future zero-emission smart cities. Source: IDTechEx Research, “Smart Cities Market 2021-2041: Energy, Food, Water, Materials, Transportation Forecasts”, www.IDTechEx.com/SmartCities.It means new forms of transport such as autonomous cars travelling at speed in underground tubes (Elon Musk Loop). Will it be Hyperloop achieving airline speeds in vacuum tubes between cities using magnetic levitation with trains only three seconds apart? Important now is cities making their own food, fresh water and electricity for security and cost reasons. Multipurpose is key. Examples are Toyota robot shuttles replacing many types of city vehicles in its planned Woven City, repurposing through the day. School bus then parcel delivery then taxi? They will go over solar plazas and even into shopping malls. Smart glass will perform many functions together. Aquaponics grows fish and vegetables as food in a single set of tubing, the plants feeding on the fish excrement. Agrivoltaics has the new bifacial solar cells mounted vertically like rows of fences so a small field is both a farm and a power station. Yes, multipurpose and smart materials are important now and IDTechEx forecasts that radically new smart city technology may rise to around $1.7 trillion yearly in 20 years. Republished by arrangement with IDTechEx. Original report Smart Cities Market 2021-2041: Energy, Food, Water, Materials, Transportation Forecasts at www.IDTechEx.com/SmartCities.

Infrastructure Transport

01 Jun 2026

MMRDA advances 250 m on Orange Gate–Marine Drive tunnel

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed 250 m of underground tunnelling for the Orange Gate–Marine Drive Urban Road Tunnel using India’s largest slurry shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) deployed for an urban road project.The project involves twin tunnels extending over 7 km beneath critical transport corridors, including Central Railway, Western Railway and Metro Line 3. The work requires high-precision engineering to navigate densely developed urban infrastructure.Once completed, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Orange Gate and Marin..

Infrastructure Urban

01 Jun 2026

Hindustan Zinc Pays Rs 188.46 Billion in FY26

Hindustan Zinc contributed Rs 188.46 billion to the public exchequer in FY 2025-26, according to its 9th Tax Transparency Report. The contribution, equivalent to 46 per cent of the company’s revenue, included direct and indirect taxes, government royalties, dividends to the Government of India, withholding taxes and other statutory levies.The company’s five-year cumulative contribution to the exchequer stood at Rs 915.72 billion. In FY26, Hindustan Zinc reported revenue of Rs 408.44 billion, EBITDA of Rs 221.62 billion and profit after tax of Rs 138.32 billion. It also achieved its highest..

Infrastructure Urban

01 Jun 2026

World of Concrete India 2026 Opens in Mumbai

Informa Markets in India will host the 12th edition of World of Concrete India 2026 from 3–5 June 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The specialised B2B exhibition will bring together manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, developers, architects, consultants, infrastructure companies, project leaders and government stakeholders.The event is expected to feature over 350 brands and more than 18,000 trade professionals. It will cover concrete and cement, dry mortar, precast technologies, formwork, construction chemicals, industrial and commercial flooring, scaffolding, safety solutio..