Singapore remains top of Smart City Index

Over the past few years, the government of Singapore has implemented a strategy to transform its capital into a “city in a garden” with solar-powered supertrees that can reach up to 50 metres in height and support sustainable communications technologies.

London slipped from 15th place in last year’s index to 22nd this year, while Leeds and Glasgow were among nine new cities added to the list based on local authorities' investments in smart city technology.

Zurich, Oslo, Taipei City and Lausanne were next in the rankings with three Swiss cities in the top ten following investments including a project for creating a “2,000-watt society” through energy-efficient home and office blocks as well as the introduction of emission-free buses and cabs.

The SCI is the work of the Smart City Observatory, made up of the Institute of Management Development’s (IMD) and World Competitiveness Centre (WCC),which calculates the economic and technological aspects of smart cities balanced against “humane dimensions” of urban living, such as quality of life, environment, and inclusiveness.