Abstract
In recent times, there has been a worldwide trend towards creating smart cities with a focus on the knowledge economy and on information and communication technologies. These technologies have potential applications in managing the built and natural environments more efficiently, promoting economic development, and actively engaging the public, thus helping build more sustainable cities. Whilst the interest in smart cities has been widespread predominantly amongst metropolitan cities, several regional cities such as the Gold Coast in Australia have also recently endeavoured to become smart cities. In response to this emerging trend, this study aimed to investigate key opportunities and challenges associated with developing regional cities into smart cities using the Gold Coast as a case study. It identified key factors critical to the planning and development of smart cities. These factors fall under five broad themes: cultural and natural amenities, technology, knowledge and innovation precincts, people and skills, and governance. The factors were applied to the Gold Coast to analyse the key opportunities and challenges for its development into a smart city. Finally, key lessons, which are potentially applicable to other regional cities seeking to develop into smart cities, are drawn from the case study.
Highlights
The factors were applied to the Gold Coast to analyse the key opportunities and challenges for its development into a smart city
As a coastal city with approximately half a million population, the Gold Coast is located on the south-eastern corner of the South East Queensland (SEQ) region, which comprises Brisbane, Logan, and the Sunshine Coast, all of which have recently demonstrated an intent to develop into smart cities
The City of Gold Coast (CoGC) has been proactive in deAs cities continue to become increasingly globalised and competitive and move veloping the city into a smart city, evident from its implementation of several initiatives towards the knowledge and information economy, the concept of smart cities is gaining worldwide traction
Summary
Many cities worldwide are facing several ongoing challenges, such as increasing traffic volume and congestion, diminishing quality of life, urban sprawl, and a degrading natural environment. A growing number of regional cities in Australia, such as the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Launceston, and Gawler, have shown interest in establishing themselves as smart cities. This trend became highly evident following the $50 million Smart. A few projects have been underway or in the pipeline under the Digital City platform Given this context, this study aimed to explore major opportunities and challenges that regional cities encounter in their endeavour to become smart cities. The second section applies the framework to the Gold Coast to identify key opportunities and challenges the city is facing in its development into a smart city. The article concludes with key lessons from the case study, which are potentially applicable to other regional cities seeking to establish themselves as smart cities
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