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MARCH, 2013
What is a sustainable city?
The global population is set to soar to more than 9 billion people by 2050 – and 70 percent of
them will live in cities, according to the United Nations. At the same time, ICT is extending its
reach, with the expectation that 50 billion devices will be connected by 2020. We are on the brink
of the Networked Society – where everything that can benefit from being connected will be. Thus
there is great potential for ICT to be an enabler for sustainable economic, environmental and
social development in cities.
A sustainable city is a city that is taking an intelligent, long-term collaborative approach to tackling
the economic, social and environmental challenges that arise when more and more people come
together in dense, compact areas, stretching already scarce resources.
Applicable across a vast array of industries, including automotive and transport, health, education
and banking, sustainable city modeling solutions come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Take for
example intelligent buildings that utilize connectivity for security, energy and climate monitoring
and are net producers of renewable energy. Or disaster and management solutions that use
remote sensors to alert people at risk of severe weather or natural disasters. Smart meters can
give consumers the knowledge they need to control their energy costs. Or food initiatives where
it’s possible to choose healthy and appetizing food with a low carbon/water footprint, and plan
meals to avoid waste.
With these and other solutions based on connectivity provided by mobile broadband, sustainable
cities can:
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create jobs and drive GDP growth

optimize energy consumption

provide government e-services

increase business, consumer and organizations’ awareness of their impact on society

provide access to healthcare and education.
In this way sustainable cities deliver the building blocks for transforming societies into a low
carbon economy with increasing socio-economic benefits, as citizens gain access to services
and opportunities to improve their quality of life and financial outlook.
At the same time, smarter use of resources and ICT-enabled services, such as e-health, eeducation and telecommuting, will have a dramatic impact on CO2 emissions. According to the
SMARTer2020 report, the total potential reduction in CO2e emissions across six sectors of the
economy is seven times greater than the industry’s own ICT-related emissions. Today, 70
percent of CO2 is generated in cities, so as cities grow so too does their role in reaching global
goals of cutting emissions in half by 2050.
As a leader in ICT development, solutions and implementation, Ericsson is playing a major role in
realizing the Networked Society and paving the way for more efficient, effective cities.
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We do this through:
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supporting development of ICT-enabled services and solutions for cities
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contributing to smart, sustainable city projects such as the Stockholm Royal Seaport and
Digital City initiative in Johannesburg, South Africa

engaging in public-private partnerships to drive progress, for example the New Cities
Foundation and SymbioCity

research into the impact of ICT’s transformative role on cities
Today’s sustainable city solutions
As mobile broadband becomes ubiquitous, and more and more things and people become
connected, the opportunities presented by ICT multiply. Below is a selection of innovations
already making a difference in cities around the world.
Smart metering - Smart meters form a key component of smart grids – created by
introducing ICT technologies into traditional electrical networks. Smart meters are a great
way to make energy consumption more efficient and reduce the impact of climate change.
In Italy, Ericsson delivered a complete advanced metering management service to utility
company ACEA. It involved 1.5 million electricity meters, customized middleware, systems
integration and managed services. The benefits: a higher level of customer satisfaction,
increased energy distribution optimization and efficiency, greater end-user/consumer
awareness of their environmental impact and more home energy-management options.
In Australia, Ericsson conducted a life cycle assessment of smart metering for electricity
distribution in a major metropolitan area. It found three main benefits: the elimination of
manual meter reading; a reduced number of vehicles leased; and a reduction of energy used
in the home. The results show that the energy savings in the home are greater than the
direct environmental impact of the installation and operation of the smart metering.
Connected buses - In Curitiba, Brazil, Ericsson provided a solution connecting public buses to
3G mobile broadband networks. The electronic ticketing and fleet management systems enable
controllers to access a wide range of information about their fleet and monitor the route, stop
time, speed, distance traveled, date of departure and arrival. The electronic ticketing reduces the
need for paper while the fleet management system provides route optimization, reducing fuel
consumption.
E-health - In Croatia, the Healthcare Information System connects 2,400 primary healthcare
teams in 20 counties and the capital Zagreb. It provides electronic reporting and booking,
updates patient records and digitalizes prescriptions and referrals, eliminating the need for
printouts when sent to pharmacies, hospitals and laboratories. The e-referral and e-prescription
services can potentially reduce CO2 emissions by 15,000 tonnes per year, while adding just 330
tonnes from operation and manufacturing.
Smart work - In Sweden, telecom operator TeliaSonera – with assistance from Ericsson and the
Center for Sustainable Communications at the Royal Institute of Technology – studied the impact
of ICT-based smart work solutions such as teleworking, flexi-working, virtual or telepresence
conferencing and flexi-office. Between 2001-2007 smart work initiatives reduced CO2 emissions
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MARCH, 2013
by 40 percent, or 2.8 tonnes, per employee. On a nation-wide level, smart work initiatives could
cut emissions by 20 percent by 2020. Globally, the figure was 2-4 percent.
Mobile money - In Kenya’s rural areas the banking infrastructure is limited. This makes it
necessary to travel to the nearest town to pay for water and electricity and to refill a mobilephone prepaid account. With mobile money, all this can be achieved without leaving home,
making it unnecessary to travel. In a study conducted by Ericsson, by introducing a mobile
money ICT solution it is possible to reduce 22 kg of CO2e emissions per subscriber a year. The
main use cases are money transfer, local payment and bank services.
Shaping sustainable cities
A key part of Ericsson’s commitment to creating sustainable cities is its contribution to
sustainable city projects. Here are two initiatives where Ericsson is supporting local authorities to
create long-term solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges.
Stockholm Royal Seaport - By 2030 the Stockholm Royal Seaport in Sweden will provide
10,000 homes and 30,000 workspaces in what will be an international model for urban
development by utilizing a climate-smart and efficient infrastructure.
Once completed, the Stockholm Royal Seaport will be: free of fossil fuels and climate positive;
adapted to climate change; and have high environmental and sustainability goals in all sectors.
The first inhabitants moved in at the end of 2012.
Ericsson’s role is as the main partner of Stockholm Royal Seaport Innovation, a public-private
partnership for sustainable cities. The first step has been to make the core ICT infrastructure of
the area smarter, focusing initially on energy. Ericsson is leading the ICT aspect of the
development of the Stockholm Royal Seaport’s Urban Smart Grid project, which in turn is being
managed by the utility company Fortum.
Ericsson is also leading a mobility management pre-study on how travel and transport in the area
can be optimized and substituted. Usage of electrical vehicles and new business models are
areas being addressed.
Another main contribution is communication enablers in the underlying smart grid. The intention
is to develop a sustainable electricity system that will be a platform for new business and
consumer behavior. It will enable connected homes, meters, buildings, vehicles and harbors.
The core ICT infrastructure will form the basis of an integrated platform on which smart
applications can be built. Such applications could include city-management systems and smart
street lighting, as well as transport, education and health services.
Sub-Saharan Africa’s first Digital City - In Johannesburg, South Africa, Ericsson is providing
the network and systems integration for a next-generation, fiber-optic network as well as strategic
advisory to help the city reach its 2040 Growth and Development Strategy, launched in 2011.
The strategy is driven by the need to address education, economic growth, and sustainability.
Through tailored applications, consumers and businesses can seize the advantages of the new
connectivity.
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When completed later this year, the network will cover all eight regions in Johannesburg,
providing broadband technologies to city offices and enabling a variety of solutions within
education and health and other areas to further socio-economic development.
The project will help to bridge the digital divide, closing the gap in connectivity between the rich
and the poor in the city. The diverse range of services supported by high-speed broadband will
make Johannesburg the first true Digital City in sub-Saharan Africa.
NOTES TO EDITORS
SMARTer2020: http://gesi.org/SMARTer2020
The Broadband Bridge, linking ICT with climate action for a low-carbon economy:
http://www.broadbandcommission.org/Documents/Climate/BD-bbcomm-climate.pdf
ICT’s transformative role:
http://www.ericsson.com/thecompany/sustainability_corporateresponsibility/enabling_a_low_carb
on_economy/research_and_standardization
http://www.ericsson.com/thecompany/sustainability_corporateresponsibility/enabling_a_low_carb
on_economy/networked_society_cities_index
New Cities Foundation:
http://www.ericsson.com/thecompany/sustainability_corporateresponsibility/enabling_a_low_carb
on_economy/new_cities_foundation
SymbioCity:
http://www.ericsson.com/thecompany/sustainability_corporateresponsibility/enabling_a_low_carb
on_economy/symbiocity
Stockholm Royal Seaport:
http://www.ericsson.com/thecompany/sustainability_corporateresponsibility/enabling_a_low_carb
on_economy/sthlm_royal_seaport
http://stockholmroyalseaport.com/innovation/rd-projects/smart-communication/
Digital City Johannesburg:
http://www.ericsson.com/thecompany/sustainability_corporateresponsibility/enabling_a_low_carb
on_economy/sustainable_growth_path_in_johannesburg
E-health Croatia: http://www.ericsson.com/article/e-health_croatia_1633598732_c
Connected buses: http://www.ericsson.com/news/110117_buses_in_brazil_244188811_c
http://www.ericsson.com/res/thecompany/docs/corporate-responsibility/2011/curibita_final.pdf
Smart metering: http://www.ericsson.com/article/acea_italy_1595655423_c
http://www.ericsson.com/res/thecompany/docs/corporate-responsibility/2012/smartmetering.pdf
White paper: Quantifying emissions right: http://www.ericsson.com/news/130221-quantifyingemissions-right-a-holistic-approach-to-assessing-the-climate-positive-effects-ofict_244129229_c
PRESS BACKGROUNDER
MARCH, 2013
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Ericsson is a world-leading provider of communications technology and services. We are
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