Centre for Experience Economy and Cities

Our toolbox of solutions

Leverage our growing library of world-leading practices to accelerate local progress and help drive global impact.

Browse our Centre's solutions and other resources from stakeholders

The document is intended as a primer for public-private collaborations involving smart city projects. “Smart city”is a broad term used to encompass multiple facets of urban development, but in this document, we focus on the use of technology and data management to meet urban challenges in public spaces to help address social, economic and environmental issues. Public-private collaborations (PPCs) refer to contractual and non-contractual arrangements between a public agency and a private sector entity, which could include profit and non-profit sector entities, as well as academics, philanthropy, community leaders and others.

Government, Technology

Primer for Smart City Public-Private Collaborations

Open data has been a cornerstone of the smart city movement for many years. Smart city technologies depend on open data from city authorities and urban services for much of their core functionality – without access to transit data or GIS data, many applications simply could not work. But the need for open data extends beyond functionality, to the governance environment itself. Open data enables more accountability in government and it is crucial to establishing open, contestable markets for technology in city services.Given the long history of the open data movement, and the crucial role it plays in smart cities, an open data policy is an obvious early candidate for the policy framework of the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance.Model Policy – EnglishModel Policy – EspañolModel Policy – Japanese

Government, Technology

Open Data Model Policy

Research and interviews show that CISO’s in cities may be held accountable for systems that they do not have direct control over, as these may be procured or managed by departments other than central IT functions. Accountability sits best within a single person’s domain, however, changing governance structures within cities takes time and single-person accountability might be something to work towards. This policy is written for single-person accountability, however, an interim step may be to have a model of shared accountability in place between a central IT team/CISO’s office and operations departments.Cities have the flexibility to implement this accountability model in different ways, and accountability could sit with multiple senior officers as long as all of the responsibilities are covered and cities can show who ultimately has responsibility for each of these areas. These roles (if more than one) should have a clearly defined level of cooperation/coordination to ensure that all responsibilities are shared between them and regular updates take place, including but not limited to: key performance indicators (KPIs), associated schedule of authority amongst domains and a clear escalation hierarchy.This policy could be a published internal or external policy document, and/or the basis for one or more job descriptions for those accountable for cybersecurity in the city.Intro Video to the Cyber Accountability ModelModel Policy – EnglishModel Policy – EspañolModel Policy – Japanese

Government, Technology

Cyber Accountability Model Policy

The Cyber Resilience Model Policy is an overarching policy, which will include references to other more detailed policies within a local government body, such as disaster recovery, incident response and data protection, among others. In addition, there may be other relevant national-level policies or legislation that cover areas of cyber resilience across areas such as telecommunications or energy networks (falling under critical national infrastructure categories), which may supersede this policy. This model policy is intended to give more local-level coordination and identification of key digital infrastructure than may be covered at a national level. In each instance, local governments should ensure that all the relevant policies are aligned and complementary.This policy could also be used in conjunction with resilience assessment tools and frameworks.This policy focuses on the digital aspects of local government service provision, including “connected places/smart city” products and services, and does not include broader aspects of environmental, economic or social resilience.Model Policy – English

Government, Technology

Cyber Resilience Model Policy

Cities must balance their own need to use and share data to conduct business with the broader public welfare and individual privacy interests in a way that builds and maintains public trust. Without public trust, the benefits of smart city technologies will be ultimately unsustainable. Cities must invest in policies and practices that will help individuals, local communities and technology providers maximize the benefits of responsible data use while minimizing privacy risks to individuals and communities.By implementing privacy impact assessment (PIA) policies, cities can establish a consistent method for identifying, evaluating and addressing privacy risks. Drafting a model PIA policy is a complicated process, as wide variation exists in cultural and legal approaches to privacy and data protection around the world. In this policy, it is hoped that by prescribing the process that should be followed and the issues that must be considered, there will be increased likelihood that cities will more confidently consider and address privacy risks in a manner consistent with community expectations.Intro to the Privacy Impact Assessment VideoModel Policy – EnglishModel Policy – EspañolModel Policy – Japanese

Government, Technology

Privacy Impact Assessment Model Policy

Implementation of this policy may be led by a whole city administration, or by individual departments. Open contracting enables transformative, major reforms that can start small and scale up over time. It requires collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. There is no one city that has perfectly implemented this policy, and cultures of digitalization and data use are still developing. Recognizing this, open contracting will require agile experimentation, building proofs-of-concept, policies and processes; focusing on themes, problem areas, issues or use cases; and then scaling up.This open contracting model policy aims to provide cities with the ideas, methodologies and tools needed to explore and embed open contracting in public procurement. Building on best practice from around the world, this model policy could be implemented as a policy in its entirety, used by a city to shape a full and comprehensive approach to public procurement, or as a resource to phase in open contracting over time. Some aspects of this model policy may also align with local, regional or national legislation.This model policy should be considered in conjunction with the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance Open Data Model Policy.Model Policy – EnglishModel Policy – EspañolModel Policy – Japanese

Government, Technology

Open Contracting Model Policy

ICT products and services are the most scalable and used tool of our modern societies. Cities all over the world are using ICT to inform and serve citizens. At the same time this digital transformation is generating a massive amount of data that can be used to increase the efficiency of the city.As cities digitally transform, it is fundamental they ensure the accessibility of all products and services or risk widening the digital divide and excluding a significant percentage of the population. Disability – whether temporary, situational or permanent–is something that can affect people at any time. Designing with and for people with disabilities leads to greater innovations for everyone. ICT accessibility is not only important for persons with disabilities but also benefits the increasing elderly population, migrants that do not speak the native language and persons with low literacy.Procurement policies are a critical lever in increasing accessibility. They set out the expectation, standards and criteria for how goods and services will be purchased, and through this, the city can ensure the acquisition of universal designed products and services to safeguard the equitable development and participation of all. Model Policy – EnglishModel Policy – EspañolModel Policy – Japanese

Government, Technology

ICT Accessibility Model Policy

Digital infrastructure can be a complex policy area, and one that often attracts significant citizen and political attention. In this context, this model policy aims to provide cities with a comprehensive foundation to drive or accelerate digital infrastructure provision. Drawing on best practice from around the world, the model policy could be implemented as a policy in its entirety, used by the city as a guide to shape their wider approach to digital infrastructure, or as a resource to inform the development of internal and standard operating procedures. Some aspects of the model policy may also align with local, regional or national legislation.Intro to the Dig Once Model Policy VideoModel Policy – EnglishModel Policy – EspañolModel Policy – Japanese

Government, Technology

Dig Once Model Policy

The IoT Port Platform of the China-Europe Railway (Urumqi) assemble center has built several middle platforms and scenario applications, including digital platform, intelligence platform, business platform, etc. Based on advanced technologies such as digital twins and artificial intelligence, the project integrates a variety of IoT devices to achieve the visibility, surveillance, and management of stations. Meanwhile, through introducing unmanned trucks and unmanned security patrol vehicles, it will be greatly helpful for stations to replace labor with robots, achieve unmanned station security and transportation operation, finally promote the development of station business work.

Supply Chain & Transportation

The IoT Port Platform of the China-Europe Railway (Urumqi) Assemble Center

The Video Cultural Industry Park of Malanshan is the first national-level radio and television industrial park,a national demonstration base for cultural and scientific integration, aiming to build as the "China V Valley" with global competitiveness. With industry as the core, relying on space-time big data and 5G as the feature, the park has built an industrial chain mapping and created digital twin applications such as intelligent operation management platform, smart studio, virtual digital man, digital cultural & tourism. At present, the park has built an intelligent hub system with IoT platform, CIM foundation platform, big data platform and AI platform as the core, which realizes resource sharing and business collaboration among different business modes, different applications and heterogeneous systems.

Technology, IT and Communications (ICT)

Digital Twin Make "China V-Valley" New Commercial

To comprehensively enhance the enterprise production management level, park operation level, and public service intelligence level, the Wise Park Project of ELHT makes full use of the leading advantages of the construction industry, industrial resource, park operation, and technology, and continues to develop basic park construction, intelligence operation mode, and artificial intelligence technology. The project builds three core platforms including digital platform, smart platform and business platform, which provide various intelligence services for park operation management, product development, etc. Based on the needs of enterprise development life cycle elements, these platforms will form "research chain, policy chain, and finance chain” as park’s digital operation service ecology, which will greatly promote the efficiency of enterprise development and the industrial economy.

Technology, IT and Communications (ICT)

WISE PARK PROJECT OF ELHT

Dongsheng Peili Education Science and Technology Park Video Twin Pilot Park Demonstration Project, Realized a picture of Video oviparous, And connect the real-life video of 3D model of the whole campus. Combined with perception prediction, analysis and alarm and other related businesses (For example, comprehensive operation of security management personnel, manage vehicles, Event management, space management, low-carbon management, key buildings and BIM…), It brings authenticity and accuracy to the managers of the park. It is more convenient for managers to carry out daily control, emergency command and dispatch.

Education, Technology

Dongsheng Peili Education Science and Technology Park

Through the construction of basic information platform, digital manufacturing information platform, intelligent manufacturing information platform, FSL Lighting endeavors to implement three major reforms as the industrial chain coordination, the whole value chain openning and the transparent operation , in order to comprehensively build and continuously improve the overall operation capacity of the group. At present, the informatization foundation has been established (SAP/SRM/PLM/intelligent warehouse, etc.), and MES and APS have also been tried in the headlight Division. The digital and intelligent transformation and upgrading has brought the industrial park not only "acceleration", but also the core competitiveness on the "new track".

Energy & utilities, Technology, IT and Communications (ICT)

A Future Digital Twin Factory for Smart Manufacturing

Build a smart park platform based on the AsiaInfo digital twin platform(AISWare Digital Gemini). By connecting with the existing subsystems, data fusion and system linkage can be realized, and the AsiaInfo digital twin platform can provide capabilities such as comprehensive situation, smart operation, smart assets, and smart security.Digital twin technology can realize the global visualization of park space information, fine insight into real-time situation, deep mining of park operation rules, and deduction and simulation of park development trends.

Engineering & Construction, Technology, IT and Communications (ICT)

5G Tech Park based on Digital Twins

With the unique self-developed digital twin engine of UINOcompany, the Ningtiaota project carry out holographic digital modeling of Ningtiaota Park, combined with IOT, AI, knowledge map technologies, and with a new digital twin visual management of "what you see is what you get”, it realize the comprehensive management and control of the whole process, whole application and whole data, to create a safe, green and comfortable park environment for the employees of the park.

Mining & Metals, Technology, IT and Communications (ICT)

Smart Park project of Shaanxi Coal Mine Group

Located in Gaoxin south area of Nanshan District, Shenzhen Bay Eco-Tech Park covers an area of 203000 square meters and a construction area of 1888300 square meters,covering R & D,office,supporting apartments,commerce and hotels. The park has four areas and consists of 12 buildings. At present, it has gathered more than 800 high-tech enterprises, led by leading enterprises such as Huawei, Tencent, Airbus, Accenture, and supported by many high-quality small and medium-sized enterprises in the park.In addition,it has built industrial chains such as artificial intelligence, Kunpeng computing, science and technology finance, and new generation information technology. It is a typical representative Park of "Zhongguancun in the north and Shenzhen Bay in the South".

Engineering & Construction, Technology, IT and Communications (ICT)

Shenzhen Bay Eco-Tech Park

Education, Technology, IT and Communications (ICT)

Cambridge CARES and the World Avatar Project

The FABULOS (Future Automated Bus Urban Level Operation Systems) project was designed to accelerate innovation in the development of autonomous bus systems and prepare cities for the future of mobility, with the goal to implement and operate an autonomous electric bus line using a pre-commercial procurement approach. Different holistic automated fleet management solutions have been piloted in five partner cities, with the collaboration of public and private entities sharing the benefits and risks of the project.The project applies a systems approach in order to find a holistic solution that includes not just a fleet of autonomous electric buses, but also the overall fleet management capabilities, maintenance and charging, and control room functions with full integration into existing public transport.

Finland, Greece, Netherlands, Estonia, Norway | Transportation, Government, Mobility, Technology

FABULOS Pre-Commercial Procurement

Forum Virium Helsinki

The District of Columbia, like many US cities, has a combined stormwater and sanitary sewage system, which often experiences frequent sewage overflows. Washington’s combined sewer overflows were dumping an average of 2.5 billion gallons of combined sewer water annually into three rivers, including the Rock Creek tributary that ultimately flows into the Chesapeake Bay. These polluted water overflows brought bacteria, trash and heavy metals along with them, negatively impacting DC’s water quality, air quality and natural habitats. The combined overflows reached volumes and frequency that violated the US Clean Water Act.

USA | Government

DC Water - Environmental Impact Bond

Quantified Ventures

Healthy Greens JC is a joint initiative between the Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Jersey City Housing Authority (JCHA) and AeroFarms to deliver healthy, local-sourced vertically farmed produce in efforts to tackle food insecurity by merging technology, education and food access. The initiative has resulted in two operational vertical farms, with eight more in development. The goal is to bring healthier food options to low-income communities and to increase education on nutrition and healthy eating. Healthy Greens JC is the first comprehensive urban vertical farm programme in the United States.

USA | Food & agriculture, Health, Government, Technology

Healthy Greens - Jersey City

AeroFarms, Department of Health and Human Services, City of Jersey City, Oura, City of Jersey City

Access our benchmarking tools

Smart Cities Benchmark

Compare your city practices with expert recommendations to make progress.

Net Zero Carbon Cities Toolbox

An open online database containing best practices and case studies for urban decarbonization.

Have a solution you would like for us to feature?

Email us with information about your suggested solution.

Centre for Experience Economy and Cities

© 2026 All rights reserved

Privacy Policy & Terms of Service