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Perceptions
We are now able to interact with an incre-
asingly larger number of urban areas in the
world, from railways to sewerage systems,
from waste containers to energy networks.
It is great news for our cities, particularly
for those with a rapidly growing popula-
tion. Merely making the different pieces
that make up a city smarter is not enough,
however, to create smart cities. The key for
achieving this is to promote better relations
among the stakeholders of the city.
At FCC we are aware that even though ci-
ties are now more intelligent, relations with
stakeholders are increasingly more com-
plex. Addressing this issue is essential in
order to achieve success. On the basis of
more than 100 years’ experience in provi-
ding environmental services, infrastructu-
res, and water management has enabled
us to establish a model for providing more
efficient solutions to urban areas. Increased
commitment and involvement will contribu-
te to more innovative methods for funding
infrastructures and services as well as more
defined information flows and enhanced
project management.
FCC’s citizen services model is descri-
bed below:
To start with, it is important to be aware that
no two urban areas are the same. Aspects
such as demography, politics, economic
conditions, social trends and the environ-
ment and sustainability vary considerably
from one urban zone to another, among the
different countries, and from continent to
continent. There are important lessons that
cities can learn from each other, but each
infrastructure solution and urban service
must be adapted to each specific city.
Secondly, in general terms there are three
different major groups of stakeholders in
each city when urban infrastructure and
service projects are discussed: local autho-
rities, service suppliers, and citizens. The
role of municipal authorities is crucial. They
have the strategic vision and are the ones
responsible for making such infrastructures
a reality, working with the two other groups
of stakeholders to ensure the best solutions
for their cities.
Lastly, the relationship among city authori-
ties, citizens, and service suppliers is defi-
ned by the funding of projects, data, and
the flow of information, and the successful
management of this commitment and inte-
raction. Based on our experience, we can
assert that the more solid this relationship
through collaboration, openness, and long-
term planning, the smarter will be the solu-
tions for the city.
FCC is a citizen services company. We are
all together in this.
t h e g r o u p