Salience Consulting is in a unique position. By providing advice to multiple smart-city mega-projects in Saudi Arabia, we have a clear view of the key technologies and considerations in building a smart city.
We have helped NEOM develop key international partnerships and delivered advice critical to the progress of key ICT infrastructure projects. Working with Rua Al Medina, the redevelopment of a quarter of the Holy City includes design and advice on key procurements. With Diriyah Gate, we have provided radio infrastructure advice that underpins the developments aesthetic around radio tower infrastructure. These are only some of our success stories.
Regionally, we see Saudi Arabia at the forefront of this wave of new smart cities. Neom’s The Line, which is being built from scratch, aims to be a global hub for emerging industry, focusing upon technology, hydrogen energy, and biotechnology. The ambition and vision are unlike any other project undertaken to date.
In Europe, where it is economically impractical to build new mega cities, retrofitting existing cities with smart technologies is an ongoing process. The Spanish city of Barcelona is renowned for its pioneering use of IOT devices to create a more livable urban environment. Among other benefits, the city’s implementation of sensors and data analytics has revolutionized waste management, resulting in reduced rubbish pileups and optimized collection routes.
As we look to the future, municipalities and investors continue to explore smart city technologies. This is why Salience has formed a joint venture company with Interky in Riyadh. Interkey provides advanced AI solutions for urban management resulting in improved safety, road maintenance, and urban aesthetics such as rapid identification of road deformities and graffiti and managing corrective actions.
Salience is delighted to be a key contributor to these ambitious smart city visions, and we look forward to expanding our engagement with developers and government to encourage greater innovation and refinement of smart city implementations.