"The Urbanist": Home Is Where The Smart Is

For more than 30 years, I’ve been working with Smart Home technology to control various aspects of my home.??And for the past few years, I, along with other designers and planners have been investigating and developing plans for Smart Cities.??It seemed that there could be a logical connection between the two, but it wasn’t until the last few years that advances in Smart Home technology began to make this possible.

The concept of Smart Cities has become so ubiquitous that it’s hard to scroll through LinkedIn or read just about any publication without coming across a reference or article.??While new mega-projects from Asia, the Middle East, and in the US are promoting Smart City initiatives, what exactly?is?a Smart City???If you polled 100 designers, planners, developers, and city officials, you’re likely to get 100 different answers.

One simple answer is that while Smart Cities may vary in their applications, they all use large-scale deployment of technology to manage various resources, promote sustainability, and gather data to improve operational efficiency.??But how is that done?

Since technology is constantly evolving, Smart City technology should be flexible and designed with future-proofing in mind – that’s a bit easier (and less expensive) to do in new, greenfield, ground-up developments than retrofitting existing developed areas.??In advanced applications, machine learning and AI can be used to create a “digital twin” of a city in order to improve operational efficiency and predict future demand.?

In the US, many Smart City initiatives start with (or include as a significant component) the deployment of high-speed broadband services, especially needed in “digital deserts” (neighborhoods without internet access).??This became especially apparent during the height of the pandemic when it came to mandated remote school, Work From Home (WFH), and lockdowns.??Typically, digital access is provided by a collection of private sector companies (such as telephone and cable companies) with the public sector filling in the gaps.??But since publicly funded projects are typically prioritized, limited capital resources translate to some projects being delayed or put on the back-burner.

For those areas that are served with broadband access, what if there were a way to integrate a collection of existing independent systems to achieve some degree of urban “intelligence”???Some of this can be achieved today by building from the bottom up via a network of connected Smart Homes.?

What Is A Smart Home?

The concept of a Smart Home has been around for decades, previously using proprietary systems – prior to home internet, remote (off-site) access was provided via conventional telephone landlines.??Technology steadily advanced to the point where a person with average tech skills can inexpensively outfit their home with devices to easily monitor and control various functions.??The current evolution started with the introduction of three popular devices:

• Smart Thermostat?– In 2011, Nest Labs introduced its?Learning Connected Thermostat.??This, of course, wasn’t the first “smart” thermostat – mechanical and digital setback thermostats had been around since the 1970’s.??Nest’s product became popular because it used sensors and algorithms to learn how to best run your HVAC system and could be controlled through a home’s Wi-Fi with a smartphone app.??It ushered in a whole range of similar affordable smart thermostats by various companies, all of which have been popular with consumers.
• “Plug-and-Play” Camera?– In 2012, Dropcam introduced an affordable and simple-to-install video camera.??Using a home’s Wi-Fi and a smartphone app, customers could easily monitor their homes at a low cost.??(Both Nest and DropCam were eventually acquired by Google.)??Today, there are dozens of different home video cameras available for various applications (outdoor, indoor, motion sensing, wireless, etc.).
• Video Doorbell?– In 2013, Ring introduced the video doorbell, which brought both security and front-door monitoring to the average homeowner.??The video doorbell recorded porch pirates, attempted break-ins, urban wildlife, and occasional acts of kindness – often broadcast on the local news or going viral online.??(Amazon acquired Ring in 2018.)??Today, there are many different companies that offer their version of the video doorbell.??Some now offer facial recognition software that links to pictures in your phone’s contact list to determine who is at your front door.??AI is literally at your doorstep.??

As the above innovations were absorbed by larger tech companies, they now comprise the three most common Smart Home platforms –?Amazon Alexa,?Google Home, and?Apple HomeKit.??If you are interested in using Smart Home technology in your own home, you will likely use one (or more) of these platforms.??All have their positives and drawbacks, and this article does not promote any one over the other.??These technologies are part of a larger ecosystem of products known as the?Internet of Things?(IoT) which is an important component of being a Smart City.??

Making Your Home Smart

For most, making a home or apartment “smart” isn’t hard to do.??And if you already have a smartphone and home Wi-Fi, you’re halfway there.??You need two more things:

• Hub?– A Hub (sometimes called a “bridge” or “gateway”) allows you to access your home via the internet anywhere in the world via a smartphone app.??You may already have a hub at home and not even know it.??If you use an Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or an Apple TV (or HomePod), you already have a hub.??And most Smart Home apps do not require a monthly subscription fee (with some exceptions).
• Smart Devices?– To control lights, fans, etc., a smart device is needed.??The easiest is a “smart plug” (starts around $20 each).??These plug into any standard wall outlet and require no technical knowledge to install – just plug it in, wirelessly link it to your hub, and use your smartphone to control it.??For the more technically-savvy, you can also install hardwired single-pole or 3-way switches to control lights.??Over time, you can expand to include cameras, door locks, motion sensors, temperature-controlled sensors, leak detectors, smart blinds, even smart light bulbs.??It’s up to you how simple or complex your Smart Home system is.

Whether you select Alexa, Google Home or Apple, they all work pretty much the same.??And all three allow you to use your voice anywhere to control your Smart Home.??But not surprisingly, devices designed for one platform are not always interchangeable (there are some third-party systems that bridge between multiple platforms).??But later in 2022, a new specification called “Matter” will be released to address this (co-developed by Amazon, Google, Apple and other tech companies).??Matter is a new protocol that unifies device communication across competing Smart Home platforms, expands their functionality and should reduce their cost.??Think of it like this – your digital devices work on any Wi-Fi, regardless of the product, router, or provider.??Matter will do the same for Smart Home technology.?

Smart Homes In Practice

So how can Smart Homes become one of the aspects of a Smart City?

• Safety and Security?– Today in some communities, video doorbell owners can grant access to the local police department (or neighborhood group or HOA), creating a virtual video network that enhances neighborhood safety and security.??Timers and randomized automations that control lights can also give a home that “lived-in” look, and some connected smoke/CO2 detectors communicate with your thermostat if there is a fire or gas leak and activate the HVAC’s fan to quickly circulate the air in the home.??In the event of a fire, some smoke detectors will contact the local fire department for you.??
• Energy Efficiency?– In some communities, owners with connected thermostats can voluntarily link these to their energy provider for cost-savings and the provider’s ability to control the thermostat.??Why would that be needed???During periods of high use (extreme heat or cold), the provider could temporarily override thermostat settings to set the temperature higher/lower so demands on the grid are reduced – preferable, of course, to rolling brownouts and blackouts.??It also allows providers to better predict surges and to prepare accordingly.??Other connected devices (fans, dehumidifiers, room air sensors, blinds, etc.) can monitor and contribute to a home’s operational efficiency.??Connected irrigation systems can be integrated to major Smart Home platforms, ensuring they run only when needed, saving both water and utility costs, and allowing you to remotely control them from anywhere.
• Good for the Environment?– Smart devices that help residential utilities run more efficiently have a positive impact on the environment through decreased per capita demand.??It is a small but important incremental step that can improve everything from the demand on the power grid, reduce water consumption, and improve overall home “health”.
• Cost-Savings?– A Smart Home can be a financial benefit.??Smarter electrical use along with smarter appliances can reduce monthly utility bills.??Smart sensors can detect water leaks and turn off the water line when connected to a smart valve, avoiding thousands of dollars in water damage.??As a bonus, insurance companies may offer discounts when you use this tech at home.??In many ways, Smart Home devices can pay for themselves and save you money at the same time.??(Disclosure: My learning connected thermostat paid for itself in energy savings in less than a year.)
• Convenience?– Depending on how simple or complex your system is, a Smart Home can be a convenient way to live.??For instance, not only can your thermostat detect your presence and react accordingly, the app can link to your phone’s GPS to activate the HVAC system to a preset temperature when you are within a certain radius of your home.??Motion sensors can automatically turn on (and off) lights in rooms, closets, on your front porch, etc.??You can remotely unlock the front door for a neighbor, friend, guest, or repairman, rather than giving them a key.??Wonder if you left the oven on???Check your video camera (or eventually your internet-connected range).??A smart opener tells you on your phone if the garage door is open or closed.??And many of these functions can be controlled by voice, which may be especially beneficial to those with mobility issues.??It’s up to you how “smart” you make your Smart Home.

It doesn’t stop there.??Similar control and savings can be achieved in concert with homes equipped with solar panels, battery storage units, home EV chargers, and other devices.??Who knows what devices will be available tomorrow?

Let’s Talk About Privacy

This is a legitimate concern and was central to a proposed Smart City project in Toronto called Quayside (proposed in 2017 by Sidewalk Labs, a subsidiary of Alphabet, Google’s parent).??Quayside was to be an urban in-fill development on a 3 block (12-acre) former industrial site along Toronto’s waterfront – the type of project that cities, urbanists, and architects love.??Quayside would be designed to be heavily dependent on data to efficiently deliver resources and services to its residents and workers, with Sidewalk Labs investing heavily in the project’s master plan (about $50 million up front).??Sidewalk Labs also promised to promote housing diversity by providing up to 40% of the new residential units at below market-rate.?

At the same time, the public was raising concerns about how Quayside’s data would be used, where would it be stored, and who would have access to it.??When politics,?privacy, and the economic impact of the pandemic collided, Sidewalk Labs ended up cancelling the project in May 2020.??But even without Quayside, data privacy remains a concern.

The 1971 James Bond film claimed that?Diamonds Are Forever, but today, data is forever, and it is big business.??The tracking, buying, selling, analysis, and storing of data is a multi-billion-dollar industry, evidenced by the ongoing construction of data centers just about everywhere.??Every text, tweet, photo, and post are stored somewhere other than your smart device.

Consider your daily routine.??If you carry a smartphone in your pocket or purse, as you travel that phone is leaving “digital breadcrumbs” as it pings individual cell towers.??Many of the apps you rely on simply would not work without access to your phone’s GPS chip to pinpoint your location.??And those apps also contain multiple trackers to collect and sell personal or meta-data.??Like your?smartphone, when you use a laptop or tablet to go online, your data may also be exposed.??(How many of us actually read that entire Terms of Service Agreement?)?

But it’s more than that.??Your image is recorded on video dozens, if not hundreds of times each day – at ATMs, stores, office buildings, airports, hotels, restaurants, even crossing the street.??And more and more, those images are captured in full color high-definition digital video.??While driving, your car’s onboard computers are recording location, speed, acceleration, braking, etc., not to mention being recorded by traffic cameras and toll tag readers.??Maybe you don’t drive, but if you rent an e-scooter or bike, that data is also tracked and stored.??Even at home, your Smart TV, cable/satellite box, and streaming service tracks your viewing habits (and may even make viewing suggestions).??Yes, your TV is watching you.

None of this should be new information.??In fact, many people are comfortable with the trade-off of sharing some of their privacy for the convenience provided by these devices.??Used ethically, meta-data can improve the functionality of apps, websites, and software.??Still, privacy remains a legitimate concern.??While it may be impossible to escape all types of data harvesting, there are some easy things to do if you are concerned about privacy:

• Enable all of your smartphone’s privacy settings (and repeat this every time you get a new phone);
• Choose a Smart Home system with end-to-end encryption (no off-site or third-party or cloud storage);
• Select Smart Home devices that do not require setting up separate online accounts;
• Never place cameras in sensitive areas (like bedrooms);
• Make sure you always change the default password on?all?devices;
• Enable your home router’s security settings and choose a Wi-Fi password that is not obvious;
• Use a VPN (virtual private network) on your smartphone when remotely accessing your Smart Home; and,?
• Never place a voice-controlled virtual assistant (like Alexa, Google Home, or Apple HomePod) near a door or window.??Someone from outside could access your home’s control just by using their voice.

And you do not have to overdo it, smart device-wise.??Not?everything?has to be “smart”.??By taking some simple, common-sense steps, you can minimize intrusions on your privacy.

So, Do I Really Need A Smart Home?

There are some advantages to making your home as “clever” or as “intelligent” as you like, but no one is forcing you to use this technology.??But even if you only want to replace an old mechanical timer on a table lamp, this can be a less expensive alternative.??The good thing is that you don’t need to be a coder or a technophile to set up your own Smart Home.???

But if you don’t want to create your own Smart Home, there are other things you can do to make it more efficient, such as replacing halogen and compact fluorescent bulbs with LEDs.??You’ll experience a reduction in electrical demand, a reduction in heat gain, and a longer bulb life.??Your home can remain as simple or as complex as you like.??It’s why most devices, even smart ones, come with an “off” switch.

What’s Next?

While Smart City initiatives are not inevitable, certain aspects of this technology are currently being rolled out incrementally.??In the absence of a uniform and cohesive playbook, every city is free to determine how “smart” they really want to be.

Some of this will occur in the background, almost invisibly.??Your city may apply this technology to make water and sewer systems more efficient, to improve traffic flow with better signal timing, expand online resources and e-governance, shore up the power grid, etc.

Smart City technology will also be mobile.??To improve safety, a future technology called?Vehicle-To-Everything?(V2X) will integrate a suite of communication protocols for vehicles and become an integral part of a Smart City.??There are several types of V2X in development:

• Vehicle-To-Network?(V2N) and?Vehicle-To-Infrastructure?(V2I) allow vehicles to communicate with a city’s traffic management systems to address congestion, traffic flow, even parking supply and demand; and,
• Vehicle-To-Vehicle?(V2V) and?Vehicle-To-Pedestrian?(V2P) allow vehicles to communicate with each other, and with pedestrians through their smartphones to improve safety by reducing accidents.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is studying V2X technology, which may eventually be required in all future vehicles (not limited to autonomous vehicles).

The common thread in Smart City initiatives is the need to ensure citywide high-speed broadband service that links all residents, businesses, vehicles, infrastructure, etc.??This eliminates “digital deserts” and brings access to the entire city.??A Smart City should mean access for all.

At present, more than two dozen cities internationally are enacting Smart City initiatives – from Milan to Shanghai, with one of the largest being the NEOM “giga-project” underway in Saudi Arabia.??In the US, Columbus (Ohio) and Santa Cruz (California) are currently enacting Smart City initiatives, with more on the way.?

And you don’t have to be a large metropolis to be a Smart City.??Suburbs, small towns, and rural areas can also benefit from this technology.??In some cases, deployment in smaller areas may be easier and less costly to implement.

Smart Home technology can integrate with Smart City initiatives to create the ultimate public/private partnership.??Marrying citywide infrastructure with a network of Smart Homes can enhance everything from public safety to energy efficiency and more.??As smart technology continues to evolve, the Smart Home of the next decade may offer opportunities not even conceived of today.??Equally important will be the need to balance privacy concerns with convenience, safety, affordability, and cost-savings.??Progress has been made, but every time there is a data breach, it reinforces the importance of privacy protection.?

In the end, there are no easy answers.??But technological advancements, improved Smart Home options, and decreased costs for smart technology will continue to progress.??If you are thoughtful and careful about your Smart Home choices, you can contribute to an evolving Smart City and protect your privacy.??Your Smart Home can be the foundation that helps build a Smart City.

Joe Pobiner, FAICP, CNU-A is an urban designer and futurist who has worked on projects in across 40 states and 30 countries.??He has also been using his home to test various Smart Home technology since 1990.??Please contact him through LinkedIn if you have questions about his experience with Smart Home technology.