Johnson Controls：Building Resilient and Smart Cities for the Future

Johnson Controls

Executive Summary

Much of the world’s population lives in urban areas, and urbanization is rapidly on the rise. After more than three decades of urban growth, more than 65% of China’s population now lives in cities, and this percentage will continue to increase in the future. Therefore, the safety, stability, and long-term prosperous development of cities is a key pillar of the nation’s economic development and the Chinese people’s realization of a better life.

The process of urban development is no easy task, filled with challenges coming from the natural environment, energy supplies, economic development, the density of the population, and complex demographic structures, among many other factors. The concept of resilient cities thus came to be. Since its inception at the beginning of the century, the concept has evolved and clarified over the past two decades. It now refers to the ability of cities to survive, adapt, and develop in response to shock events or cumulative stress. In the face of macro-level uncertainties such as climate change, a global economic outlook that has been challenging, and energy supply insecurity, building resilient cities is a key priority for urban planners. At the same time, the incorporation of information and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies into building smart cities supports the enhancement of urban resilience, enabling cities to function with accurate sensing, quick responses, and high-level of coordination.

Buildings can be the smallest unit of a city and make up the backbone of resilient and smart cities. In the event of typhoons, floods and other emergencies, the capacity of buildings to withstand pressure and demonstrate resilience are key components of cities’ overall resilience.

As a global leader in smart building technology, Johnson Controls has taken part in the smooth operation and organic upgrading of tens of thousands of buildings over its nearly 140 years of history. It has witnessed people’s evolving understanding of, requirements, and expectations for buildings over time. In this report, we propose for discussion feasible recommendations to build resilient and smart cities with three goals: 1) strengthen the disaster prevention and mitigation abilities of public infrastructure; 2) upgrade and digitalize urban buildings; and 3) elevate digital urban governance capabilities. Through these recommendations, we hope to contribute to China’s efforts to build resilient and smart cities for the future, as well as realize long-term prosperous development.

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Johnson Controls：Building Resilient and Smart Cities for the Future