Socio-technical Challenges to the Smart City: a citizen-centric perspective

By 2050, approximately 70% of the global population will be living in cities, catalysing both socio-economic and environmental challenges. Therefore, in order to ensure sustainable growth, cities around the world are adopting the concept of ‘smart cities’. There is consensus that the smart city has the potential to address the urgent need for sustainable urbanism through innovations and ICT systems that are both designed to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, and that can provide high-quality living for its citizens. However, the concept has been broadly critiqued for being driven by technocratic agendas and not actually meeting the needs of the citizens. While recent initiatives claim to include citizens in smart city developments through collaboration and co-creation, there is significant debate regarding the extent to which this has stimulated a more inclusive approach. Consequently, to create a more citizen-centric smart city there remains a need to introduce citizens' perceptions and improve engagement. Institutions such as universities are playing an increasingly important role in the urban sustainability challenge and energy transitions in smart cities. Through conducting a survey of students (n=1007) living in the smart city district of Manchester, UK, this research found low awareness and understanding of the smart city concept, with three-quarters of respondents reporting they had never heard of the smart city. Moreover, interviews with smart city implementers (n=12) revealed contesting perceptions of ‘smart’. Whilst both students and implementers placed technology at the heart of the concept, students understood it as a city that would ensure protection of the environment whilst implementers adamantly claimed it would increase quality of life of citizens. However, when implementers described the role of citizens in the smart city, this research found that their perceptions were underpinned by a tokenistic rhetoric. Furthermore, by adopting a co-creational approach with citizens, this research explored the potential for smart solutions to overcome a split incentive scenario energy challenge. An Innovation Challenge (n=13) and focus groups with students (n=49) found encouraging indications that provision of contextualized information using intuitive visual cues which, coupled with gamification, could change students’ energy behaviours in halls of residence where financial drivers do not exist

Booksellers as placemakers: the contribution of booksellers to the vitality and viability of high streets

This report outlines the main findings of the research on the contribution of bookshops to the vitality and viability of high streets in the UK and Ireland. The initial sections of the report summarise some of the main current structural changes facing high streets within towns and cities and explore how the recent pandemic has brought new and additional challenges for our centres. The report also investigates how far a specific retail sub-sector, booksellers, contributes to the top 25 priorities based on IPM’s extensive research and engagement in relation to the vitality and viability of high streets and central places and then analyses the results from both the surveys and detailed interviews

High Street Business Resilience Survey (May 2020)

Research from the Institute of Place Management shows that 96% of businesses in English town and city centres need government support in order to navigate COVID-19 and its impact on high streets. This report investigates the resilience of businesses across different sectors on the high street and how they have responded to lockdown measures

Bramhall: Vital and Viable Stockport District Centres

This report has been prepared following a workshop held on the 8th March 2022, attended key local stakeholders from Bramhall. Facilitated by the Institute of Place Management at the invitation of Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, the event formed part a wider programme of work Stockport is undertaking to revitalise district centres in terms of post-pandemic recovery and longterm viability. This report builds, therefore, on findings collated by IPM to inform the council’s approach to supporting Stockport’s district centres

Edgeley: Vital and Viable Stockport District Centres

Many factors affect the vitality and viability of high streets and town centres. Some of the changes we see today are long-term processes, some stretching back decades. The global pandemic brought new and additional challenges, but also provided the spur to reimagine and redefine the high street, not only to manage recovery, but to also prepare and adapt for a more resilient future

Cheadle Hulme: Vital and Viable Stockport District Centres

This report has been prepared following a workshop held on the 23rd March 2022, attended by key local stakeholders from Cheadle Hulme. Facilitated by the Institute of Place Management at the invitation of Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, the event formed part a wider programme of work Stockport is undertaking to revitalise district centres in terms of post-pandemic recovery and long-term viability. This report builds, therefore, on findings collated by IPM to inform the council’s approaches to supporting Stockport’s district centres

Marple: Vital and Viable Stockport District Centres

This report has been prepared following a workshop held on the 15th March 2022, attended key local stakeholders from Marple. Facilitated by the Institute of Place Management at the invitation of Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, the event formed part a wider programme of work Stockport is undertaking to revitalise district centres in terms of post-pandemic recovery and longterm viability. This report builds, therefore, on findings collated by IPM to inform the council’s approaches to supporting Stockport’s district centres

Reddish: Vital and Viable Stockport District Centres

This report has been prepared following a workshop held on the 22nd of March 2022, attended key local stakeholders from Reddish. Facilitated by the Institute of Place Management at the invitation of Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, the event formed part a wider programme of work Stockport is undertaking to revitalise district centres in terms of post-pandemic recovery and longterm viability. This report builds, therefore, on findings collated by IPM to inform the council’s approach to supporting Stockport’s district centres

Hazel Grove: Vital and Viable Stockport District Centres

Many factors affect the vitality and viability of high streets and town centres. Some of the changes we see today are the result of long-term processes, some stretching back decades. The global pandemic brought new and additional challenges, but also provided the spur to reimagine and redefine the high street, not only to manage recovery, but to also prepare and adapt for a more resilient future