CYBER SECURITY
Adapting African cities for a better, safer life While many have focused on data analysis and its security at an organisational level, it is even more imperative for the realisation of smarter and more sustainable cities capable of providing citizens with a better, safer lifestyle.
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ake consumption data of water and electricity at buildings as an example. This is often incorrect or unreliable. In many African countries both these utilities are distressed and putting measures in place to review the data and find ways to optimise usage cannot be ignored. While identifying low-hanging fruit like leaks, running taps, lights that do not get switched off or are not energy efficient might sound selfevident, it is concerning how these basics are still not followed,” says Alison Groves, Regional Director, WSP in Africa. Things like Energy Performance Certification (EPC) are starting to force building managers to interrogate their
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consumption data better and use technology to optimise usage. This is where technology for resilience becomes essential as this may assist in identifying where resources are wasted. “Of course, this is not an easy undertaking. Just consider taking data from a building with 38 water meters and the same amount of electricity meters and trying to make sense of it. Data analysis, and putting it in a format to tell a story to managers therefore becomes one of the most critically important skills to have in a digital world. Ultimately, data becomes the cornerstone of sustainability and people must have the skills to effectively analyse it,” says Groves.
SECURITY FOCUS AFRICA NOVEMBER 2021
Furthermore, the popularisation of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to help capture data at the source, in cities, is gaining momentum. This data can be used to create a safer environment. For instance, by enabling commuters to live track public transport, they do not have to stand and wait at a bus stop. They can see exactly where the bus is and plan accordingly. This increases the reliability and appeal of public transport. People can also use their smartphones to geolocate potholes through an app that can help the municipality speed up its response time to fix problems. Such reporting has already had a beneficial reaction in terms of putting more accountability in place for
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