An architecture for integrated intelligence in urban management using cloud computing

With the emergence of new methodologies and technologies it has now become possible to manage large amounts of environmental sensing data and apply new integrated computing models to acquire information intelligence. This paper advocates the application of cloud technologies to support the information, communication and decision making needs of a wide variety of stakeholders in the complex business of the management of urban and regional development. The complexity is evident in the socio-economic and environmental interactions and impacts embodied in the concept of the urban-ecosystem. This highlights the need for more effective integrated environmental management systems. A key to understanding the nature of integrated environmental management systems is the identification of the need for horizontal integration of information across sectoral inter-agency boundaries at the local level, and the need for vertical coordination between levels of governance. This paper offers a user-oriented approach to the specification of requirements for the effective management of urban areas and the potential contributions that can be supported by cloud computing. The commonality of the influence of the drivers of change at the urban level offers the opportunity for the cloud computing community to develop generic solutions that can serve the needs of hundreds of cities throughout Europe and indeed globally. In this respect, different cloud based architecture scenarios are presented which utilise capabilities compliant to various standards in generating information and intelligence for urban governance.