Digitization and the intelligent use of data have been consolidated as essential tools to move towards more sustainable, resilient cities oriented towards people’s well-being. This approach has been the central axis of the forum “Digital Cities, Sustainable Cities”a meeting that was recently held and brought together experts, professionals and reference organizations to reflect on how technology is tangibly transforming urban environments.
Organized by the VASS Foundation together with the Complutense University of Madrid, the meeting was part of the closing of the second edition of the Diploma on Digitalization and Sustainability and has served as a space for analysis of the main current urban challenges: efficiency in the use of resources, reduction of environmental impact, improvement of public services and the need to build more resilient cities prepared for the future.
Digital solutions for urban sustainability
Cities concentrate a significant part of the population, economic activity and resource consumption, which places them at the center of the environmental and social challenges of the 21st century. In this context, the application of digital solutions allows administrations and urban agents to make more informed decisions, based on reliable and real-time data, optimizing the management of key areas such as energy, mobility, water or waste.
During the meeting, experts such as Isidora Díaz Heredia, CSO of Parques Reunidos; Jorge Portillo, CEO and co-founder of Greemko; and Javier Morales, technical advisor of the Madrid City Council, agreed that technology applied to urban services has become an essential element to move towards more efficient and sustainable city models.
In the first round table it was revealed that, although digitalization allows the environmental and social impact to be better measured and managed, the main challenge is not technological, but cultural and organizational. Coordination between areas, countries and teams, as well as overcoming internal resistance, continues to be one of the biggest challenges in both companies and public administrations.
Participants highlighted specific examples of the positive impact of digitalization, such as energy savings or improvements in health and safety, but also pointed out that the correct measurement of the environmental footprint—especially in scope 3—continues to be a technical and cultural challenge. In many cases, sustainability continues to be perceived more as a regulatory obligation than as a competitive advantage.
From the public administration, the integration of data from different areas was identified as one of the most relevant digital levers to improve urban management, although political, cultural and regulatory barriers to the exchange of information persist. In this sense, the importance of combining economic and regulatory incentives with greater citizen commitment was highlighted, whose demand for sustainable options is key for the transformation to be real and lasting.
The strategic value of data in the transformation of cities
The advanced use of data and artificial intelligence was another of the central aspects of the debate. The ability to collect, analyze and share information in a structured way makes it possible to improve urban planning, anticipate problems and evaluate the real impact of public policies in environmental, economic and social terms.
In this area, experts such as Luis Escámez, CSO and founder of DCYCLE; Ricardo Herranz, CEO of Nommon; and Miguel Tauler, CSO of Hispasat, highlighted how data analysis, modeling and advanced connectivity are already contributing to better territorial management, the optimization of mobility and the reduction of the environmental footprint of cities.
During the second round table it was highlighted that, within the chain of data transformation towards decision making, the greatest effort continues to concentrate on the collection, cleaning and structuring of data, rather than on the application of advanced models. Likewise, it was pointed out that the indicators are useful to illuminate certain aspects of urban reality, but they always leave shadow areas, which makes it essential to maintain the context and human interpretation.
The debate also addressed the so-called data trilemma—quality, volume and dispersion—and how improving one of these factors usually impacts the others, depending on the objective of the decision. In parallel, the rise of generative artificial intelligence is transforming the way we analyze and consume information, although it raises concerns related to excessive dependence on automated systems, the loss of judgment and the environmental impact associated with the intensive use of these technologies.
Urban sustainability cannot be addressed without intelligent data management and without a technological vision oriented to social well-being
In this context, the experts agreed to point out a paradigm shift in urban management: from long-term rigid planning models towards approaches based on continuous monitoring and flexibility, which allow a more agile response to uncertainty and rapid changes.
Technology with social impact and long-term vision
The VASS Foundation highlighted the need for digital transformation to have a direct and positive impact on the lives of citizens and contribute to reducing inequalities. “Urban sustainability cannot be addressed without intelligent data management and without a technological vision oriented to social well-being. Digitalization makes it possible to optimize resources and build more fair, efficient and responsible cities,” said Antonio Rueda, director of the VASS Foundation, during the meeting.
One of the messages shared was the importance of promoting an inclusive digital transformation, which takes into account both the technological and social dimensions, and which places people at the center of urban policies.
Knowledge, collaboration and commitment to the urban future
The forum highlighted the relevance of collaboration between the academic field, the business community and public administrations to move towards more sustainable city models. The generation of spaces for dialogue and shared reflection is key to accelerating the adoption of technological solutions that respond to real challenges and are sustainable over time.
With initiatives like this meeting, the VASS Foundation reinforces its role as a driving agent of the dialogue between technology, sustainability and public policies, promoting a vision of the city based on the responsible use of data, purposeful innovation and collaboration between key actors of the urban ecosystem.
