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SMART CITIES 091for all electric and electronic devices and systems. It brings together 167 countries, representing 98 per cent of the world population and 96 per cent of world energy generation. Close to 20,000 experts cooperate on the global IEC platform and many more in each member country. They ensure that products work everywhere safely and efficiently with each other. The IEC also supports all forms of conformity assessment and administers four Conformity Assessment Systems.SMART ELECTRIFICATIONThe IEC provides the technical foundation for all forms of power generation, transmission and distribution to bring sustainable electric power and light to cities and economies. Whether it is power generation from hydro, marine, solar, wind power, fossil fuels, nuclear, or geothermal sources; or the transport of electricity over long distances to cities – IEC work is helping to make Smart Cities a reality.Here is a snapshot of some of the ways that the IEC is enabling Smart Cities.Infrastructure and interoperability: The hardware and infrastructure that collects, transmits and shares data, which ultimately makes cities smarter, are also enabled by IEC International Standards and Conformity Assessment Systems.The IEC supplies the majority of the International Standards needed to safely interconnect and automate much of the city infrastructure that generates or uses electricity and contains electronics. They open the door to a larger choice of products and also facilitate long-term maintenance and repair, which benefits both the city and its citizens. Everything electric and electronic: Electricity and electronics are an integral part of nearly all city systems. For this reason, the IEC does not propose a single suite of Smart City International Standards. Instead, literally hundreds of IEC International Standards come into play to tailor the integration of energy generation, buildings, transportation, lighting, healthcare, safety/security and a multitude of city and financial services to the needs of each individual city.Increasing resilience: IEC International Standards together with testing and verification help strengthen disaster resilience of infrastructures and cities. They help mitigate disaster risks and accelerate disaster recovery, reducing overall disaster impact. IEC work for microgrids, LVDC (low voltage direct current) systems, off-grid energy and energy storage systems can help cities to maintain power longer and recover power faster after outages and disasters.Water: When it comes to supplying water to citizens and to organizations, extensive planning and a large number of electrical and electronic water management systems and electronics are needed. Electric power is at the heart of this essential Smart City service.Transport and airports: IEC work covers the majority of the electrical and electronic infrastructure of every imaginable transportation technology. It supports the whole monitoring, control and service infrastructure in train and metro stations, airports, bus stops, garages and at street level. It also enables the majority of electrical and electronic equipment used in airports. City services: Devices and systems to collect data to deliver innovative services to citizens (data centres, computers, fibre optics, sensors, etc.), including security and cyber security are enabled by the work of the IEC. Homes and buildings: The safety and efficiency of household and office appliances, and building automation for lighting, ventilation, air conditioning, heat-pumps, alarm and surveillance systems are covered by IEC International Standards. Healthcare: IEC work ensures the safety and efficiency of all electric and electronic devices used for prevention, diagnosis or treatment in hospitals, at the dentist or the doctor Lighting: IEC work covers the safety and efficiency of all types of lamps and lighting equipment everywhere.WHAT IS NEXT? No single organization will be able to develop all the Standards that are needed for Smart Cities. In this context, the IEC has initiated and is organizing the first World Smart Cities Forum on 13 July 2016 in Singapore www.worldsmartcity.org/. The World Smart City Forum is hosted by the IEC in partnership with ISO and ITU – the three global standards bodies that prepare International Standards for the world. It will be co-located with the World Cities Summit www.worldcitiessummit.com.sg. ■ABOUT THE AUTHORFrans Vreeswijk became IEC General Secretary and CEO on 1 October 2012. Prior to joining the IEC, he worked for 30 years for Philips in the Netherlands, Austria and the USA, notably in research, healthcare and consumer electronics. Previously he was President of the Dutch National Committee of the IEC (NEC) and has served on the IEC CB and SMB as well as representing the Netherlands in CENELEC.Above: Frans Vreeswijk Main: Electric power is the driving force of today’s cities. No electric power = no data collection = no Smart City.