Researchers from Imperial College London are embarking on a programme to transform the way that our cities are used. They are investigating how digital technologies can boost the capabilities of the energy, health, transport and utility resources in our cities, so that they can run as effectively as possible.

Managing peak demand in supermarkets, a case study

A supermarket is one example of where the best use of digital technology can make something run as efficiently as possible and limit the waste of resources.

There could be a model for the best times for deliveries to arrive, so that they can avoid peak traffic congestion as well as arriving at a sensible time to meet peak customer demand for particular products.

Tracking where a delivery is in traffic could also help with planning the use of refrigerators or ovens that might be needed once that delivery arrives and make sure that power is only being used when it is required.

In addition, location based information about how many users are converging on a store could help identify the times when that store will need to have all its systems running and the times when energy use can be reduced.

Looking at the overall picture could mean resource usage is balanced in a way that generates real value for the supermarket operator, while conserving resources for other users in the city as a result.

Through the Digital City Exchange programme, funded with a £5.9m grant from Research Councils UK, the researchers intend to better the use and planning of cities by collecting appropriate data and conducting analysis at a systemic level.

Most cities have grown up without strategic planning. For example, Victorian sewers service state-of-the-art hospitals, and intelligent cars use roads with very simple and limited capabilities.