Digital tools for the public safety of future cities

Abstract

In the context of climate change becoming an increasingly challenging dimensional aspect of modern cities, there is an emerging demand for strengthened public safety and resilience in future smart cities. Thus, this chapter explores the potential of digital tools, including Urban Digital Twin, Blockchain, and Swarm Intelligence technologies, in mitigating the impacts of extreme weather events provoked by climate change. A comprehensive framework is proposed, integrating an early warning system and monitoring Indoor Environmental Quality to reinforce indoor environmental resilience. Through the utilization of Digital Twins of assets, a private Blockchain infrastructure, and real-time data from weather stations and radars, stakeholders gain access to timely and accurate information for effective decision-making. Moreover, an early partial application of a Digital Twin platform in a neighbourhood in Gaia, Portugal, demonstrates the practical implementation of indoor sensors to measure Indoor Environmental Quality. This localized initiative highlights the efficacy of digital tools in enhancing public safety at the neighbourhood level, underpinning a broader adoption across future smart cities worldwide. Ultimately, these digital tools pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient urban future despite environmental challenges. (c) 2025 Leonor Marques Mano Domingos and Maria José sousa. All rights reserved.