Traffic, energy, water, and urban spaces: real cases of Spanish 'smart cities' that are already changing everyday life
A water leak can go unnoticed for weeks until a higher than usual bill arrives. In Singapore, smart meters were installed that detected this type of malfunction in around 10% of the 800 homes analyzed, many of them in bathroom cisterns. It is an example of how technology can change the management of a city, making it smarter, and without the citizen barely noticing: detecting a daily problem before it becomes a larger expense.
In Spain, riding on the digital transformation, more and more municipalities are exploring solutions of this kind to improve public services and better utilize their resources. They are becoming technological laboratories, with changes –perhaps invisible to the average citizen's eye– that, however, in the very short term will have a direct impact on the daily lives of all people.
At DEMÓCRATA we review several examples that are already being applied and that highlight the key to everything: an intelligent city is not limited to installing sensors or accumulating information, but the change occurs when the data is used to make decisions about recognizable problems, such as organizing traffic, managing consumption, improving public spaces, understanding the needs of commerce, or detecting incidents in water networks.
52 new projects
Recently, the Government promoted 52 new smart city projects that will mobilize more than 126 million euros. The RedCyTI call, whose resolution was published by Red.es on September 15, 2026, will finance initiatives from municipalities, provincial councils, and other administrations to apply technology and data to the economic development of their territories. Red.es will contribute more than 94 million euros, coming from its own funds and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
But the key questions are what does it mean to live in a smart city? And what can change in our routines?: how we move, how the streets are maintained, how water and energy are managed, or what information a municipality uses to decide where to act.
What is a smart city
A smart city, also known as smart city, uses technology and data to better understand what happens within it and manage its resources and services. The key is not just to collect information, but to be able to cross-reference it, analyze it, and use it to make decisions.
The initiative EDINT, driven by the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP), works precisely in that line. Its network of Centers of Excellence and Data Offices brings together 12 local entities to facilitate the exchange and analysis of urban information, with applications related to mobility, sustainability, economic activity, and public services.
For the citizen, the change can be in very specific issues: that the city council has more information to organize traffic, detect incidents in a water network, or identify which areas need action. Whether that improvement actually occurs depends on the solutions implemented and the results they achieve.
What can change in the day-to-day of a smart city
- Jaén: fewer problems moving around the city
A traffic jam, difficulty parking, or a bus that doesn't arrive on time are everyday situations where data analysis can help improve urban management. Information about traffic and movements allows studying how the population moves and guiding decisions about circulation, parking, and public transport.
The Jaén Provincial Council has worked on applications related to mobility and parking management. The goal is for city councils to have more information to organize movements and plan services. This does not mean that technology alone eliminates traffic jams, but it can provide tools to manage them better.
- Fuenlabrada: better control of energy consumption
If city councils can analyze their consumption in public lighting, energy consumed in municipal buildings, or other facilities that require energy, and detect patterns, they have more information to decide where to act and what resources they need.
In Fuenlabrada, the Center of Excellence and Data Office works on projects related to the management of urban resources, including water and energy, as well as mobility and public services. The potential benefit for residents is a management better tailored to their needs.
- Guadalajara: more shade and data to combat heat
In Guadalajara, the City Council began installing in April 2026 the so-called bioclimatic corollas, shade structures designed to combat the heat island effect and improve thermal comfort in public spaces. These installations incorporate sensors that allow measuring variables such as temperature, humidity, noise, and air quality.
For those who stroll or wait in those spaces, the action seeks to improve environmental conditions; for the administration, the data allows for a better understanding of how the environment evolves. The initiative is part of the City’s Tourism Sustainability Plan.
- Logroño: detecting where businesses are missing
The urban data can also be used to understand the economic activity of neighborhoods. In Logroño, the University of La Rioja presented tools to analyze the commercial fabric, identify empty premises, and design thematic routes to boost the local economy.
This information helps to detect areas that have lost commercial activity and guide actions to attract businesses. For the citizen, the interest lies in having neighborhoods with an active commercial offer and closer services.
- Mataró: anticipating leaks and excessive water consumption
Another example of a technological laboratory in favor of becoming a smart city is Mataró, where the City Council announced the development of systems to detect leaks or overconsumption of water.
The proposal consists of using information to identify anomalies and help manage this resource better. If these systems are implemented and allow for earlier detection of incidents, they could facilitate a quicker response.
More than 200 million to digitalize cities and territories
The projects in Jaén, Fuenlabrada, Guadalajara, Logroño, and Mataró are part of a broader transformation. Since the approval of the National Plan for Smart Cities in 2015, the Government has allocated more than 200 million euros to 59 initiatives spread across Spain. The funding has reached 25 cities, 24 tourist destinations, seven buildings, and three islands.
To that investment, the 52 projects selected in the RedCyTI call are now added. This new line focuses on smart economy: applying digitalization to economic activity, employment, and entrepreneurship.
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Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: Demócrata Pro, 20.10.2026
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