SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Dublin

In the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile, explore how Dublin, the vibrant capital of Ireland, is leading the way in smart city innovation and urban development. Our comprehensive report delves into the city’s ambitious initiatives to enhance public services, solve urban challenges, and improve the quality of life for its residents and visitors.

Dublin, with its rich cultural heritage and dynamic economy, is home to over 2 million people and serves as a major gateway for international trade and travel. The city hosts global tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft, making it a key player in the post-Brexit European economy. At the heart of Dublin’s transformation is the Smart Dublin initiative, which brings together local authorities, universities, entrepreneurs, and companies to co-create innovative solutions. 

Our City Profiles act as a toolbox for other cities, splitting out the city’s challenges and matching them to solutions that demonstrate exactly how technology, policy and investment come together to overcome both every-day and long-term issues. Here, we’re focusing on Dublin’s:

• Urban challenges: Dublin faces socioeconomic issues due to rapid urbanisation, including public service shortfalls and congestion - discover how these challenges are being faced through innovative planning and collaboration among stakeholders

• Smart Dublin initiative: launched to tackle urban challenges through collaboration with universities, companies, and citizens, Smart Dublin aims to implement solutions that enhance quality of life and leverage technology

• Digital infrastructure development: Dublin is enhancing its digital infrastructure to bridge the digital divide and improve municipal operations, ensuring all residents have access to digital services

• Digital twin: Dublin City Council has partnered with Bentley Systems on a forward-thinking digital twin project to make operations more efficient and transparent

• Sustainability efforts: the city is committed to environmental sustainability through initiatives such as waste management, water quality monitoring, and promoting circular economy practices

• Mobility innovations: Dublin’s transport strategy focuses on reducing emissions and promoting sustainable public transport, including the transition to a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035

• Community engagement: Initiatives like the FinEst Smart City Challenge and Design Your Future City promote citizen involvement in shaping urban development and addressing local needs

• Economic growth: Dublin’s strategic position as a commercial hub attracts multinational companies, fostering a vibrant start-up ecosystem and contributing significantly to Ireland’s GDP

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On 9 April 2025 we hosted a webinar with Dublin City Council’s Digital Twin Ecosystem Manager, Mani Dhingra. Together with Bentley Systems’ Dorothea Manou, we explored how the City of Dublin has been at the forefront of adopting digital twin technology to improve operational efficiency, integrate critical data sources, and enhance situational awareness. Watch OnDemand now below to gain first-hand insights into the challenges and opportunities of deploying digital twins in an urban environment, as well as actionable strategies for building an ecosystem that supports long-term innovation.

Watch Here

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