COP26: 10 guiding principles to be reflected in the final agreement

Ahead of COP26, SmartCitiesWorld has written an open letter to international political leaders consisting of 10 major guiding principles that we believe should be reflected in any final agreement at the conference in Glasgow in November. Here, we break down those principles, addressing the challenges within each and the importance of cities receiving full backing from central governments as they look to a greener future.

Smart Cities Reports

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Dublin

Find out how Dublin is innovating to improve experiences and services for its communities in the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile, including digital twin projects, traffic reduction, and economic growth.

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile 2024 – City of Madrid

Discover how the city of Madrid is innovating to become a smarter, more sustainable city that’s able to deliver improved services to residents and visitors alike.

Podcasts

Opinions

Rebuilding green: Analysing the Biden infrastructure plan

John Fitzgerald, Project Director, Linesight, explains why major reskilling, outreach work by government and the right messaging will be key to realising benefits.

22-26 June 2026: Find out more

Latest City Profile

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Dublin

Smart Cities Reports

Find out how Dublin is innovating to improve experiences and services for its communities in the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile, including digital twin projects, traffic reduction, and economic growth.

Latest Trend Report

Trend Report 2025: Planning and operating thriving cities – innovation for smarter urban living

Trend Series

Download our latest report to uncover how artificial intelligence is being used to support cities in how they plan and operate city services to ensure they are vibrant, sustainable and economically thriving modern spaces.

Latest Webinar

OnDemand Panel Discussion (20 Jan): Digital twins and AI as the intelligent operating layer for cities

Webinars

Join us for insights from real-world case studies on the use of digital twins and AI as the present and future of urban management.

Latest Podcast

How cities can own their data and their future with sovereign AI

Podcasts

Tune into the SmartCitiesWorld podcast to understand the world of sovereign AI for cities, featuring PNY Technologies’ Youssef Nadiri as our expert guest.

Latest Urban Exchange Podcast

Urban Exchange Podcast Episode 32 – Flood and energy resilience in Quezon City

Urban Exchange Podcast

Tune in for the latest Urban Exchange where we get a first-hand account of city resilience measures from Quezon City following unexpected extreme rainfall.

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Most Popular

Boston to build first hotel under new Net Zero Carbon Zoning

Vancouver approves zoning updates for Villages initiative

Edinburgh introduces hybrid solar lighting to parks

Brownfield regeneration is crucial to solving Europe housing crisis

Tallinn master plan focuses on human-centred environment

SmartCitiesWorld Newsletters (Daily/Weekly)

Our editorial newsletter pulls together our latest news items into one email, direct to your inbox. We also feature our latest city interviews, Special Reports and Guest Opinions.

Home | Urban Space | Commercial buildings

Commercial buildings

The latest news on commercial buildings in smart city projects across the world.

Brownfield regeneration is crucial to solving Europe housing crisis

Brownfield regeneration is crucial to solving Europe housing crisis

Planning and redevelopment22 Jan 2026

Europe must take advantage of brownfield development’s potential to address affordable housing needs and reduce carbon emissions, a new report reveals.

Boston to build first hotel under new Net Zero Carbon Zoning

Boston to build first hotel under new Net Zero Carbon Zoning

Climate action19 Jan 2026

One of five projects to be approved under the initiative, the building will improve the public realm with landscaping, street trees and pedestrian connections.

UAE’s first integrated smart work resort launched in Sharjah

UAE’s first integrated smart work resort launched in Sharjah

AI and Machine Learning05 Nov 2025

The AI-designed smart work resort District 11 project aims to set a new benchmark for urban innovation and economic vitality in Sharjah and the wider UAE.

The Ellinikon smart city in Greece nears final stages

The Ellinikon smart city in Greece nears final stages

Planning and redevelopment15 Oct 2025

The Ellinikon, which is being developed on former site of Athens’ international airport, is expected to contribute approximately 2.5 per cent of Greece’s GDP.

US local governments chosen for green building cohort

US local governments chosen for green building cohort

Commercial buildings15 May 2025

They will participate in the US Green Building Council’s programme that supports efforts to maximise efficiency, resilience, health and quality of life for residents.

City of Melbourne creates blueprint for green rooftops

City of Melbourne creates blueprint for green rooftops

Climate action06 Mar 2025

The City is working with a team of local experts to create the environmental green rooftop at 1 Treasury Place as part of the Green Our Rooftop project.

Smart city finalists named in TalTech challenge

Smart city finalists named in TalTech challenge

News10 Jan 2025

Solutions in the latest Tallinn University of Technology’s Smart City Challenge range from lighting nanogrids to 3D tree modelling for urban digital twins.

Urban Glen “live-work-and-cultural” development unveiled for Hangzhou

Urban Glen “live-work-and-cultural” development unveiled for Hangzhou

Planning and redevelopment26 Nov 2024

Development is part of a wider transformative urban initiative aimed at establishing a dynamic art and cultural destination within the historically rich city.

New Rochelle unveils plans for transit centre redesign

New Rochelle unveils plans for transit centre redesign

Planning and redevelopment11 Oct 2024

Redesign is a cornerstone of the City’s transformative downtown redevelopment strategy, positioning it as a model for equitable and sustainable urban growth.

Manchester’s 1.7bn innovation district opens its doors

Manchester’s 1.7bn innovation district opens its doors

Planning and redevelopment03 Oct 2024

The project sees the transformation of University of Manchester’s North campus into a district to advance innovation across sectors, including digital tech.

Most Popular

Sidewalk Labs shuts down Toronto smart city project

Google affiliate blames coronavirus and economic uncertainty for closing controversial and delayed smart city project

Huawei seals smart city deal with Barcelona

They will collaborate on projects relating to 5G, smart city applications and digital transformation.

What is ‘Smart City’ and why do we need them?

Smart city is the framework based on Information and Communication technologies that enable the development of sustainable practices to address the urbanisation challenges. Leveraging the technology is one of the foremost pillars of ‘smart cities’ in order to increase efficiencies and improve the quality of resident’s life and the city’s services.

OnDemand Panel Debate (11 Dec): Going behind the scenes of Dallas’ smart city initiatives

SmartCitiesWorld gets up close and personal with the City of Dallas and its innovative smart city strategies. Panellist from City of Dallas, National League of Cities and Ubicquia. Watch OnDemand

AI tools for city management launched at Bloomberg CityLab

City AI Connect will be a single destination for local government leaders to ideate, develop, and test new uses for generative AI with peers across cities.

SmartCitiesWorld Newsletters (Daily/Weekly)

Our editorial newsletter pulls together our latest news items into one email, direct to your inbox. We also feature our latest city interviews, Special Reports and Guest Opinions.

Guest Opinions

Think Tank: Building Circular Cities

In the latest of our opinion pieces from members of our Advisory Board, we explore how we break away from the linear ...

The art of the city: how creators may save urban business districts

Artists could reinvigorate cities whose commercial districts have been left moribund by Covid-19, writes WhereiPark’s ...

Latest City Profile

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Dublin

Smart Cities Reports

Find out how Dublin is innovating to improve experiences and services for its communities in the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile, including digital twin projects, traffic reduction, and economic growth.

Latest Trend Report

Trend Report 2025: Planning and operating thriving cities – innovation for smarter urban living

Trend Series

Download our latest report to uncover how artificial intelligence is being used to support cities in how they plan and operate city services to ensure they are vibrant, sustainable and economically thriving modern spaces.

Latest Webinar

OnDemand Panel Discussion (20 Jan): Digital twins and AI as the intelligent operating layer for cities

Webinars

Join us for insights from real-world case studies on the use of digital twins and AI as the present and future of urban management.

Latest Podcast

How cities can own their data and their future with sovereign AI

Podcasts

Tune into the SmartCitiesWorld podcast to understand the world of sovereign AI for cities, featuring PNY Technologies’ Youssef Nadiri as our expert guest.

Latest Urban Exchange Podcast

Urban Exchange Podcast Episode 32 – Flood and energy resilience in Quezon City

Urban Exchange Podcast

Tune in for the latest Urban Exchange where we get a first-hand account of city resilience measures from Quezon City following unexpected extreme rainfall.

BECOME A MEMBER

Build your own Industry Resource Library
Gain access to all SmartCitiesWorld content
Make the most of Industry Webinar Events

Register Login

Most Popular

Boston to build first hotel under new Net Zero Carbon Zoning

Vancouver approves zoning updates for Villages initiative

Edinburgh introduces hybrid solar lighting to parks

Brownfield regeneration is crucial to solving Europe housing crisis

Tallinn master plan focuses on human-centred environment

SmartCitiesWorld Newsletters (Daily/Weekly)

Our editorial newsletter pulls together our latest news items into one email, direct to your inbox. We also feature our latest city interviews, Special Reports and Guest Opinions.

City Profiles

Smart Cities Reports

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Dublin

Find out how Dublin is innovating to improve experiences and services for its communities in the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile, including digital twin projects, traffic reduction, and economic growth.

Smart Cities Reports

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile 2024 – City of Madrid

Discover how the city of Madrid is innovating to become a smarter, more sustainable city that’s able to deliver improved services to residents and visitors alike.

Smart Cities Reports

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – San Diego

Delve into this City Profile which focuses on how the City of San Diego is innovating through policy and technology to best serve its communities. Find out how it splits the city’s challenges and matches them to solutions that demonstrate exactly how technology, policy and investment come together to overcome both every-day and long-term issues.

Research

Cities Climate Action Summit 2024: lessons and takeaways

Cities Climate Action Summit 2024: lessons and takeaways

With Cities Climate Action Summit 2024 at a close, look back at some of the key actions and considerations for cities including actionable insights to accelerate climate action, emphasising the development of policies, the deployment of cutting edge technologies and the methods of financing projects in climate action across energy, mobility and the built environment.