Glossary of Smart City Furniture: For Municipalities, Planning Units, and Technical Teams
This glossary defines frequently used, misunderstood, or obscured technical concepts in the field of smart urban furniture a clear, measurable, and field-appropriate manner. The aim is to ensure that decision-makers, technical personnel, and planning units speak the same language .
A
Smart Urban Furniture
It is an urban infrastructure that can generate or manage energy, provide charging facilities, offer mobility support, collect data, be remotely monitored, and have a planned maintenance process.
Active Energy Management
The system optimizes energy production, consumption, and storage based on real-time data. In passive systems, energy is simply produced and consumed.
B
Battery (Energy Storage Unit)
This component stores the electricity generated in solar-powered urban furniture. Capacity alone is not a sufficient criterion; cycle life and temperature resistance are critically important.
Battery Cycle Life
It refers to how many charge-discharge cycles a battery can undergo before its capacity degrades significantly. For municipalities, a short cycle life means premature system failure.
C
Environmental Sensor
These are sensors that measure temperature, humidity, air quality, noise, or light levels. They generate city data but are not sufficient for making informed decisions.
D
Durability Class
This describes the resistance of street furniture to outdoor conditions (rain, snow, UV, vandalism). It should be stated in the technical documentation and supported by field tests.
Digital City Infrastructure
It is urban furniture that has electrical or data infrastructure but is not fully smart. It should not be confused with smart systems.
TO
Energy Budget
It is the balance between the average daily energy production and daily energy consumption of a piece of urban furniture. Systems with a negative energy budget are unsustainable.
Energy Efficiency
It indicates how much of the energy produced can be converted into a useful service. Losses are an indicator of design flaws.
G
Solar Panel (Photovoltaic Panel)
It is the component that converts sunlight into electrical energy. Panel surface, tilt angle, and shading conditions directly affect performance.
Sun Exposure Time
This is the average annual or daily amount of sunlight a region receives. Urban furniture design should be based on this data.
I – I
IoT (Internet of Things)
IoT refers to physical objects that can generate data and transmit it over a network. In smart city furniture, IoT is used for monitoring and decision support purposes.
Dashboard
It is a digital interface through which the municipality monitors data from street furniture. Systems without it effectively operate blindly.
K
Public Space Amenities
These are urban furniture items used in public spaces and not owned by individuals. Municipalities are responsible for the operation of these facilities.
Winter Performance
This refers to the ability of solar power systems to operate under low temperature and low light conditions. Untested systems may become inoperable during winter months.
M
Modular Design
This is a design approach where components (battery, electronics, panel) can be replaced individually. It is critical for long-term operation.
Mobile Data Transmission
It enables street furniture to transmit data without being dependent on fixed infrastructure. It works with SIM-based or similar solutions.
HE
Operational Continuity
It is the ability of urban furniture to provide service throughout the year. Systems that only operate during the summer months are not considered sustainable.
S
Sensor Calibration
Calibration is the process of adjusting sensors to ensure they produce accurate data. Uncalibrated sensors can lead to inaccurate decisions.
System Health
This describes the overall operational status of the electronic, energy, and software components of the street furniture.
U
Remote Care
It is the management of the system through software or configuration-based interventions without going to the field. It significantly reduces operating costs.
V
Vandalism Resistance
This refers to the physical resistance of a product to intentional damage in public spaces. It should be considered during the design phase.
Y
Locally Produced
This means that the design, engineering, and production processes are carried out in the same country. It is important for ensuring continuity of spare parts and maintenance.
Software Updatability
It is the system's ability to support new software versions without changing the hardware. It is a fundamental criterion for future compatibility.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between smart urban furniture and digital urban furniture?
Smart urban furniture generates, monitors, and manages data. Digital urban furniture offers only electric features.
Why do solar-powered street furniture sometimes fail to work?
Incorrect energy budgeting, insufficient battery capacity, and designs that don't consider winter conditions lead to performance loss.
What is the most critical technical criterion for municipalities?
Maintenance and operation processes should be planned in advance.
Related: Cities of the Future with Propysalford Smart Urban Furniture
