Figure 2.5 - The edge office building in Amsterdam Additionally, the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions is becoming a key player in ASC. 6.1 Information on local government decision making ASC encompasses more than 170 different collaborative projects developed by local residents, the City Council, associations, and businesses. All these projects run on an interconnected platform called Amsterdam Smart City. The Amsterdam Smart City online platform constitutes the fulcrum of the city’s strategic approach. This platform is the product of a partnership between at least twelve public, private, and research partners. It is a forum where collaboration is at the heart of project development. Thanks to the Amsterdam Smart City platform, citizens’ Source: © Ronald Tillerman - BBC initiatives can continue to become more powerful and more effective. They show that some residents can now take action The Edge uses 70 percent less energy than a typical office without the government’s help—for example, when they wish building. The facility collects rainwater through its smart to install solar panels (City of Amsterdam Website, 2020). architectural design; that water is used in the flush system of Many activities are being considered to find a better way for the building’s toilets. Lastly, the Edge has its own little RoboCop, citizens and the public sector to collaborate, identify synergies, which comes out at night to patrol the facility. Though this is only and contribute to the smart and sustainable city transition. one building, its designers are ready to implement smart design Decentralized and collaborative principles in Amsterdam give features across other office buildings (Randall, 2015) a modern dimension to city government. 6. Governance For instance, Openstad is a platform that has been created so that residents can develop and design or even cocreate Amsterdam’s key strength is its ability to create synergies with websites to support projects (City of Amsterdam Website, 2020). major private partners. Within its drive to become a smart city, This would include citizen- and association-led online polling collaboration is at the heart of every project, and it is an especially on projects for public spaces, allowing residents to contribute important part of the smart city platform, which has enabled many to decision making and the municipality to better identify the initiatives of different sizes and focuses within the city. needs of the population. Amsterdam Smart City is based on four main founding actors Amsterdam is divided into seven central districts; each of these (Carlo Carpa, 2016): has its own District Committee, which acts as the principal • Liander, a Dutchutility company, is responsible for the communication channel between neighborhoods and the electricity and natural gas elements. An energy company is municipality. essential in the development of a smart city, since it can help to design the transition to renewable energy; Online polls and bottom-up initiatives connect citizens to the • Amsterdam Economic Board focuses on complex urban municipality, redefine the notion of governance, and facilitate issues by implementing innovations and collaboration communication and processes for individuals and businesses. models with different actors; An example of such an initiative is the Amsterdam, Maak Je •Amsterdam Municipality represents the principal government Stad! platform, which connects citizens and the municipality to body within this collaboration. It encompasses the Water innovative events (Maak Je Stad!, 2019). This platform emerged Board and the City Region of Amsterdam. after Amsterdam won the iCapital award, which is given to the • KPN, a telecom company listed on the EURONEXT 100, is most innovative city in Europe, in 2016. fundamental for facilitating IoT technology and opportunities within Amsterdam. 72 Quélin and Smadja | HEC PARIS | SMART CITIES | The sustainable program of six leading cities | 2021