Environmental Guideline For Smart Cities July 2015

Almost all “SmartCity” visions nowadays share the idea that a City has to break its
organizational silos and let their data and logic flow across its different domains to become
“smart”
Also most of them point to technological solutions and platforms to achieve this goal
The fact is that most of these solutions are silos too, making cities too dependent on specific
technologies, products or providers that create isolated compartments where applications cannot
share their data among them
As a result, we get duplicity and multiplicity of data and infrastructures and an upward trend in
investment and maintenance costs
This tech silos can only be avoided providing horizontal and global platforms, as open as
possible, that let the information flow across all domains
ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDELINE FOR SMART CITIES July 2015
A smart city is one where capital, resources and knowledge are managed in a wise manner, with
a focus on innovation, sustainability, efficiency and quality of life. This requires a clear vision
and long term planning with innovative, practical and effective approaches. Smart city needs to
forge the way towards socially inclusive communities with a low ecological footprint. People
within smart cities will enjoy a quality of life in a clean, green living environment where public
and open spaces are pristine and waterways and water features including natural/artificial lakes,
wetlands, ponds and rivers are lifestyle attractions for all.
The smart cities will demarcate themselves by their individual signature. They need to be
futuristic but sustainable in all dimensions. The thrust of the smart city will be to:  Enhance and
valorize the intrinsic environmental asset of the area such as lake/river/wetland/forests amongst
others and use it as a centre of attraction within the master plan;
Promote socially inclusive development around the valorized asset which may become a vibrant
focal point for communities enjoyment of the area through recreational, sports, open air, social,
cultural and entertainment activities;  Develop each smart city around a specific theme for it to
have its own identity and character that will valorize the environmental assets of the area (forest,
natural park, beach, mountain, wind, viewpoint);  Create working, living and leisure space that
will be environment-friendly and socially inclusive;  Promote environmental ethics, code and
conduct for citizens to have a green culture and attitude;  Promote people enjoyment and
appreciation of a pleasant, clean living environment free from any pollution and nuisances such
as odor, noise, dust, pests, stray dogs, eyesores, litters and bare lands;  Generate its own
resources in terms of energy and water;  Promote storm water harvesting and storage into
natural or artificial lakes/wetlands/reservoirs/ponds:  As a water conservation measure to
reduce pressures on our surface and groundwater resources;  As a form of climate change
adaptation to flood mitigation and disaster risk reduction;  To give way to greeneries for
communities’ enjoyment of same and nature;  Capitalise on rainwater harvesting for the
creation of landscape architectural water features to further enhance the centre of attraction
and/or focal point within the master plan for communities’ enjoyment;  Create and maintain
continuous green belts with parks and endemic gardens/open spaces to promote biodiversity
corridors with health and/or bicycle tracks within for human enjoyment of nature;  Promote
state of the art connectivity;  Promote energy conservation in buildings in a way so as to
protect the environment and be more sustainable;  Promote smart, modern and sustainable
mobility and reduce traffic congestion across the island;  Adopt sustainable lifestyles and
sustainable consumption patterns through waste minimization, composting, rooftop rainwater
harvesting and modern communication technologies;  Integrate people of all social fabrics
including those within the surrounding areas through job creation including green ones; 
Consider green agriculture and organic farming.
The Smart Cities will be of mixed use - typically comprising residential, commercial, office and
entertainment components. Developers are informed that any activity within a Smart City, listed
as an undertaking as per the Environment Protection Act will require an Environment Impact
Assessment (EIA) Licence or a Preliminary Environment Report (PER) as applicable
Water Autonomy, Efficiency, Re-use and Recycling

6.1 Objectives
The objective is to manage water resources sustainably for future generations through reducing
the overall consumption of clean water for non-potable uses and to manage the run off of rain
water from the site.
6.2 Measures The following water efficient measures may be taken into consideration within the
Smart Cities:
6.2.1 Water Efficiency:  Buildings may be fitted with water efficient plumbing and appliance
such as faucet water aerators.  Water meters may be installed in buildings;  Provision may be
made of leak detection facilities and monitoring for early detection of leaks within water
infrastructure.  Native/indigenous species with low water requirement may be planted so to
form at least 50% of the vegetated area.
6.2.2 Water Re-use and Recycling  Storm water harvesting and storage into natural or artificial
lakes/wetlands/reservoirs/ponds may be considered;  Rainwater harvesting systems may be
integrated in the design of buildings to collect rainwater from roof as well as site runoff. The
water collected may be used to supply water for flushing of toilets, car washing, garden watering
and washing of surfaces.  Rainwater harvesting and the overflowing water from storm water
ponds may be recuperated in an underground tank for re-use.  Grey water recycling – Water
from baths, showers, washing machines and washhand basins may be captured and recycled
within a building.  The treated water may be reused for non-potable use such as toilet flushing
or garden irrigation.
Waste Management
7.1 Objectives Mauritius is generating around 450,000 tonnes of solid wastes annually, which
requires an extent of nearly 3 hectares of land at an average depth of 20-25 metres for landfilling.
The quantities of wastes are increasing annually at a rate of nearly 2%. The Smart cities must
focus on reducing the volume of waste directed to landfills based on the 3’Rs’ (Reduce, Reuse
and Recycle) approach, involving a complete shift in the mindset of users from simple waste
disposal to waste avoidance and prevention. 7.2 Measures In order to ensure sustainable waste
management practices within the Smart Cities, the following specific measures are
recommended:  Provision for waste segregation at source, down to household and commercial
levels by providing separate bins for recycling and composting purposes.  Composting of
organic wastes may be encouraged both at household and community level by providing separate
collection for organic waste. Facilities for a centralized composting may be provided at
community level.  Various ecopoints (collection points) may be provided for the centralized
storage and collection of recyclables within a community or where appropriate within a Smart
City. A centralized collection facility may also be provided for e-wastes such as batteries,
electronic appliances and computers.  For commercial developments, provision may be made
for the collection, segregation and safe storage of hazardous wastes as well as the containment of
spillages through the use of oil separators and grease traps.  As far as practicable, the adoption
of PET bottles free and plastic bags free policies need to be adopted within the smart cities.
The following tables show representative values of hydraulic conductivity for

various unconsolidated sedimentary materials, sedimentary rocks and
crystalline rocks (from Domenico and Schwartz 1990):
Unconsolidated Sedimentary Materials

Hydraulic Conductivity
Material
(m/sec)
Gravel 3×10-4 to 3×10-2
Coarse sand 9×10-7 to 6×10-3
Medium sand 9×10-7 to 5×10-4
Fine sand 2×10-7 to 2×10-4
Silt, loess 1×10-9 to 2×10-5
Till 1×10-12 to 2×10-6
Clay 1×10-11 to 4.7×10-9
Unweathered marine clay 8×10-13 to 2×10-9

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Almost all “SmartCity” visions nowadays share the idea that a City has to break its

ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDELINE FOR SMART CITIES July 2015

Water Autonomy, Efficiency, Re-use and Recycling

The following tables show representative values of hydraulic conductivity for

Unconsolidated Sedimentary Materials

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