CITIES’ Newsletter: Issue #10 Innovating and Adapting Cities for a More Sustainable Future
CITIES Research
The Center for Interacting Urban Networks (CITIES) at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) is an interdisciplinary research center dedicated to advance urban science and promote cutting-edge research that is translated into practical, real-world solutions for the benefit of society. Our ultimate goal is to foster sustainable, resilient, and equitable cities with a particular emphasis on Abu Dhabi and the UAE.
This newsletter offers an overview of CITIES’ cutting-edge new research projects activated in collaboration with the Center for Cybersecurity and a preview of the CITIES’ Dashboard.
CITIES Dashboard Launch
We are excited to introduce you to the CITIES Dashboard – your gateway to a sustainable and thriving community! 
Designed by and for the NYUAD community, including students, researchers, faculty, staff, and partners, the CITIES Dashboard is a robust data repository and visualization that can:
- Inform and Inspire: Stay informed about sustainability efforts and encourage sustainable behaviors within the NYUAD community.
- Empower Research and Education: It is not just a tool but a resource to support cutting-edge research, educational initiatives, and community outreach right here on campus.
- Drive Operational Excellence: Partnering with campus stakeholders, we aim to improve operations and achieve Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). For example, we are on a mission to reduce food waste and much more.
And the best part? The CITIES Dashboard is an evolving initiative! It will be continuously updated to provide you with the most up-to-date data and improved user experiences.
Discover the future of sustainability and well-being at NYUAD by visiting our CITIES Dashboard today: click here or scan the QR code below.
CITIESair: Advancing Air Quality in Abu Dhabi’s Educational Institutions
Dr. Federico Bernardini, CITIES Investigator, and Vince Nguyen, CITIES Research Assistant
CITIESair is an integrated system of air quality devices and specialized software designed for educational institutions in Abu Dhabi. Its mission is to empower data-driven decision-making and the design of informed policies to safeguard school communities from outdoor air pollution. This project responds to CITIES’ strategic objective of promoting sustainable living and contributing to the overall well-being of Abu Dhabi citizens.
CITIESair has raised air quality awareness at NYUAD since 2022 through various channels, including real-time indoor-outdoor air quality screens, historical dashboards, and web banners. The program has recently extended its reach to over ten schools in Abu Dhabi, forming collaborations with institutions like Aldar and ADNOC. CITIESair equips schools with data-driven tools to safeguard students, educators, and staff from outdoor air pollution, such as the historical dashboard, offering detailed data analytics and visualizations for hourly, daily, and monthly trends. Each school receives a set of commercial indoor and outdoor air quality sensors, enabling real-time outdoor vs. indoor comparison and encouraging the expansion of indoor sensor coverage for comprehensive indoor air quality monitoring on campuses.
In Fall 2023, CITIESair forged a strategic partnership with IQAir, a global leader in air quality. This collaboration allows CITIESair to share outdoor air quality data on the world’s leading website to benefit local communities. Additionally, it offers expert industry support and provides cutting-edge air quality sensors and purifiers for school air quality initiatives.
Numerous factors influence our daily air quality exposure, such as how much time we spend at home, at work, in school, or outdoors. Indeed, what truly matters is our daily average personal exposure to air pollutants. While improving outdoor air quality may be a long-term endeavor requiring global government cooperation, we can take immediate action to enhance indoor air quality. So, what’s the next step for CITIESair? We will assist institutions in delivering the highest indoor air quality standard, which can counterbalance the impact of low outdoor air quality on our daily exposure to air pollution.
The first step in this direction is to equip every building within school campuses and universities with indoor air quality sensors, enabling hyperlocal, continuous, and long-term monitoring to assess indoor air quality comprehensively. In fact, CITIESair is equipping all NYUAD campus buildings with indoor air quality sensors and expanding its monitoring network to encompass more schools in Abu Dhabi. If you are interested in joining our network, please contact bernardini@nyu.edu.
| A Livable Planet: Innovating and Adapting for Sustainable Cities With two-thirds of the global population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, there is a growing need for efficient resource utilization to meet the challenges posed by rapid urbanization. Future cities are envisioned to prioritize smart resource allocation, alternative transportation methods, eco-friendly construction, and foster a climate-conscious society with the ultimate goal of building more resilient and livable urban environments. Researchers at CITIES are taking a holistic approach to studying urban sustainability, considering the interconnected layers of infrastructure, society, and the digital world. Check the video below to learn more about our commitment to a livable planet: | ||
CITIES Events
On behalf of the CITIES & ACCESS Centers, we would like to kindly invite you to join us for the upcoming workshop:
CITIES Research Outputs
You can access the whole list of CITIES publications and other research outputs using this link.
Stay tuned for the Issue #10 of our newsletter that will come out in February, 2024.