Why big data must be shared to realise Hong Kong’s smart city vision

Christine Loh says data transparency across government departments and access to information from private companies providing public services are needed to create a smart, sustainable city

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Data on electricity consumption in the city is just one area in which private-public collaboration on big data is needed. Photo: Felix Wong

Published: 11:23am, 23 Jan 2018Updated: 6:40pm, 23 Jan 2018

Experts have warned that Hong Kong could slip behind in the use of big data. The challenge requires data sharing across government departments, so they can compare information and assess correlations for Hong Kong to function better across the board. Being a smart, sustainable city is all about maximising efficiency by saving as well as sharing resources.

Data is king and it is a major policy issue for the government to work out with the private sector

Managing a city in the age of the internet of things requires governments to have the relevant data in the first place. In some cases, authorities have the data because essential services, such as electricity, water and transport, are provided by the public sector.

There are cases where all or some of those services are in private hands. Unless there are arrangements whereby private operators are required to provide the data to the authorities, accessing it is not easy.

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In Hong Kong, electricity data belongs to private companies as power generation and supply are in private hands. While the electricity companies provide excellent services at a reasonable cost to users, they are not obliged to share all their data with the government. Now that energy saving has become a major part of the city’s climate-change efforts and creating a smart city is another policy objective, not having the data is an obvious hindrance.

Students learning about the development of future electricity technologies at the CLP Centre in Sham Shui Po. Better access to data from Hong Kong’s two private electricity companies would enable the government to plan more sustainably. Photo: CLP

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The new schemes of control reached last year for the two electricity companies are more data transparent than before but there is room for improvement. Data for individual buildings would enable the government to draft sharper policies and help occupants be more energy efficient.

This contrasts with freshwater supply, which is provided by the Water Supplies Department, where the government has the full range of data to consider what it can do to save water. While it uses technology to identify leaks and get public water pipes fixed quickly, the department only stepped up dealing with private water pipe leaks after a highly critical Ombudsman report in 2015.

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