Preparations for the REBUS Forum are actively underway, and among our key speakers is Anatoly Kurmanov. He will moderate the plenary session ‘How digitalisation is changing the rules of the game in the development of cities and agglomerations’, as well as lead two thematic tracks: ‘Digital Vertical in Construction’ and ‘Barriers to Digitalisation in Municipalities’. Ahead of the forum, Anatoly Kurmanov, Chairman of the Expert Council of the ANO Smart City Competence Centre, shared with us his views on the digital transformation of the urban environment, import substitution, the role of AI and big data, and the prospects for the development of smart technologies in Russian cities.
1. How have Smart City standards changed over the last 5 years, and what technological breakthroughs have become key to their revision?
A.K.: The standards have changed quite significantly. The main driver for changing the standards was their synchronisation with the activities of the National Projects, rather than technological changes. The key principles of the Smart City Project have remained unchanged, and the main one is human-centredness.
2. What tasks within the Smart City project are being solved today with the help of artificial intelligence and big data? Can you give examples from Russian regions?
A.K.: We analysed the sectoral focus of pilot projects in 94 cities from 52 regions of the country based on the results of the project's implementation in 2019-2024 and saw that issues related to healthcare, education and science, social sphere, culture, sports and tourism, urban planning, housing and utilities, transport, IT and communications, finance, industry, security, ecology, state and municipal administration were solved using one or another AI-related technology.
3. unmanned aerial systems - what are the immediate prospects for their introduction into the urban infrastructure?
A.K.: I would reformulate the question - not the prospects of implementation, but the prospects of development of use. UAVs are already being actively used now. There are certain difficulties related to the restriction of flights for safety reasons, but at this stage we cannot say that they critically affect the development of the industry.
4. What support measures for software and hardware developers will be prioritised in 2025?
A.K.: The President of Russia V.V. Putin has clearly formulated the task of the need for import substitution in the IT industry. Putin has clearly stated the need for import substitution in the IT industry. Inevitable transition to Russian hardware and software is, in my opinion, the main support measure for the industry. Separate - point decisions are taken on a regular basis within the framework of the development of particularly significant projects, which are implemented by the Industrial Competence Centres and the list of which is approved by the relevant government commission. Additional measures aimed at the development of the industry have been adopted in almost every constituent entity of the Russian Federation. All of them are in demand by the business community, and it remains to wait for adequate feedback in the form of concrete results.
5. How does the introduction of 5G and IoT accelerate the development of smart infrastructure? Can you give examples from Russian cities?
A.K.: The development of any communication technology either accelerates the development of infrastructure or has a significant impact on improving the services that already exist. That is why communications is included in the list of end-to-end technologies. As for examples, I don't know of any city where wireless technologies have not already been used. Of course, we are not talking about 5G yet, but it is only a matter of time.
6. Which Russian cities are already using digital twins, and how does it improve infrastructure management?
A.K.: A city's digital twin is still more of a media term than a technical one, but if we are talking about really serious solutions and systematic work, then perhaps the most correct thing to do would be to mention the cities that won with their respective solutions at the III National Award for Contribution to the Development of Urban Economy ‘Smart City’, which was held on the site of the National Centre ‘Russia’ in May this year. These are Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan and Grozny.
7. How are digital technologies transforming the design, construction and maintenance of urban infrastructure?
A.K.: Domestic digital solutions now cover all the needs of smart cities - from managing urban parking space to promptly solving the problems of residential property owners. Certainly, their advantage is that they are adapted to our realities, and we can not be afraid that these IT products will abruptly leave the market, as it happened with foreign ones. Over the last three years, domestic solutions have developed rapidly, and this development continues. IT companies are in constant dialogue with the state and business, and this is very important for smart cities. The main technological trends are: artificial intelligence, digital twins, robotisation, intelligent transport systems, and digitalisation of public services. For example, Moscow's traffic management centre uses smart traffic lights, cameras with neural networks and algorithms that track all the city's news to promptly respond to accidents and congestion. It is hard to imagine modern new buildings that would not be equipped with smart home elements - ID-access, smart lifts, sensors controlling the operation of engineering networks. Russian solutions exist for all these purposes. Smart operation solutions extend the life of buildings and make them safer and greener, while UAVs and IoT-based products help to quickly monitor construction sites and make quick decisions in case of unforeseen situations. For example, Exxon's cloud-based platform is changing the culture of the construction industry through seamless digital solutions. The system unites all key participants of the process, helps to quickly form and edit any executive documentation, manage projects, control quality and more. And Sintek's service automates procurement for construction, making the process of selecting suppliers fast and transparent. It is important that digitalisation is developing not only in Moscow. The Republic of Tatarstan is one of the drivers of digitalisation in the country, and the main goal of introducing innovative technologies is to create the most comfortable and safe environment for the city's residents.
8. What protection measures against cyber threats are applied to critical infrastructure under the Smart City project?
A.K.: It should be clearly understood that Smart City is not some isolated entity. Solutions for smart cities are developed, tested and implemented within the framework of existing activities of the National Projects. Therefore, for us, the issues of protecting CII from cyber threats are no different from the relevant industry challenges. Perhaps the most obvious way to solve this problem is to use trusted technologies, software and equipment.
9. How to integrate data from disparate systems (transport, housing and utilities, energy) into a single digital platform?
A.K.: I will answer your question with a question - who says that such a platform is necessary? We have a list of 10 priority state information systems (GIS), which were approved by the Russian Government as part of the national project ‘Data Economy and Digital Transformation of the State’. The list includes: the Health Care CP, the Smart City Platform, the National Digital Transport and Logistics Platform and TEB, the Human Resources Platform, the Digital Migrant Profile, the Digital Student Profile, the Unified Big Data Processing System, the Safe Environment Platform, the Cyber Fraud Prevention Platform, the Construction and Housing and Utilities Platforms. There are appropriate solutions to organise the necessary data integration to ensure their seamless operation. I am sure that this is enough at this stage.
10. What standards are needed to unify the processes of digitalisation of urban infrastructure?
A.K.: One standard, and it was very clearly stated by Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin in his address to the Federal Assembly: ‘The result of our programmes is not measured in tonnes, kilometres and the amount of money spent. The main thing is the assessment of people. Therefore, where unification is possible, and this is primarily to provide our citizens with quality services and facilities, it is done within the framework of the Unified Portal of State (Municipal) Services and Functions. Otherwise, given the size and diversity of our country and clearly realising that there are no single recipes that will work equally in any territory, as the famous anecdote goes - see point 1.
11. How to ensure the digital transformation of infrastructure in small towns with limited resources?
A.K.: First of all, through the personal involvement and interest of local government leaders. All activities of the National Projects are provided with a full budget ruble. The Soviet scientist and rocket designer, the founder of the space industry and practical cosmonautics in the USSR, Sergey Pavlovich Korolev, knew very well what it is to strive for a goal, to want to fulfil an important task. He once said: ‘Who wants to work - seeks means, who does not want - reasons’. Among the municipalities participating in the Smart City project, there are not only cities with millions of inhabitants and cities from donor regions.
12. How to involve regions and municipalities in the implementation of Smart City projects, especially taking into account the differences in resources and infrastructure?
A.K.: To solve this problem, the relevant order of the Russian Ministry of Construction clearly defines that from 2024 the Index of Digitalisation of Urban Economy, better known as the IQ of cities, will be calculated for all municipalities of the first level of the country - we have all urban districts and municipal districts (districts). This year we will make such a calculation for the first time, and based on its results we will also calculate the IQ of regions. The information will be publicly available. I think this will be a sufficient driver for colleagues who are not yet actively involved in the work.
13. How to overcome resistance to change on the part of local administrations or residents when introducing new technologies?
A.K.: Let's separate these two issues. The first is the one that concerns residents. No one is imposing on citizens the use of digital life. We can still leave any application on paper. There is definitely no problem here. A lot of work is being done to show, especially to the older generation, how it works and how convenient it is. The result speaks for itself - we have more than 110 million confirmed accounts on Gosuslugi. The population of Russia does not reach 150 million people, including children and the elderly. The figures I mentioned above speak for themselves. Now about state and municipal employees. I don't really understand what kind of resistance we are talking about. If we are talking about conscious sabotage in order to cover up their inaction or some dark deeds, and unfortunately there are such facts, then we have competent bodies to work with such figures. If we are not talking about resistance, but about the lack of certain knowledge and skills, then yes - this problem exists, and we are systematically, including through additional education at the expense of the state, solving it.
14. What mechanisms of feedback from citizens are the most effective for assessing the quality of urban services?
A.K.: We have a single federal feedback tool. It is so called - Feedback Platform (FTP). It includes all possible types - official appeals under the 59-FZ, messages via the USGU or the mobile application ‘Deciding Together’, and even messages from residents in social networks. In some regions where their own strong and effective platforms were created even before the emergence of PIC - Moscow (‘My City’), Moscow Region (‘Dobrodel’), Republic of Tatarstan (‘People's Control’) and a number of others - they continue to work, but all data are still aggregated in PIC.
15. How is the Smart City project synchronised with other federal programmes, for example, in the sphere of housing and utilities or transport?
A.K.: In response to your first question about changing the Smart City standards, I just noted that this was done precisely to synchronise with all the National Projects. This year we are just preparing such a document for the period 2025-2030, taking into account the changes that have taken place in the structure of the National Projects as a whole. So this issue has already been resolved.
16. How to attract private investment in the digital transformation of infrastructure? What PPP instruments are the most promising?
A.K.: I think the answer is obvious - investors should see the direct benefit of participating in these projects. We see that to a greater or lesser extent all the main forms of PPP - concession, PPP and municipal-private partnership (MPP) agreement, lease with investment obligations, joint project companies - are being implemented and are in demand.
17. How attractive is the Smart City industry for private investors? Which niches are the most promising?
A.K.: Again, I would like to make it clear that Smart City is not some isolated separate entity, much less an industry. We see a huge investment flow, including private investment, in almost all areas from resource provision to tourism.
18. How do you reconcile the long-term goals of the project with the need for quick economic returns for business?
A.K.: Well, firstly, the project has different goals - urgent, medium-term and long-term, so, as they say, you can choose for any taste or purse. It all depends on what kind of business we are talking about. Our major partners, such as Rosatom, Er-Telecom or Astra Group, for example, are not in pursuit of immediate results. Our colleagues have been investing in the country's development for a long time, seriously and for the long term.
19. Which countries, in your opinion, demonstrate the most successful digitalisation practices in the construction industry? What specific technologies or management approaches should be adapted for Russia? What lessons from their experience could accelerate the development of the industry in our country?
A.K.: The leaders in digitalisation are the Nordic countries, Singapore and South Korea. In Finland, 85% of construction projects are implemented using BIM-technologies, which allows reducing construction time by 30% and costs by 20%. Singapore demonstrates impressive results in construction automation. Robotic systems perform up to 60% of standard operations, reducing construction time by 35%. At the same time, the level of occupational injuries has decreased by 45% thanks to the introduction of predictive analytics systems and monitoring drones. The Finnish experience of BIM standardisation is particularly relevant for Russia. The introduction of a single digital documentation format could solve the problem of interdepartmental coordination and speed up the project approval process by 40%. At the same time, savings at the design stage could amount to up to 30% of the total construction cost. Singapore's experience in building automation is promising for the creation of industrial parks with robotic production lines, especially in the mass housing construction segment, where 70% of structures can be produced in factory conditions. We need to continue to create a regulatory and legal framework that corresponds to modern technological realities, and, of course, to actively develop the system of professional education to train qualified personnel in the field of digital construction technologies.
20. How can foreign practices be adapted to Russian realities?
A.K.: We have no such task. Not at all. To study, learn new things, adopt some experience - yes. Adapting and replicating it on our territory - definitely not. We have tremendous experience in using digital technologies for management and interaction with residents. We can safely say that it is absolutely unique. Therefore, technology transfer - yes. Pulling other people's solutions on ourselves, once again - no. An important lesson for Russia is the need for a systematic approach to digitalisation: from training personnel to creating an infrastructure to support innovation. Successful practices show that digitalisation of construction is not just a technological trend, but a strategic direction for the development of the industry, capable of providing a significant economic effect and improving the quality of the urban environment.
21. What competences do professionals need to work with digital infrastructure solutions? How have the requirements changed in recent years?
A.K.: I will answer from my own perspective - we critically lack specialists with advanced system skills in project management and analytics. Digital is just a tool that can significantly help in solving certain tasks. To fix a problem correctly, to find its root cause, to set a task - all these are crucial factors for successful management as a whole, regardless of industry.
22. Does the Ministry of Construction plan to create retraining programmes for working with Smart City technologies?
A.K.: There are many such programmes, they are active, and they are implemented not only by the Ministry of Construction.
23. How does digitalisation of infrastructure help to reduce energy consumption and environmental load?
A.K.: The figures for energy consumption are known: from 10 to 40% at the start of the project. Then, of course, the figure is more supportive and controlling. As for the environmental load, I think that we will understand the real results in two or three years, when we accumulate and evaluate data from the Unified Waste Monitoring System.
24. What green technologies are integrated into the Smart City project?
A.K.: If we are talking about the main directions - renewable energy, energy efficient solutions, recycling and waste management, green transport and sustainable agriculture, literally everything.
25. What initiatives on digitalisation of infrastructure does the Smart City Competence Centre plan to present at the forum?
A.K.: I would not call it an initiative, but we plan to seriously discuss the developments on the Smart City standard for 2025-2030.
26. What contribution do you expect from the forum participants to the development of digital solutions for urban infrastructure?
A.K.: We constantly emphasise that one of the main results of our project for 2019-2024 was not even the introduction of certain technologies, approaches and so on. The main thing is that we have managed to form a community of thousands of people who are not indifferent to their cities, which includes state and municipal leaders of all levels, business representatives, scientists, and colleagues from the non-profit sector. We expect it to become even bigger and stronger at the forum.
27. Что для вас лично означает «цифровая инфраструктура»? Какие ключевые изменения произойдут в этой сфере к 2035 году?
А.К.: Я уже говорил, что цифра — это просто инструмент. Да, очень эффективный, современный и прочее. Но все-таки – инструмент и только. Что касается ответа на вторую часть, вряд ли я смогу выступить в роли футуролога. Мы сейчас сосредоточены на достижении и выполнении задач, поставленных в Указе Президента Российской Федерации от 7 мая 2024 года № 309 «О национальных целях развития Российской Федерации на период до 2030 года и на перспективу до 2036 года». Читайте, там все написано. Уверен, что Национальные цели будут достигнуты.
27. What does ‘digital infrastructure’ mean to you personally? What key changes will take place in this area by 2035?
A.K.: I have already said that digital is just a tool. Yes, it is very efficient, modern, and so on. But it is still just a tool. As for the answer to the second part, I can hardly act as a futurologist. We are now focused on achieving and fulfilling the tasks set out in Presidential Decree No. 309 of 7 May 2024 ‘On the National Development Goals of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030 and in the perspective up to 2036’. Read it, it says it all. I am confident that the National Goals will be achieved.
1. How have Smart City standards changed over the last 5 years, and what technological breakthroughs have become key to their revision?
A.K.: The standards have changed quite significantly. The main driver for changing the standards was their synchronisation with the activities of the National Projects, rather than technological changes. The key principles of the Smart City Project have remained unchanged, and the main one is human-centredness.
2. What tasks within the Smart City project are being solved today with the help of artificial intelligence and big data? Can you give examples from Russian regions?
A.K.: We analysed the sectoral focus of pilot projects in 94 cities from 52 regions of the country based on the results of the project's implementation in 2019-2024 and saw that issues related to healthcare, education and science, social sphere, culture, sports and tourism, urban planning, housing and utilities, transport, IT and communications, finance, industry, security, ecology, state and municipal administration were solved using one or another AI-related technology.
3. unmanned aerial systems - what are the immediate prospects for their introduction into the urban infrastructure?
A.K.: I would reformulate the question - not the prospects of implementation, but the prospects of development of use. UAVs are already being actively used now. There are certain difficulties related to the restriction of flights for safety reasons, but at this stage we cannot say that they critically affect the development of the industry.
4. What support measures for software and hardware developers will be prioritised in 2025?
A.K.: The President of Russia V.V. Putin has clearly formulated the task of the need for import substitution in the IT industry. Putin has clearly stated the need for import substitution in the IT industry. Inevitable transition to Russian hardware and software is, in my opinion, the main support measure for the industry. Separate - point decisions are taken on a regular basis within the framework of the development of particularly significant projects, which are implemented by the Industrial Competence Centres and the list of which is approved by the relevant government commission. Additional measures aimed at the development of the industry have been adopted in almost every constituent entity of the Russian Federation. All of them are in demand by the business community, and it remains to wait for adequate feedback in the form of concrete results.
5. How does the introduction of 5G and IoT accelerate the development of smart infrastructure? Can you give examples from Russian cities?
A.K.: The development of any communication technology either accelerates the development of infrastructure or has a significant impact on improving the services that already exist. That is why communications is included in the list of end-to-end technologies. As for examples, I don't know of any city where wireless technologies have not already been used. Of course, we are not talking about 5G yet, but it is only a matter of time.
6. Which Russian cities are already using digital twins, and how does it improve infrastructure management?
A.K.: A city's digital twin is still more of a media term than a technical one, but if we are talking about really serious solutions and systematic work, then perhaps the most correct thing to do would be to mention the cities that won with their respective solutions at the III National Award for Contribution to the Development of Urban Economy ‘Smart City’, which was held on the site of the National Centre ‘Russia’ in May this year. These are Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan and Grozny.
7. How are digital technologies transforming the design, construction and maintenance of urban infrastructure?
A.K.: Domestic digital solutions now cover all the needs of smart cities - from managing urban parking space to promptly solving the problems of residential property owners. Certainly, their advantage is that they are adapted to our realities, and we can not be afraid that these IT products will abruptly leave the market, as it happened with foreign ones. Over the last three years, domestic solutions have developed rapidly, and this development continues. IT companies are in constant dialogue with the state and business, and this is very important for smart cities. The main technological trends are: artificial intelligence, digital twins, robotisation, intelligent transport systems, and digitalisation of public services. For example, Moscow's traffic management centre uses smart traffic lights, cameras with neural networks and algorithms that track all the city's news to promptly respond to accidents and congestion. It is hard to imagine modern new buildings that would not be equipped with smart home elements - ID-access, smart lifts, sensors controlling the operation of engineering networks. Russian solutions exist for all these purposes. Smart operation solutions extend the life of buildings and make them safer and greener, while UAVs and IoT-based products help to quickly monitor construction sites and make quick decisions in case of unforeseen situations. For example, Exxon's cloud-based platform is changing the culture of the construction industry through seamless digital solutions. The system unites all key participants of the process, helps to quickly form and edit any executive documentation, manage projects, control quality and more. And Sintek's service automates procurement for construction, making the process of selecting suppliers fast and transparent. It is important that digitalisation is developing not only in Moscow. The Republic of Tatarstan is one of the drivers of digitalisation in the country, and the main goal of introducing innovative technologies is to create the most comfortable and safe environment for the city's residents.
8. What protection measures against cyber threats are applied to critical infrastructure under the Smart City project?
A.K.: It should be clearly understood that Smart City is not some isolated entity. Solutions for smart cities are developed, tested and implemented within the framework of existing activities of the National Projects. Therefore, for us, the issues of protecting CII from cyber threats are no different from the relevant industry challenges. Perhaps the most obvious way to solve this problem is to use trusted technologies, software and equipment.
9. How to integrate data from disparate systems (transport, housing and utilities, energy) into a single digital platform?
A.K.: I will answer your question with a question - who says that such a platform is necessary? We have a list of 10 priority state information systems (GIS), which were approved by the Russian Government as part of the national project ‘Data Economy and Digital Transformation of the State’. The list includes: the Health Care CP, the Smart City Platform, the National Digital Transport and Logistics Platform and TEB, the Human Resources Platform, the Digital Migrant Profile, the Digital Student Profile, the Unified Big Data Processing System, the Safe Environment Platform, the Cyber Fraud Prevention Platform, the Construction and Housing and Utilities Platforms. There are appropriate solutions to organise the necessary data integration to ensure their seamless operation. I am sure that this is enough at this stage.
10. What standards are needed to unify the processes of digitalisation of urban infrastructure?
A.K.: One standard, and it was very clearly stated by Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin in his address to the Federal Assembly: ‘The result of our programmes is not measured in tonnes, kilometres and the amount of money spent. The main thing is the assessment of people. Therefore, where unification is possible, and this is primarily to provide our citizens with quality services and facilities, it is done within the framework of the Unified Portal of State (Municipal) Services and Functions. Otherwise, given the size and diversity of our country and clearly realising that there are no single recipes that will work equally in any territory, as the famous anecdote goes - see point 1.
11. How to ensure the digital transformation of infrastructure in small towns with limited resources?
A.K.: First of all, through the personal involvement and interest of local government leaders. All activities of the National Projects are provided with a full budget ruble. The Soviet scientist and rocket designer, the founder of the space industry and practical cosmonautics in the USSR, Sergey Pavlovich Korolev, knew very well what it is to strive for a goal, to want to fulfil an important task. He once said: ‘Who wants to work - seeks means, who does not want - reasons’. Among the municipalities participating in the Smart City project, there are not only cities with millions of inhabitants and cities from donor regions.
12. How to involve regions and municipalities in the implementation of Smart City projects, especially taking into account the differences in resources and infrastructure?
A.K.: To solve this problem, the relevant order of the Russian Ministry of Construction clearly defines that from 2024 the Index of Digitalisation of Urban Economy, better known as the IQ of cities, will be calculated for all municipalities of the first level of the country - we have all urban districts and municipal districts (districts). This year we will make such a calculation for the first time, and based on its results we will also calculate the IQ of regions. The information will be publicly available. I think this will be a sufficient driver for colleagues who are not yet actively involved in the work.
13. How to overcome resistance to change on the part of local administrations or residents when introducing new technologies?
A.K.: Let's separate these two issues. The first is the one that concerns residents. No one is imposing on citizens the use of digital life. We can still leave any application on paper. There is definitely no problem here. A lot of work is being done to show, especially to the older generation, how it works and how convenient it is. The result speaks for itself - we have more than 110 million confirmed accounts on Gosuslugi. The population of Russia does not reach 150 million people, including children and the elderly. The figures I mentioned above speak for themselves. Now about state and municipal employees. I don't really understand what kind of resistance we are talking about. If we are talking about conscious sabotage in order to cover up their inaction or some dark deeds, and unfortunately there are such facts, then we have competent bodies to work with such figures. If we are not talking about resistance, but about the lack of certain knowledge and skills, then yes - this problem exists, and we are systematically, including through additional education at the expense of the state, solving it.
14. What mechanisms of feedback from citizens are the most effective for assessing the quality of urban services?
A.K.: We have a single federal feedback tool. It is so called - Feedback Platform (FTP). It includes all possible types - official appeals under the 59-FZ, messages via the USGU or the mobile application ‘Deciding Together’, and even messages from residents in social networks. In some regions where their own strong and effective platforms were created even before the emergence of PIC - Moscow (‘My City’), Moscow Region (‘Dobrodel’), Republic of Tatarstan (‘People's Control’) and a number of others - they continue to work, but all data are still aggregated in PIC.
15. How is the Smart City project synchronised with other federal programmes, for example, in the sphere of housing and utilities or transport?
A.K.: In response to your first question about changing the Smart City standards, I just noted that this was done precisely to synchronise with all the National Projects. This year we are just preparing such a document for the period 2025-2030, taking into account the changes that have taken place in the structure of the National Projects as a whole. So this issue has already been resolved.
16. How to attract private investment in the digital transformation of infrastructure? What PPP instruments are the most promising?
A.K.: I think the answer is obvious - investors should see the direct benefit of participating in these projects. We see that to a greater or lesser extent all the main forms of PPP - concession, PPP and municipal-private partnership (MPP) agreement, lease with investment obligations, joint project companies - are being implemented and are in demand.
17. How attractive is the Smart City industry for private investors? Which niches are the most promising?
A.K.: Again, I would like to make it clear that Smart City is not some isolated separate entity, much less an industry. We see a huge investment flow, including private investment, in almost all areas from resource provision to tourism.
18. How do you reconcile the long-term goals of the project with the need for quick economic returns for business?
A.K.: Well, firstly, the project has different goals - urgent, medium-term and long-term, so, as they say, you can choose for any taste or purse. It all depends on what kind of business we are talking about. Our major partners, such as Rosatom, Er-Telecom or Astra Group, for example, are not in pursuit of immediate results. Our colleagues have been investing in the country's development for a long time, seriously and for the long term.
19. Which countries, in your opinion, demonstrate the most successful digitalisation practices in the construction industry? What specific technologies or management approaches should be adapted for Russia? What lessons from their experience could accelerate the development of the industry in our country?
A.K.: The leaders in digitalisation are the Nordic countries, Singapore and South Korea. In Finland, 85% of construction projects are implemented using BIM-technologies, which allows reducing construction time by 30% and costs by 20%. Singapore demonstrates impressive results in construction automation. Robotic systems perform up to 60% of standard operations, reducing construction time by 35%. At the same time, the level of occupational injuries has decreased by 45% thanks to the introduction of predictive analytics systems and monitoring drones. The Finnish experience of BIM standardisation is particularly relevant for Russia. The introduction of a single digital documentation format could solve the problem of interdepartmental coordination and speed up the project approval process by 40%. At the same time, savings at the design stage could amount to up to 30% of the total construction cost. Singapore's experience in building automation is promising for the creation of industrial parks with robotic production lines, especially in the mass housing construction segment, where 70% of structures can be produced in factory conditions. We need to continue to create a regulatory and legal framework that corresponds to modern technological realities, and, of course, to actively develop the system of professional education to train qualified personnel in the field of digital construction technologies.
20. How can foreign practices be adapted to Russian realities?
A.K.: We have no such task. Not at all. To study, learn new things, adopt some experience - yes. Adapting and replicating it on our territory - definitely not. We have tremendous experience in using digital technologies for management and interaction with residents. We can safely say that it is absolutely unique. Therefore, technology transfer - yes. Pulling other people's solutions on ourselves, once again - no. An important lesson for Russia is the need for a systematic approach to digitalisation: from training personnel to creating an infrastructure to support innovation. Successful practices show that digitalisation of construction is not just a technological trend, but a strategic direction for the development of the industry, capable of providing a significant economic effect and improving the quality of the urban environment.
21. What competences do professionals need to work with digital infrastructure solutions? How have the requirements changed in recent years?
A.K.: I will answer from my own perspective - we critically lack specialists with advanced system skills in project management and analytics. Digital is just a tool that can significantly help in solving certain tasks. To fix a problem correctly, to find its root cause, to set a task - all these are crucial factors for successful management as a whole, regardless of industry.
22. Does the Ministry of Construction plan to create retraining programmes for working with Smart City technologies?
A.K.: There are many such programmes, they are active, and they are implemented not only by the Ministry of Construction.
23. How does digitalisation of infrastructure help to reduce energy consumption and environmental load?
A.K.: The figures for energy consumption are known: from 10 to 40% at the start of the project. Then, of course, the figure is more supportive and controlling. As for the environmental load, I think that we will understand the real results in two or three years, when we accumulate and evaluate data from the Unified Waste Monitoring System.
24. What green technologies are integrated into the Smart City project?
A.K.: If we are talking about the main directions - renewable energy, energy efficient solutions, recycling and waste management, green transport and sustainable agriculture, literally everything.
25. What initiatives on digitalisation of infrastructure does the Smart City Competence Centre plan to present at the forum?
A.K.: I would not call it an initiative, but we plan to seriously discuss the developments on the Smart City standard for 2025-2030.
26. What contribution do you expect from the forum participants to the development of digital solutions for urban infrastructure?
A.K.: We constantly emphasise that one of the main results of our project for 2019-2024 was not even the introduction of certain technologies, approaches and so on. The main thing is that we have managed to form a community of thousands of people who are not indifferent to their cities, which includes state and municipal leaders of all levels, business representatives, scientists, and colleagues from the non-profit sector. We expect it to become even bigger and stronger at the forum.
27. Что для вас лично означает «цифровая инфраструктура»? Какие ключевые изменения произойдут в этой сфере к 2035 году?
А.К.: Я уже говорил, что цифра — это просто инструмент. Да, очень эффективный, современный и прочее. Но все-таки – инструмент и только. Что касается ответа на вторую часть, вряд ли я смогу выступить в роли футуролога. Мы сейчас сосредоточены на достижении и выполнении задач, поставленных в Указе Президента Российской Федерации от 7 мая 2024 года № 309 «О национальных целях развития Российской Федерации на период до 2030 года и на перспективу до 2036 года». Читайте, там все написано. Уверен, что Национальные цели будут достигнуты.
27. What does ‘digital infrastructure’ mean to you personally? What key changes will take place in this area by 2035?
A.K.: I have already said that digital is just a tool. Yes, it is very efficient, modern, and so on. But it is still just a tool. As for the answer to the second part, I can hardly act as a futurologist. We are now focused on achieving and fulfilling the tasks set out in Presidential Decree No. 309 of 7 May 2024 ‘On the National Development Goals of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030 and in the perspective up to 2036’. Read it, it says it all. I am confident that the National Goals will be achieved.