Parceria público-privada de iluminação pública de Belo Horizonte: um caminho para uma cidade mais inteligente

Abstract

Since the 1990 decade there has been studies on smart cities widely connected to economic and technological factors. Nowadays the term encompasses more comprehensive concepts, such as: governance, environment, social cohesion and human capital. In this context, in the city of Belo Horizonte (BR), the Public–private Partnership (PPP) concession on public lighting management rises as pioneer in the country and it is pointed out as a model, pursuing smart city actions, inclusive on official contract. Based in the case study methodology, this article intends to analyze that particular contract and its amendments; as well to use the literature on the matter in order to consider and check up how the public lighting PPP, as it is, is being managed in its first year of management concession (this first milestone corresponds to its first 10 months of operation), as well considering if that can be seen as the first step to Belo Horizonte becoming a smart city. According to the study, the results point out that Belo Horizonte City Hall Public–Private Partnership (PPP) on public lighting has many mechanisms that are able to rise the city to a smart city position, mainly those mechanisms connected to technology. However, literature has shown that technology implementation is not enough to characterize the city as a smart one, uncharacterizing that state capital as such. In light of that, this study points out possible perspectives to the state executives, mainly those concerning transparency, adopting management practices in order to be successful in leading the city to a smart city position.