BS ISO 37105:2019

What is ISO 37105 - Descriptive framework for cities and communities about?  

ISO 37105 discusses sustainable cities and communities to transform our cities. 

ISO 37105 specifies a descriptive framework for a city including an associated foundational ontology of the anatomical structure of a city or community. ISO 37105 sets out requirements and guidance to help create a sustainable future for communities, using methods and tools that include smartness and resilience. Thus, help city leaders to set and achieve their city's sustainable development agenda.  

The descriptive framework is intended to have the following qualities: 

• Timeless, i.e., compatible with any human settlement at any time in history 
• Acultural, i.e., valid for any culture and any type of city 
• Scalable, i.e., valid for a metropolis, a city, a small town, or a village 
• Generic, so that everything we could define as a “human settlement”, such as a “smart city”, has a place in this structure 

Who is ISO 37105 - Descriptive framework for cities and communities for? 

ISO 37105 on descriptive framework for cities and communities is useful for: 

• City CEOs 
• Sustainability officers 
• Smart city managers 
• Compliance managers 
• Policy advisors, NGOs, and consultants who are planning their city’s long term sustainability agenda 

Why should you use ISO 37105 - Descriptive framework for cities and communities?  

ISO 37105 helps city and community stakeholders define a common language to describe cities and communities. This framework can facilitate the sharing of ideas, data, and solutions within, and also between, cities. The descriptive framework, which can also be referred to as the city anatomy, serves as a basic blueprint to facilitate the integration of operating systems and services within a city or community.  

ISO 37105 provides a descriptive framework that aims to enable effective governance, evaluation, and transformation by providing city officials and other stakeholders with: 

• A way to describe their aims and objectives, existing or proposed city initiatives, and services in a manner that is consistent across cities, vendors, service providers, and standards developers 
• A comprehensive checklist of key city aspects and domains 

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) issued in 2015 resolve this relatively abstract ideal into more tangible objectives. The UNSDG Goal 11 provides these objectives for cities, creating 10 targets for improving the quality of life for citizens and the city’s resiliency, while also limiting the impact of human activity on the environment.