// CITY_ASSESSMENT
How smart is Cardiff?
Cardiff, United Kingdom, scores 71% against the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework in 2026 — ranked #34 of 386 cities assessed, with every finding traceable to a public source.
Smart score
71%
Rank
#34 / 386
Criteria present
48 / 86
Evidence coverage
86%
Cardiff's smart city score by area
6 present · 5 partial · 0 absent · 4 not assessed
8 present · 3 partial · 0 absent · 1 not assessed
11 present · 1 partial · 0 absent · 1 not assessed
3 present · 7 partial · 0 absent · 1 not assessed
10 present · 1 partial · 0 absent · 2 not assessed
7 present · 1 partial · 0 absent
3 present · 8 partial · 0 absent · 3 not assessed
Where Cardiff is strong
- ▸Urban Data Platform & Digital Twin
- ▸Public Transport & Real-Time Information
- ▸Air Quality & Monitoring
- ▸Climate Action & Emissions
- ▸Green Space & Biodiversity
Where the gaps are
- ▸Critical Infrastructure Resilience
- ▸Climate Adaptation & Heat
- ▸Open Data & Transparency
- ▸Digital Government Services
- ▸Governance & Smart-City Operating Model
Evidence highlights
Open Data & Transparency · Official open data portal
Cardiff Council operates a data sharing platform at ishare.cardiff.gov.uk, and Cardiff, as part of Wales, is served by DataMapWales, a public sector data platform providing a data catalogue for members of the public to browse and download spatial data.
https://www.cardiff.gov.uk/ENG/Your-Council/Data-protection-and-freedom-of-information/Open-data/Pages/default.aspxConnectivity & ICT Infrastructure · Public Wi-Fi network
The UK government invested in transforming thirty public buildings in Cardiff into free Wi-Fi hotspots.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-government-to-bring-free-wi-fi-to-public-buildings-across-cardiffUrban Data Platform & Digital Twin · Live city data dashboard
The Cardiff Harbour Authority continuously monitors chemical water quality parameters, such as dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature, and pH, from nine locations in Cardiff Bay, with readings taken every 15 minutes and viewable on the Hydrosphere website.
https://www.cardiffharbour.com/environmental-monitoringUrban Data Platform & Digital Twin · 3D digital twin / city model
Cardiff University, in partnership with Atkins, is developing a digital twin program leveraging its Computational Urban Sustainability Platform (CUSP) to create a digital twin of buildings, infrastructure, and cities for optimization.
https://www.gim-international.com/content/news/atkins-and-cardiff-university-collaborate-to-develop-an-advanced-digital-twin-programmeAbout this assessment
Cardiff was assessed against the 86 criteria of the UN ISO-aligned smart city framework on 2026-07-10 by AI agents gathering evidence from official public sources. Each criterion is marked present, partial or absent, and every finding links to where it was found. Scores refresh continuously as cities publish new evidence.