Knowledge-Perception Bridge of Green-Smart Integration of Cities: An Empirical Study of Hong Kong

Chung-Shing Chan,Lawal Marafa

doi:10.3390/su10010107

Abstract

Cities often thematize themselves as attractive and sustainable places by adopting some emerging concepts of urban development. Green city and smart city are two of these themes that contain distinctive but often overlapping attributes. These green and smart city attributes, as proposed in previous studies, are tested with a sample of Hong Kong residents (n = 243). This paper identifies the factors in a combined green–smart theme of Hong Kong based on local perception. The empirical results confirm that local residents believe Hong Kong is performing smarter than greener. The findings from factor analysis reveal a combined green–smart structure consisting of one mixed green–smart infrastructural elements and six other specific factors about greenness or smartness. Regression also builds up two models showing the locally-perceived determinants of a successful green city and smart city for Hong Kong, respectively. This study reflects a complexity–simplicity paradox of how decision makers should respond to a knowledge–perception gap. The result further confirms that human factor, including the engagement and the quality of societal actors, is the key to successful green and smart urban development.

Highlights

Cities often develop themes of characteristics, features or development areas [1], which may be framed within the creation of a unique cultural setting and urban development
This paper presents the study of Hong Kong, where the government has directed Hong Kong to follow and evolve in a range of themes over the past decade, including the ideas of achieving a green city, a creative economy, a digital city and relatively recently, a smart city
This paper achieves identifying the factors in a green–smart theme of Hong Kong based on local perception

Summary

Introduction

Cities often develop themes of characteristics, features or development areas [1], which may be framed within the creation of a unique cultural setting and urban development (e.g., a green city, a smart city, a creative city, and a sustainable city). Some of these themes are constructed and transferred to a value-promised and value-laden marketing concept and even city brand there often exists questionable compatibility and a strong tension between the quest for diversity and the desire for distinctiveness [2,3]. Some of the underlying elements of green and smart urbanism, for example greenery and utility infrastructure, may be more visible and have stronger power to catch the public attention, which may in turn become the positive attributes for city marketing and development

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion