Smart City Projects Research Articles

A Review of IoT-Based Smart City Development and Management

Smart city initiatives aim to enhance urban domains such as healthcare, transportation, energy, education, environment, and logistics by leveraging advanced information and communication technologies, particularly the Internet of Things (IoT). While IoT integration offers significant benefits, it also introduces unique challenges. This paper provides a comprehensive review of IoT-based management in smart cities. It includes a discussion of a generalized architecture for IoT in smart cities, evaluates various metrics to assess the success of smart city projects, explores standards pertinent to these initiatives, and delves into the challenges encountered in implementing smart cities. Furthermore, the paper examines real-world applications of IoT in urban management, highlighting their advantages, practical impacts, and associated challenges. The research methodology involves addressing six key questions to explore IoT architecture, impacts on efficiency and sustainability, insights from global examples, critical standards, success metrics, and major deployment challenges. These findings offer valuable guidance for practitioners and policymakers in developing effective and sustainable smart city initiatives. The study significantly contributes to academia by enhancing knowledge, offering practical insights, and highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary research for urban innovation and sustainability, guiding future initiatives towards more effective smart city solutions.

Гуманистическая адаптация проекта «Умный город»: эстетический аспект

In the implementation of the Smart City project, one of the significant challenges lies in the complex interaction between digital technologies and new forms of sociality, aimed at creating a comfortable living environment for humans. The concept of sustainable development, which is a priority goal of modern urbanization, implies special attention to the environmental parameters of city life. New trends in the inclusion of a natural component in the fabric of urban life are developing in line with the phenomenon of aestheticization as a characteristic feature of modern culture. The tendency to give aesthetic sound to everyday phenomena is aimed at the sensory-emotional sphere as the basis of aesthetic sensibility. Embracing the principle of naturalness in shaping nature, even if this simplicity is achieved through complex technological solutions and adheres to archetypal artistic images, provides a stable guideline for assessing the appropriateness and harmony of the environment. The study delves into the reflective aspect of perception in urban environments, emphasizing the development of emotional intelligence and the ability to engage with the sensory-rich “smart environment”. It discusses the importance of flexible communication with digital devices, facilitated by an enhanced realm of sensuousness and emotional connectivity. By embracing humanistic principles and aesthetic sensibilities, the Smart City project can create more livable, sustainable, and emotionally engaging urban environments.

Constructing smart cities through the use of public-private partnerships: The case of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates

This article analyses the case of Dubai’s smart city from a public policy perspective and demonstrates how critical it is to rely on the use of the public-private partnership (PPP) model. Effective use of this model can guarantee the building of a smart city that could potentially fulfill the vision of the political leadership in Dubai and serve as a catalyst and blueprint for other Gulf states that wish to follow Dubai’s example. This article argues that Dubai’s smart city project enjoys significant political support and has ambitious plans for sustainable growth, and that the government has invested heavily in developing the necessary institutional, legal/regulatory, and supervisory frameworks that are essential foundations for the success of any PPP project. The article also points to some important insights that the Dubai government can learn from the international experience with the delivery of smart cities through PPPs.

Distant time: The future of urbanisation from ‘there’ and ‘then’

Recent geographical scholarship has mainly focussed on the disjunctures between linear and cyclical time in urban development. This paper proposes a notion of distant time as a metaphor of temporal power that keeps marginal citizens at a governable distance from the state. Taking the case of Shimla, an erstwhile Summer Capital of colonial India and a popular tourist town in the Himalayas, it argues that distant time emerges from the temporal reordering of ‘native’ settlement on a fragile ecological landscape ravaged by the colonial state, that is then repeated in postcolonial imaginaries of smart urban futures. Reading ‘along the grain’ of colonial archives of incremental housebuilding by the ‘natives’, as well as interviews with current working class residents of Shimla living under threat of demolition from proposed smart city projects, this paper suggests that distant time is also a space for marginal citizens to claim temporal justice. Even as the state engages in temporal distancing through post/colonial planning, marginal citizens use waiting, confusing, and circumventing as tools of temporal arbitrage. They highlight that aspirations for smart urban futures are not just produced in the ‘here and now’ of the present, but also from the ‘there and then’ of different pasts and futures.

Integrating smart city and smart citizen into the digital economy

The study aims to enhance interactions within smart city infrastructures by systematically analyzing associated challenges and proposing strategic solutions. Employing methodologies such as system analysis, synthesis, optimization, modeling, and decision-making—while considering process uncertainties—we dissect the "smart city" and "smart city dweller" concepts, charting their evolutionary cycles. The results outline a structural framework for interactions between citizens, the state, businesses, and society, integrating key subsystems into a unified infrastructure. We also evaluate feedback mechanisms in urban projects like "Active Citizen" and "Garbage. Not.Net," and investigate smart city self-regulation using the Hurwitz criterion. These insights provide actionable guidance for assessing and advancing smart city projects.

Enhancing Security and Sensors Emerging Internet of Things (IoT) Technology of Homophone-Based Encryption using MANET‐IoT Networks Technique

The emerging Internet of Things (IoT) technology brings several benefits to the real-time applications of the smart city project. The IoT-enabled technologies are driven by the networks like Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET), Vehicular Ad Hoc Network (VANET), Wireless Sensor Network (WSN), Underwater Wireless Sensor Network (UWSN), etc. The core functionality of IoT-enabled technologies mainly depends on routing functionality. The focus of this work is on the IoT-enabled MANET, i.e., IoT-MANET routing methods. There are several types of research conducted so far on the efficiency of MANET in different areas such as routing protocol, MAC protocol, queue, etc. Routing protocols are the major domain on which the performance of IoT-MANET has been analyzed. There are different types of routing protocols have introduced for the MANETs. The use and selection routing methods are done as per the real-time application needs. An average Ad hoc On-Demand Vector (AODV) routing protocol had shown good results under any type of network. The increase in internet usage for communication has led to a significant growth in the volume of data being transmitted over the internet, including computer data, text, video, audio, sound, and images. However, due to limited network capacities, efficient compression methods are needed to reduce the amount of data while preserving its quality and ensuring timely transmission. Data confidentiality is a crucial aspect of network security, and the homophone-based encryption with compression (HEC) technique offers a viable solution in this regard.

Aggravating or alleviating? Smart city construction and urban inequality in China

A series of studies have been conducted in recent years to address the academic and policy debate on smart cities, some of which argue that the adoption of smart technologies to manage cities can exacerbate inequalities in urban development by favoring the classes that benefit from this model. However, to date, the links between smart cities and urban inequality (UI) has never been empirically tested at the city level of statistical inference. Therefore, with a combination of the difference-in-difference (DID) model and heterogeneity-robustness estimate, a quasi-natural experiment concerned with China's smart city policy was carried out. The following are the primary conclusions: First, smart city construction alleviates urban inequality. Following several robustness tests, the finding is still reliable. Second, the effect of smart city construction on inequality is heterogeneous. Third, there is a significant positive spatial spillover effect of the impact of smart city construction on inequality. Therefore, it is suggested to formulate targeted smart city development strategies from the following aspects: strengthening the overall planning and strategic layout of smart city projects, focusing on social equity and protecting the interests of vulnerable groups, improving regional cooperation mechanisms, attracting and cultivating innovative talents, giving priority to the impact of heterogeneous cities, and emphasizing the participation and autonomy of grassroots communities, so as to tap the potential of digital technology in sustainable cities and societies.

E-government impact on developing smart cities initiative in Saudi Arabia: Opportunities & challenges

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have a recent impact on governance and public administration. Electronic government (e-government) services were created to streamline administrative processes and enhance citizen engagement on the one hand, and to build new governance models that would empower individuals, involve them in the decision-making process, and increase transparency on the other. Many individuals are doubtful about smart city projects because of the security issues that arise in such environments. In essence, internet of things gadgets are security flaws. Concerns about the proliferation of IoT sensors and the tighter coupling of infrastructure silos in cities are well-founded. The major objective of the study is to identify the influencing factors of smart cities on e-government in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, this research explores the definition of e-government, and its supporting technologies like smart cities, IoT, big data, cloud computing and other digital government platforms. After exploring the detailed definitions, the study identifies the challenging scenarios of e-government in Saudi Arabia, and discusses the different opportunities. This study also concentrates on the good practices to be followed to overcome the challenges. Furthermore, this study can be used in future research for solving real time challenges of e-government.

Smart Cities and International Trade Law

AbstractA ‘smart city’ is a buzz term and concept. The ‘smart city’ has mainly been discussed in the scholarly literature on urban planning, architecture, and geography. While the ‘smart city’ has been under-analyzed in international trade law, the term ‘smart city’ is commonly used in Asian trade policies. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) established the ‘ASEAN Smart Cities Network’ and the ‘smart city’ is now an important market opportunity for exporting smart technologies and services to ASEAN. Against this backdrop, this article addresses how smart cities can be regulated and governed by international trade law. The trade law perspective facilitates a broader understanding of smart city governance, which includes under-explored ‘global’ regulatory dimensions concerning the interaction between local governments and foreign firms. This article selects three relevant trade areas for discussions: (1) Internet of Things in the context of trade in goods and services; (2) international standard-setting activities; and (3) data governance. It further considers what kinds of regulatory issues international smart city projects can add to the current digital trade discourse. Drawing on the smart city literature, the article points out additional problems concerning security and privacy that have not yet been acknowledged in digital trade.

Writing about smart cities in Indonesia: A bibliometric analysis

This study analyzed the development, current patterns, and main focuses in the field of smart cities in Indonesia by conducting a bibliometric analysis of 133 academic articles. The study used the Scopus database to collect data and the Bibliometrix R programme to conduct a detailed bibliometric analysis. The findings revealed a yearly rise in publications, suggesting a growing scholarly focus on smart cities. The inquiry explored the relationships between authors, their affiliations, and countries, identifying the most prominent journals and influential publications in this field. Keyword analysis revealed the main topics and subjects, which greatly aided in the strategic planning and execution of smart city projects by identifying gaps, patterns, and potential areas for further investigation. This bibliometric analysis provides detailed insight into the study on smart cities in Indonesia, showing a transition from an initial emphasis on technology and sustainability to a wider range of sustainable development and sociological aspects. The findings emphasize the need for interdisciplinary approaches and increased regional and international partnerships to tackle complex urban challenges. This study promotes a holistic view of the smart city that combines technological advancement with community involvement and urban quality of life.

How to Create and Foster Sustainable Smart Cities? Insights on Ethics, Trust, Privacy, Transparency, Incentives, and Success

This paper describes the motivation, framework, concepts, method, implementation, and results of the HCII2023 Design Café, a dedicated participatory highly interactive design workshop held in Copenhagen in July 2023. Motivated by the ubiquitous challenges our world is facing, this initiative had the goal to explore six main issues from an interdisciplinary perspective with a focus on the UN SDG 11: “Sustainable Cities and Communities” and the HCI Grand Challenge 2 “Human-Environment Interactions.” The six issues were formulated as questions and presented to the participants working in small groups. (1) How to create inclusive and ethical smart cities? (2) How to establish trust between people and smart environments? (3) How to address privacy concerns in smart environments that adopt the “disappearing computer” paradigm? (4) How to promote explainability and transparency of policies and measures to citizens of smart cities or in smart environments in general? (5) How to design incentives and rewards for engagement and sustainable behavior in smart cities at a personal as well as collective/corporate level? (6) How to measure success and impact in sustainable smart city projects? The method and approach of the Design Café is a tailored composition of a guided, structured format combined with and inspired by processes of informal communication and exchange of knowledge and ideas. Aligned moderation, a minimum set of rules, a set of relevant topics and an interdisciplinary group of motivated participants working in rotating formations provides the structure for achieving results. The results show that the six issues are not independent of each other, but require a holistic view, considering the various dependencies as well as synergies when exploring solutions. Nevertheless, the importance of first establishing higher-level goals based on ethical and inclusive approaches fostering human dignity and human rights were key. Acceptance of overall goals, processes, rules, and regulations was considered as the fundamental pre-requisite for sustainable change towards a declared goal. Acceptance needs trust and privacy as well as explainability and transparency of policies and measures. The role of incentives and rewards for engagement and sustainable behavior was twofold. Offering incentives must include planning on how to measure their impact. Effective measurement of success and impact depends heavily on how the institutions address privacy. Explainability and transparency should become one of the ethical guidelines that steer and control concepts, decision making, and implementations of all activities. The scale of these societal challenges still needs to be recognized by those responsible. It is essential to educate decision makers in the psychological needs and effects of sense making, comprehensibility, and finally acceptance and well-being moving towards a humanity-centered design.

The Evaluation and Significance of Smart City Projects in Korea: Targeting Enterprises within the Smart City Association Convergence Alliance

This study identified, analysed, and prioritised significant factors for standardising the Korean smart city project evaluation system. We analysed the efficiency and productivity of companies currently providing smart city services, considering both policy and practical aspects. The prioritisation of smart city planning reflects the latest trends in South Korea, where urban planning is moving towards smart city planning. Furthermore, public–private and private–private partnership capacity-building highlights the importance of business scalability. This shows that smart city services are only stabilised when the private sector is involved in and leads the project, rather than focusing on public development. The feasibility of building intelligent facilities indicates that smart city projects should be implemented after securing cost–benefit feasibility. The results were used as the basis for an evaluation system, showing that, in smart city convergence alliances, small- and medium-sized enterprises achieved the highest efficiency by reducing inputs to 81% and 86% under the assumptions of constant and variable returns to scales, respectively. As the operational aspect is more problematic than the technical aspect, policy alternatives are necessary for smooth business progress, including increased flexibility of laws and institutions and the activation of policies that temporarily relieve regulations for smart city projects.

Discovering smart cities' potential in Kazakhstan: A cluster analysis.

The potential for developing smart cities in Kazakhstan is evaluated using cluster analysis. Built on previous research focused on clustering the regions of Kazakhstan, this study applies the same method to the cities of the country. The analysis uses indicators related to human capital, infrastructure, education, information technology, production, and other factors to assess the potential of each city. The clustering is performed using Single Linkage, Complete Linkage, and Ward's methods. The results show that Almaty and Astana are the cities with the highest potential for becoming smart cities. Aktobe is identified as a city with distinctive features that may help or hinder its development as a smart city. The remaining cities are clustered into two groups, with one group having the potential to catch up and maintain the trend of developing smart cities, while the other group is less suitable for starting smart city projects and may require more investment per capita. The study highlights the deep regional inequality affecting the potential to successfully develop and manage smart cities in Kazakhstan. The analysis also reveals some limitations and challenges in the data and variables used, including the lack of data for some variables and the difficulties in "translating" some factors and indicators into quantitative variables for clustering. The study concludes that future research should address these challenges and consider clustering inside certain regions to focus on their unique features. The study recommends launching pilot projects in small cities, with the most successful practices then scaled and implemented in the core smart cities and possibly Aktobe, if it manages to use its advantages to compensate for risks. Overall, this study provides insights into the potential of smart city development in Kazakhstan and can inform policymakers in their efforts to support smart city projects in the country.

DBSCAN-based energy users clustering for performance enhancement of deep learning model

Background: Due to rapid progress in the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning and deep learning, the power grids are transforming into Smart Grids (SG) which are versatile, reliable, intelligent and stable. The power consumption of the energy users is varying throughout the day as well as in different days of the week. Power consumption forecasting is of vital importance for the sustainable management and operation of SG. Methodology: In this work, the aim is to apply clustering for dividing a smart residential community into several group of similar profile energy user, which will be effective for developing and training representative deep neural network (DNN) models for power load forecasting of users in respective groups. The DNN models is composed of convolutional neural network (CNN) followed by LSTM layers for feature extraction and sequence learning respectively. The DNN For experimentation, the Smart Grid Smart City (SGSC) project database is used and its energy users are grouped into various clusters. Results: The residential community is divided into four groups of customers based on the chosen criterion where Group 1, 2, 3 and 4 contains 14 percent, 22 percent, 19 percent and 45 percent users respectively. Almost half of the population (45 percent) of the considered residential community exhibits less than 23 outliers in their electricity consumption patterns. The rest of the population is divided into three groups, where specialized deep learning models developed and trained for respective groups are able to achieve higher forecasting accuracy. The results of our proposed approach will assist researchers and utility companies by requiring fewer specialized deep-learning models for accurate forecasting of users who belong to various groups of similar-profile energy consumption.

Potential application of solar still desalination in NEOM region

NEOM is a proposed $500 billion smart city project planned to be built in Saudi Arabia. It aims to be a hub for innovation, sustainability, and quality of life, and will incorporate cutting-edge technology and renewable energy solutions. NEOM aims to transform the region into a hub for the future, attracting businesses and individuals from all over the world.. This article explores the potential application of solar still desalination in the NEOM region. Solar stills are a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for producing fresh water from saltwater sources. In the NEOM region, where access to fresh water is a major challenge, solar still desalination can play a significant role in meeting the growing demand for potable water. This research discusses the principles and components of solar stills, and the various types of solar stills that are currently available. This work also evaluates the performance and efficiency of solar stills, and their potential to provide large-scale water production in the NEOM region. Finally, the article highlights the potential benefits and challenges associated with implementing solar still desalination in the NEOM region, and provides recommendations for future research and development. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on sustainable water management, and has important implications for policymakers and water resource managers in the NEOM region and beyond.

Accompanying study of the development process towards a smart city strategy-with a particular focus on social change

The development of a smart city strategy will take place in 73 selected cities in Germany as the result of a participation competition. The systematics of the requirements of the state as a funding provider and the approach of local actors will be examined in more detail in this study. The Objectives of the work are a supervised process of a model facility, on the basis of which observations for a process model are to be derived. This model is intended to enable various aspects as a starting point for non-subsidized institutions as well. A particular focus lies on the area of social change, which is difficult to quantify, in terms of social aspects. The Prior work shows that there are three different dimensions of strategy elements to be decided on in order to start subsidy-compliant design projects. On one hand, a team must be required that takes care of the smart city projects next to their regular tasks. Their composition and purpose in doing represent the first dimension. Secondly, the question of setting targets and the associated monitoring of results must be determined. Finally, the path of involving citizens and companies lead to the social legitimacy of the project team. The approach is based on a semi-structured participant observation by the authors. Qualitative insights into practical doing and abstracted findings based on an example case serve as practical recommendations for further and thus complementary consolidation and expansion of the findings. The first Results show that defining key performance indicators and objective key results is quite a new system of performance measurement for public institutions. In particular, the social aspects of living together in cities are difficult to put into key figures due to the diverse composition of society. Local differences with incentives and channels in different forms need to be translated into general insights. The Implications include enabling government leaders to initiate and manage transformative approaches to the digitization of public space. Social change as a field of action for the design of digital solutions will be opened up and brought closer by means of best-practice implementations. The value of the work lies in getting an example of steps towards a planning basis for comprehensive smart city agendas. Furthermore, management tools for digital projects are addressed and methods for the participation of service recipients of public authorities are presented. Through the classified experiences of the prime example, challenges, opportunities, risks but also weaknesses of the path to a smart city emerge, which can be a point of orientation for non-subsidized cities in their own roadmap.

The importance of urbanization in the process of shaping the “ubiquitous city” on the example of Songdo International Business District, South Korea

Both the smart city and U-city concepts were created as a response to the challenges related to the increasing level of urbanization and the further development of the latest technologies. These so-called smart cities are designed to use information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve operational efficiency, make information available to the public, provide better government services and increase the overall level of well-being of citizens. In this article the author will analyze the development of the “smart city” concept, and then present her conclusions and observations based on the example of the South Korean city of Songdo, which is currently one of the most progressive business centers of the ubiquitous city type. Subsequently she will answer two main research questions: 1. What distinguishes a ubiquitous city from a standard smart city project? 2. What are the obstacles, challenges, and incentives for further development in the implementation of the above concept in South Korea? Two main research methods will be used in the article – a comparative method, helpful in identifying visible links between similar phenomena and entities, and a content analysis method, based on a literature review on the topics covered in the work, including issues related to the city of Songdo.

Smart cities and economic development: synergies among technology, social forces and female entrepreneurship

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the synergies between the economic environment and the smart living dimension embedded in the current smart city initiatives, focusing on the localization of female entrepreneurship in contemporary cities. This interaction is under-investigated and controversial as it includes cities' practices enabling users and citizens to develop their potential and build their own lives, affecting entrepreneurial and economic outcomes. Building upon the perspective of the innovation ecosystems, this study focuses on the impact of smart living dimensions and R&D investments on the localization of female entrepreneurial activities.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) and a panel dataset that considers 30 Italian smart city projects for 12 years to demonstrate the relationship between smart living practices in cities and the localization of female entrepreneurship. The complementary effect of public R&D investment is also included as a driver in the “smart” city transition.FindingsThe study found that the advancement of smart living practices in cities drives the localization of female entrepreneurship. The study highlights the empirical results, the interaction over the years and a current overview through choropleth maps. The public R&D investment also affects this relationship.Practical implicationsThis study advances the theoretical discussion on (1) female entrepreneurial intentions, (2) smart city advancement (as a context) and (3) smart living dimension (as a driver) and offers valuable insight for governance and policymakers.Social implicationsThis study offers empirical contributions to the preliminary academic debate on enterprise development and smart city trajectories at the intersection between human-based practices and female entrepreneurship.Originality/valueThis study offers empirical contributions to the preliminary academic debate on enterprise development and smart city trajectories at the intersection between human-based practices and female entrepreneurship. The findings provide valuable insights into the localization of female entrepreneurship in the context of smart cities.

Unlocking the Potential of German Smart Cities: Strategy Analysis through Online Content Examination

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of smart city strategies in Germany through the examination of online content. Smart city initiatives have gained significant attention worldwide as urban areas seek innovative solutions to address various challenges. In Germany, renowned for its technological achievement and commitment to sustainability, has witnessed the emergence of numerous Smart City projects. The aim of this study is to investigate the current status of Smart Cities strategy initiatives in Germany based on a sample of 82 cities. To achieve this, an online content analysis methodology is employed, using the official web presences of the selected cities and information published on them. The content analysis focuses on identifying empirical evidence related to digitalisation, data and governance, and obtaining their transparency and progress in a sample of 82 major German cities. The findings of this study reveal the diversity and richness of German smart city approaches, but also a varying degree of sophistication and transparency of strategic initiatives. As an expression of Germany's federal structure, the cities focus on different aspects, such as mobility, energy efficiency or data-driven administration. The insights gained from this online content analysis provide valuable guidance for policymakers, urban planners and stakeholders involved in the design of smart city strategies. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of existing initiatives, policymakers can refine their approaches, address challenges and promote sustainable and inclusive urban development. Furthermore, this study contributes to the academic discourse on smart cities by providing empirical evidence on the implementation of strategies in a German context. Overall, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the German smart city landscape and serves as a basis for future research, policy formulation and the pursuit of smarter and more liveable cities.

Unleashing The Power of Big Data: The Phenomenon Behind Indonesia's Smart City Policy Implementation

The concept of smart cities has emerged as a promising prospect for several major urban centers in Indonesia. Putting smart city projects together requires thinking about many things. Big data has become one of the most important parts for making sure that these projects will last. Employing big data technology makes it easier to improve the ways that data is stored and processed. This makes it possible to gather useful data that could greatly improve a wide range of smart city services. This study uses a library-based qualitative research approach to analyze scholarly journals and relevant literature. The method involves meticulous collection of data from carefully chosen libraries, aiming to provide comprehensive insights into the phenomenon of big data in smart cities implementation within government administration. This study aims to contribute to the identification and analysis of challenges encountered in emergency situations, with the ultimate goal of providing assistance in effectively mapping the problem at hand. The present discourse underscores the indispensability of Indonesia's contemporary human mindset in bolstering the viability of the smart city paradigm.