A Methodological Model to Evaluate Smart City Sustainability

Abstract

This study aims to identify the key elements that should be included in a methodological model to evaluate the sustainability of smart cities and examines the case of Medellín, Colombia, from 2020 to 2021. For this purpose, it adopted a qualitative descriptive methodology divided into three stages: (1) reviewing existing methodologies for smart city evaluation; (2) designing, validating, and administering information collection instruments; and (3) systematizing and analyzing in-depth interviews. The results indicate that the said model should focus on six key variables: government, mobility, sustainability, people, economy, and quality of life. Smart cities should generate synergies, ensuring the interoperability of their services so that their inhabitants have a better quality of life. The added value of the model proposed here is that it incorporates social and political dynamics, which is noteworthy because most tools in this field do not prioritize them and focus on technical, environmental, transportation, planning, and technological factors.

Residents’ Quality of Life in Smart Cities: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Sometimes the document analysis was quite specific, e.g., documents referring to inclusive smart cities [28]. In addition to in-depth interviews, focus groups, workshops, and Delphi studies, other ways of eliciting data from professionals included cognitive mapping research, which involved panel discussions with groups of experts [37][38][39]. Table 4 provides a summary of some of the main domains and indicators that are included in this research.…”

“…Investment, competitiveness, and entrepreneurship [35] Housing, jobs, and entrepreneurship [15] High levels of innovation [39] Productive and innovative economy [4] Smart governance Public services, taxation, and transparency of data [35] Transportation, data monitoring, internet, and WiFi [15] Access to interaction with the government's relevant authorities [40] Supply of goods and services by government agencies and transparency in public administration [39] Participatory and transparent governance [4] Smart mobility Public transportation, infrastructure, and safety [13] Sustainable transportation, traffic control, and ICT infrastructure [36] The adoption of sustainable and eco-friendly transportation systems [36] Smart environment Pollution, energy efficiency, and green buildings [35] Including green spaces, pollution, and energy use [15] The adequate management of natural resources [39] Sustainable and resilient environment [4] Smart people Social welfare and personal development [13] Human and social networks (healthcare, education, and safety) [18] Creativity, social cohesion, and qualifications [35] Social cohesion and participation [9] Community training and the development of key skills for innovative ecosystems [39] Equal and inclusive society [4] Smart living…”

“…The findings from SC and QoL research can help city administrators or policy makers to prioritize which services are needed most by citizens and are, therefore, worth allocating resources to or investing in [39]. It has been suggested that smart living is the most important domain of a smart and sustainable city followed by a smart economy [20].…”

“…For example, user-friendly smart solutions are noteworthy for implementing sustainable public transportation [33]. The combined environment of sustainability and smartness can also serve as a stimulus for a knowledge-based economy [39]. Sustainable smart cities or SSC can become a path to innovation [14], especially in so-called knowledge-based cities where attraction and retention of knowledgeable workers and businesses is desirable.…”

Behavioural Factors for Users of Bicycles as a Transport Alternative: A Case Study

“…Keeping in mind the growing importance of incorporating sustainability in urban transport [20] and that the city of Medellín, Colombia, has undergone significant urban growth that has prioritised the construction of a new means of transport as a definitive agent in the sustainable regeneration of the city [21], there is a need to identify the main problems in adopting sustainable measures [22]. These must consider interoperability, mobility, quality of life and sustainability as four of the six key elements in the study of methodological models that evaluate sustainability in the city of Medellín as a smart city [23].…”