IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i20p8890-d1498360.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring the Differences and Similarities between Smart Cities and Sustainable Cities through an Integrative Review

Author

Listed:
  • Fernando Almeida

    (Corvinus Institute for Advanced Studies (CIAS), Corvinus University of Budapest, 1093 Budapest, Hungary)

  • Cristina Machado Guimarães

    (Centre for Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship (CITE), INESC TEC, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal)

  • Vasco Amorim

    (Engineering Department, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal)

Abstract

This study adopts an integrative review approach to explore the differences and similarities between smart cities and sustainable cities. The research starts by performing two systematic literature reviews about both paradigms and, after that, employs a thematic analysis to identify key themes, definitions, and characteristics that differentiate and connect these two urban development concepts. The findings reveal more similarities than differences between the two paradigms. Despite this, some key differences are identified. Smart cities are characterized by their use of advanced information and communication technologies to enhance urban infrastructure, improve public services, and optimize resource management. In contrast, sustainable cities focus on environmental conservation, social equity, and economic viability to ensure long-term urban resilience and quality of life. This study is important because it clarifies both concepts and highlights the potential for integrating smart and sustainable city strategies to address contemporary urban challenges more holistically. The findings also suggest a convergence towards the concept of ‘smart sustainable cities’, which leverage technology to achieve sustainability goals. Finally, this study concludes by identifying research gaps and proposing a future research agenda to further understand and optimize the synergy between smart and sustainable urban development paradigms.

Suggested Citation

  • Fernando Almeida & Cristina Machado Guimarães & Vasco Amorim, 2024. "Exploring the Differences and Similarities between Smart Cities and Sustainable Cities through an Integrative Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-22, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:20:p:8890-:d:1498360
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/20/8890/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/20/8890/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sawsan Abutabenjeh & Julius A. Nukpezah & Annus Azhar, 2022. "Do Smart Cities Technologies Contribute to Local Economic Development?," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 36(1), pages 3-16, February.
    2. Songling Chang & Melanie Kay Smith, 2023. "Residents’ Quality of Life in Smart Cities: A Systematic Literature Review," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-17, April.
    3. Leslie Quitzow & Friederike Rohde, 2022. "Imagining the smart city through smart grids? Urban energy futures between technological experimentation and the imagined low-carbon city," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 59(2), pages 341-359, February.
    4. Quitzow, Leslie & Rohde, Friederike, 2022. "Imagining the smart city through smart grids? Urban energy futures between technological experimentation and the imagined low-carbon city," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 59(2), pages 341-359.
    5. Vito Albino & Umberto Berardi & Rosa Maria Dangelico, 2015. "Smart Cities: Definitions, Dimensions, Performance, and Initiatives," Journal of Urban Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 3-21, January.
    6. Nishita Dsouza & Anitha Devadason & Araliya M. Senerat & Patrin Watanatada & David Rojas-Rueda & Giselle Sebag, 2023. "Sustainability and Equity in Urban Development (S&EUD): A Content Analysis of “Bright Spots” from the Accelerating City Equity (ACE) Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-16, April.
    7. Soumya Balakrishnan & Suzanne Elayan & Martin Sykora & Marin Solter & Rob Feick & Christopher Hewitt & Yi Qiao Liu & Ketan Shankardass, 2023. "Sustainable Smart Cities—Social Media Platforms and Their Role in Community Neighborhood Resilience—A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(18), pages 1-22, September.
    8. Francesco Caputo & Pierpaolo Magliocca & Rossella Canestrino & Erika Rescigno, 2023. "Rethinking the Role of Technology for Citizens’ Engagement and Sustainable Development in Smart Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-19, July.
    9. Danuta Szpilko & Antonio de la Torre Gallegos & Felix Jimenez Naharro & Agnieszka Rzepka & Angelika Remiszewska, 2023. "Waste Management in the Smart City: Current Practices and Future Directions," Resources, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-25, September.
    10. Priyanka Mishra & Ghanshyam Singh, 2023. "Energy Management Systems in Sustainable Smart Cities Based on the Internet of Energy: A Technical Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-36, September.
    11. Raúl Pastor & Anabel Fraga & Luis López-Cózar, 2023. "Interoperable, Smart, and Sustainable Urban Energy Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-12, September.
    12. Meiai Chen & Eila Jeronen & Anming Wang, 2021. "Toward Environmental Sustainability, Health, and Equity: How the Psychological Characteristics of College Students Are Reflected in Understanding Sustainable Development Goals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-16, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bin Liao, 2024. "Does New Urbanization Promote Urban Metabolic Efficiency?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-20, January.
    2. Demokaan Demirel, 2023. "The Impact of Managing Diversity on Building the Smart City A Comparison of Smart City Strategies: Cases From Europe, America, and Asia," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, July.
    3. Godlove Suila Kuaban & Valery Nkemeni & Onyeka J. Nwobodo & Piotr Czekalski & Fabien Mieyeville, 2024. "Internet of Things Adoption in Technology Ecosystems Within the Central African Region: The Case of Silicon Mountain," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-28, October.
    4. Ani Matei & Mădălina Cocoșatu, 2024. "Artificial Internet of Things, Sensor-Based Digital Twin Urban Computing Vision Algorithms, and Blockchain Cloud Networks in Sustainable Smart City Administration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-20, August.
    5. Olga Bogdanov & Veljko Jeremiæ & Sandra Jednak & Mladen Èudanov, 2019. "Scrutinizing the Smart City Index: a multivariate statistical approach," Zbornik radova Ekonomskog fakulteta u Rijeci/Proceedings of Rijeka Faculty of Economics, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics and Business, vol. 37(2), pages 777-799.
    6. Roblek Vasja & Meško Maja & Podbregar Iztok, 2021. "Mapping of the Emergence of Society 5.0: A Bibliometric Analysis," Organizacija, Sciendo, vol. 54(4), pages 293-305, December.
    7. Becker, Jörg & Distel, Bettina & Grundmann, Matthias & Hupperich, Thomas & Kersting, Norbert & Löschel, Andreas & Parreira do Amaral, Marcelo & Scholta, Hendrik, 2021. "Challenges and potentials of digitalisation for small and mid-sized towns: Proposition of a transdisciplinary research agenda," ERCIS Working Papers 36, University of Münster, European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS).
    8. Aleksandra Gulc & Klaudia Budna, 2024. "Classification of Smart and Sustainable Urban Mobility," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-18, April.
    9. Mariusz J. Ligarski & Tomasz Owczarek, 2024. "Preparing Quality of Life Surveys Versus Using Information for Sustainable Development: The Example of Polish Cities," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 173(3), pages 765-782, July.
    10. Vu, Khuong & Hartley, Kris, 2018. "Promoting smart cities in developing countries: Policy insights from Vietnam," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(10), pages 845-859.
    11. Maria Vincenza Ciasullo & Orlando Troisi & Mara Grimaldi & Daniele Leone, 2020. "Multi-level governance for sustainable innovation in smart communities: an ecosystems approach," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 1167-1195, December.
    12. Anthony Simonofski & Estefanía Serral Asensio & Johannes Smedt & Monique Snoeck, 2019. "Hearing the Voice of Citizens in Smart City Design: The CitiVoice Framework," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 61(6), pages 665-678, December.
    13. Michael Yit Lin Chew & Evelyn Ai Lin Teo & Kwok Wei Shah & Vishal Kumar & Ghassan Fahem Hussein, 2020. "Evaluating the Roadmap of 5G Technology Implementation for Smart Building and Facilities Management in Singapore," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-26, December.
    14. Yamilé Pérez Guilarte & Daniel Barreiro Quintáns, 2019. "Using Big Data to Measure Tourist Sustainability: Myth or Reality?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-19, October.
    15. Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman Tariq & Alavaiola Faumatu & Maha Hussein & Muhammad Laiq Ur Rahman Shahid & Nitin Muttil, 2020. "Smart City-Ranking of Major Australian Cities to Achieve a Smarter Future," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-19, April.
    16. Shahid Nawaz Khan & Syed Ali Abbas Kazmi & Abdullah Altamimi & Zafar A. Khan & Mohammed A. Alghassab, 2022. "Smart Distribution Mechanisms—Part I: From the Perspectives of Planning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-109, December.
    17. Yi-Ming Guo & Zhen-Ling Huang & Ji Guo & Hua Li & Xing-Rong Guo & Mpeoane Judith Nkeli, 2019. "Bibliometric Analysis on Smart Cities Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-18, June.
    18. Sabina Baraniewicz-Kotasińska, 2022. "The Scandinavian Third Way as a Proposal for Sustainable Smart City Development—A Case Study of Aarhus City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-24, March.
    19. Jorge Expósito López & José Javier Romero-Díaz de la Guardia & María del Carmen Olmos-Gómez & Ramón Chacón-Cuberos & Eva María Olmedo-Moreno, 2019. "Enhancing Skills for Employment in the Workplace of the Future 2020 Using the Theory of Connectivity: Shared and Adaptive Personal Learning Environments in a Spanish Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-18, August.
    20. Johannes Stübinger & Lucas Schneider, 2020. "Understanding Smart City—A Data-Driven Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-23, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:20:p:8890-:d:1498360. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.