A review of measures to evaluate smart sustainable cities

Abstract

This paper presents preliminary results of a review of tools that claim to measure aspects of the state of a city, related to the smart, sustainable city concept. Using academic literature as well as online searches, over 50 tools were identified, including standards, indices and models, that each measure a range of city attributes. So far, detailed information about 18 of these tools has been collected from articles, web sites and correspondence. This paper analyses data from this subset, looking at the intended purpose of the tools, what they measure, the nature and transparency of the tools, who is able to use them and for what purposes. The ultimate aim is to be able to advise cities on how to choose measures that are appropriate for their circumstances.