The role of smart planning in sustainable urban development

Abstract

In this paper, we sought to answer the question of whether a smart city concept can contribute to the transition towards sustainability at the city level in the age of digitalization, and if so, how. We propose the use of the developed smart planning method and the development of a scorecard-based indicator system that may contribute to the evaluation of the sustainable, climate-conscious and smart nature of local development ideas by guiding local decision makers and other stakeholders. Due to this indicator system, the continuous efficiency improvement of monitoring processes can be realized for the city management and operation, as well as the ex-ante evaluation of market-based urban development projects. A pilot study was conducted at a city of county rank in order to examine the feasibility of the developed indicator system and smart planning method. The described evaluation system may be a useful tool for local governments for identifying the most cost-effective and resource-efficient market solutions considering regional characteristics, to select the most appropriate and optimal solutions according to the development objectives of the municipality fostering the practical implementation of smart and sustainable urban development.