Data-driven smart sustainable cities of the future: urban computing and intelligence for strategic, short-term, and joined-up planning

Abstract Sustainable cities are quintessential complex systems—dynamically changing environments and developed through a multitude of individual collective decisions from the bottom up to top down. As such, they full contestations, conflicts, contingencies that not easily captured, steered, predicted respectively. In short, characterized by wicked problems. Therefore, increasingly embracing leveraging what smart have offer as big data technologies their novel applications in bid effectively tackle complexities inherently embody monitor, evaluate, improve performance with respect sustainability—under has been termed “data-driven sustainable cities.” This paper analyzes discusses enabling role innovative potential urban computing intelligence strategic, short-term, joined-up planning data-driven future. Further, it devises an framework for functions advanced form decision support. study expands on prior work done develop model I argue fast-flowing torrent data, coupled its analytical power, is crucial importance effective efficient design this integrated urbanism. enabled kind model-driven support systems associated intelligence. The novelty proposed lies essential technological scientific components way which these coordinated given clear synergies enable functions. These utilize, integrate, harness complexity science, theories, sustainability data-intensive science order fashion powerful new forms simulation models optimization methods. turn generate optimal designs solutions sustainability, efficiency, resilience, equity, life quality. contributes understanding highlighting value regard