Urban Sci., Volume 9, Issue 2 (February 2025) – 13 articles

The unprecedented pace of urbanization has been exerting significant strain on cities, raising critical concerns across environmental, economic, social, and technological aspects. In response, the ‘Smart City’ concept has emerged as a novel urban development paradigm, aiming at addressing contemporary urban issues, enhancing cities’ competitiveness and prosperity, and fostering active participation through the strategic utilization of state-of-the-art technologies. However, the smart city term suffers from considerable conceptual ambiguity, thereby provoking intense confusion and misunderstanding among interested parties and leading to the implementation of ineffective initiatives. Moreover, the priorities of sustainability, resilience, and inclusiveness have gained prominence in the urban planning discourse, necessitating a more integrated view that aligns urban targets with performance assessment across various domains. In light of these issues, this study endeavors to clarify the above-mentioned conceptual vagueness by developing a holistic, indicator-oriented smart city ontology. The proposed knowledge representation scheme is intended to serve as a Decision Support Tool that will facilitate policymakers to tackle urban challenges and formulate sound policies. Additionally, it is expected to contribute to the fields of spatial and developmental planning by establishing a standardized framework for assessing and monitoring cities’ performance, while elucidating the complex interrelationships and trade-offs among diverse urban dimensions. Full article

Understanding the determinants of housing price movements is an ongoing subject of debate. Estimating these determinants becomes a valuable tool for predicting price trends and mitigating the risks of market volatility. This article presents a systematic review analyzing studies that compare various machine learning (ML) tools with hedonic regression, aiming to assess whether real estate price predictions based on mathematical techniques and artificial intelligence enhance the accuracy of hedonic price models used for valuing residential properties. ML models (neural networks, decision trees, random forests, among others) provide high predictive capacity and greater explanatory power due to the better fit of their statistical measures. However, hedonic regression models, while less precise, are more robust, as they can identify the housing attributes that most influence price levels. These attributes include the property’s location, its internal features, and the distance from the property to city centers. Full article

The assessment of urban ecological quality through remote sensing has gained prominence in recent years, due to the need for effective urban monitoring and improved territorial planning. This study presents a comprehensive review of the evolution of urban ecological-quality research from 1997 to 2023, focusing on trends, influential publications, and methodologies. From 1997 to 2023, research on urban ecological quality grew significantly, with annual publications increasing from 0.3 in the 1990s to six in the 2020s, driven by technological advancements, global collaboration, and alignment with policy goals like the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Co-occurrence network analysis revealed six key research clusters, highlighting advancements in methodologies, spatial data integration, remote sensing, green sustainability, and multi-criteria frameworks, showcasing the field’s interdisciplinary evolution. China leads contributions, with 33.3% of research, followed by the United States and other countries, emphasizing robust international collaborations. Journals like Remote Sensing and Sustainability dominate, with highly cited publications from the 2010s and 2020s shaping the field’s direction. Prominent authors such as Xu H. and Zhang X. have played critical roles, though engagement in the field has surged more recently. Remote-sensing technologies, particularly in China, have been pivotal, with indices like the Remote-Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) and its derivatives broadening analytical frameworks. These tools integrate ecological, socio-economic, and policy dimensions, aligning with global sustainability objectives and enhancing the field’s capacity to address urban ecological challenges and promote sustainable urban development. Urban ecological-quality research has evolved significantly, driven by advancements in remote sensing, interdisciplinary methods, and global collaboration. Future efforts should focus on expanding cross-regional studies, integrating comprehensive socio-economic and environmental indicators, and utilizing emerging technologies like machine learning, deep learning, and AI to address urbanization challenges and support sustainable development. Full article

Urban regeneration (UR) is a multidimensional approach aimed at improving urban environments through sustainable and inclusive practices. This study examined the social impacts of a self-build architectural intervention conducted within a university campus in Cagliari, Italy. As part of broader UR strategies, the intervention introduced temporary physical transformations to three distinct sites, prioritizing community involvement and multidisciplinary collaboration. Behavioral observations were used as the primary method to capture pre- and post-intervention dynamics, focusing on variables such as sociality, dynamism, and restorative behaviors. The results indicated significant increases in social activities, restorative behaviors, and inclusivity, particularly at Site C, where improvements to design elements, such as added shading and movable seating, enhanced engagement and comfort. The intervention also led to a notable rise in the presence of observer-rated females, highlighting the potential of gender-sensitive design to promote equitable use of public spaces. However, a slight, non-significant decline in reading and studying activities was observed, raising questions about how to balance social and individual needs within shared environments. Despite limitations, including the specificity of the context and the short duration of data collection, this study underscored the transformative potential of targeted UR interventions to enhance social connection, individual well-being, and inclusivity in urban spaces. Full article

Mobility hubs are meeting points for shared and active mobility within the existing public transport system. Despite an extensive public transportation network, private vehicle dependency remains high, indicating a critical need to enhance alternative transport modes. The aim of this study was to investigate public acceptance of smart and green mobility hubs, a crucial parameter for the successful transition from passenger cars to public transport. To achieve this objective, a stated preference survey was developed and distributed to a sample of 152 participants at two stations, namely Voula and Irakleio, that correspond to different public transport modes, tram and metro. Results indicated a generally positive attitude towards the development of green and smart mobility hubs. The survey revealed variations in commuter preferences between the two locations, with green spaces and smart charging benches being highly valued. Ultimately, this research illustrated that well-designed mobility hubs are instrumental in creating efficient, sustainable and livable urban environments, setting a new standard for future urban planning and development. The proposed interventions are expected to substantially contribute to the promotion of sustainable urban mobility in the respective areas and the broader city, enhancing quality of life and reducing the environmental footprint. Full article

Surface properties in complex urban environments can significantly impact local-level temperature gradients and distribution on several scales. Studying temperature anomalies and identifying heat pockets in urban settings is challenging. Limited high-resolution datasets are available that do not translate into an accurate assessment of near-surface temperature. This study developed a model to predict land surface temperature (LST) at a high spatial–temporal resolution in urban areas using Landsat data and meteorological inputs from NLDAS. This study developed an urban microclimate (UC) model to predict air temperature at high spatial–temporal resolution for inner urban areas through a land surface and build-up scheme. The innovative aspect of the model is the inclusion of micro-features in land use characteristics, which incorporate surface types, urban vegetation, building density and heights, short wave radiation, and relative humidity. Statistical models, including the Generalized Additive Model (GAM) and spatial autoregression (SAR), were developed to predict land surface temperature (LST) based on surface characteristics and weather parameters. The model was applied to urban microclimates in densely populated regions, focusing on Manhattan and New York City. The results indicated that the SAR model performed better (R² = 0.85, RMSE = 0.736) in predicting micro-scale LST variations compared to the GAM (R² = 0.39, RMSE = 1.203) and validated the accuracy of the LST prediction model with R² ranging from 0.79 to 0.95. Full article

Populations of the European hare (Lepus europaeus Pallas) have declined in agricultural areas throughout Europe, primarily due to habitat loss caused by the industrialization of agriculture. The growth of cities displaces native habitats, and a decline in hare densities would be expected also in cities; however, several medium-sized mammals thrive in urban areas. In this study, hares in two Danish cities, Aalborg and Aarhus (approx. 145,000 and 300,000 citizens, respectively), were monitored using a combination of citizen science and a thermal spotter. Citizen reports of hares (in all 1874) were highest in the center of the city (26 to 33 locations per km²). Hare observation densities declined significantly with increasing distance to the center. Breeding hares were recorded in both cities. The thermal spotter proved to be useful to spot hares in the city and it did not draw attention as the spotlights normally used to detect the light reflected from the hares’ eyes. Based on the hares spotted at 12 locations where citizens had reported hares, densities of 40.3 (±10.8 SE) hares per km² were estimated. The increasing awareness for biodiversity and for not using pesticides in Danish cities allow for wild plants to be established in lawns, which benefits the hares. Full article

The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of the ambient in an era of artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on the urban context. As such, this paper explores evolving understandings of the ambient in everyday life encompassing a range of elements such as awareness, computing, experiences, information, and intelligence in relation to rapidly evolving and emerging applications of AI and generative AI in urban environments. A review of the research and practice literature for the ambient in relation to urban AI is provided in this paper enabling formulation of a conceptual framework to guide the exploration. A poll conducted online using the Whova platform during a hybrid (e.g., virtual and in person) conference event provides insight into the awareness element in the context of AI from the perspective of researchers, students, practitioners, and other conference participants and attendees (e.g., government business, etc.). Implications for urban life, smart cities, learning cities, and future cities are discussed, giving rise to challenges and opportunities for research and practice going forward. This work is significant in that a range of perspectives across a variety of domains emerge for the ambient in relation to everyday life and AI and to urban AI. Full article

For any urban development, the opinion of the final stakeholders is essential. However, the uncensored youth perception regarding the urban environment is rarely included in the decision-making process. Here, we present the youth’s perception of public spaces in the city. The empirical research was conducted in Kaunas, which is a typical tertiary city. That is why such results are comparable with findings from other middle-sized cities around the world. The photovoice research method was applied to gather data on youth perception of public spaces. The dataset consisted of 793 unique responses from young people. The qualitative analysis was conducted by using MaxQDA 24 software. Our findings suggest that young people prefer to spend time with friends in man-made urban environments rather than in natural or semi-natural green spaces. Many of their favourite places are considered to be well suited to young people’s needs. Suggestions for improving their favourite places mostly revolve around built infrastructure, yet many of them emphasise the importance of sustainable urban development. Full article

Urban air mobility (UAM) and drones can significantly improve traffic movement in saturated cities because the skies above them are not frequently used; furthermore, they do not require large-scale infrastructure, like roads and subways do. Thus, UAM vehicles and drones present themselves as new means of transportation in cities. They can be rapidly deployed if their operational safety is secured. However, to date, no precise numerical study has been conducted on the safety of UAM vehicles and drones. In this study, the accident rates of UAM vehicles and drones are predicted based on the accident rates of conventional aircraft. Additionally, control measures for UAM vehicles and drones are presented at a basic level. The results can be summarized as follows: First, in terms of accident rates, for a projected total UAM vehicle flight distance of 650 km and 177,147 h of flight in Seoul in 2035, 0.000221 crashes, 0.45 takeoff/landing accidents, and 0.0011446 deaths are expected. Second, if drones handle 0.5% of the logistics in Seoul in 2035, 38.35 crashes and 7.51 takeoff/landing accidents are projected per year. However, these numbers are plausible only if the infrastructure required for UAM vehicle and drone flights, such as taxiways and flight paths, is built similarly to that for large aircraft. Additionally, UAM vehicles and drones, as with large aircraft, can cause serious damage to facilities and human lives on the ground in the event of a crash. Therefore, thorough response mechanisms for crashes are required even if the crash probability is extremely low. Finally, integration with smart city systems is suggested to monitor UAM vehicle and drone flights and the safety of urban residents. The transportation services of smart cities include emergency dispatch and disaster notification services, which help in immediately notifying the degree of risk to potentially affected urban residents and facilities in the event of a UAM vehicle/drone crash or an emergency. The transportation services of smart cities are also typically equipped with accident handling processes. Therefore, integrating UAM and drone systems into smart city systems is highly recommended. Full article

This study explores the dynamics of urban green spaces in five major Indonesian cities—Central Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, and Semarang—using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and vegetation indices, such as NDVI and EVI. As major urban areas expand and become more densely populated, development activities have significantly altered urban green spaces, necessitating comprehensive mapping through remote sensing technologies. The findings reveal significant variability in green space coverage among the cities over three periods (2019–2020, 2021–2022, 2023–2024), ensuring that the findings are comprehensive and up to date. This study demonstrates the utility of remote sensing for detailed urban analysis, emphasizing its effectiveness in identifying, quantifying, and monitoring changes in green spaces. Integrating advanced techniques, such as NDVI and EVI, offers a nuanced understanding of urban vegetation dynamics and their implications for sustainable urban planning. Utilizing Sentinel-2 data within the Google Earth Engine (GEE) framework represents a contemporary and innovative approach to urban studies, particularly in rapidly urbanizing environments. The novelty of this research lies in its method of preserving and enhancing green infrastructure while supporting the development of effective strategies for sustainable urban growth. Full article

The accelerating pace of urbanization, coupled with changes in land-use patterns and the exacerbation of extreme climatic events—marked by heightened unpredictability and severity, particularly in regions of the Global South—necessitates a thorough reevaluation of urban governance and management frameworks. In response to these challenges, it is essential for strategies to integrate local socio-economic specificities while navigating the inherent complexities of these issues, leveraging contextually appropriate resources within a sustainability paradigm. In this regard, contextualizing and incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into urban planning frameworks is crucial for advancing urban sustainability. However, significant obstacles hinder their effective integration at the urban scale, particularly in fast-evolving, resource-constrained settings. This study seeks to address this critical gap by systematically examining the barriers to SDG integration in urban planning within sub-Saharan Africa. For this purpose, Moundou, Chad, is used as a representative case study, reflecting both the challenges and opportunities of urban sustainability in the region. A hybrid methodology underpins this research, combining in-depth interviews with key development stakeholders, a detailed review of strategic documents aligned with the SDGs, and semi-structured questionnaires to capture diverse perspectives. The results reveal that the institutional dimension constitutes 38.46% of the barriers identified by stakeholders, with key challenges including limited capacity for long-term planning, a lack of expertise, and inadequate multisectoral coordination, among others. In addition, the economic and socio-cultural dimensions each represent 23.08% of the identified barriers, encompassing issues such as dependence on external funding, the high cost of green technologies, low public awareness, and resistance to change within communities. Finally, the data access dimension ranks last, accounting for 15.38%. To overcome these challenges, it is essential to implement mechanisms that strengthen institutional capacities, promote cross-sectoral collaboration, enhance public awareness, and cultivate a culture of adaptability and innovation within local communities. Furthermore, improving data accessibility and reinforcing financial mechanisms are vital to addressing these barriers comprehensively. Full article

Optimising existing knowledge sets and encouraging the integration of interdisciplinary study findings can facilitate the advanced functions of biodiversity required for sustainable urban landscapes. Urban Green Spaces (UGS) can reach across an urban landscape, including indoor environments. The existing and traditional knowledge sets and practices for urban development and greening provide extensive and pertinent guidance; they are however variably implemented. More recent and advanced knowledge sets where properly utilised can optimise and provide advanced function. When adequately brought together, advanced sustainability for urban landscapes can significantly improve global sustainability performance. This article uses the final step of classic grounded theory to contextualise, verify and define refined wilding as a substantiating concept for functional biodiversity as theory for urban landscapes and for sustainable urban development. Refined wilding works toward wild refined UGS that functionally connect across an urban space and landscape, including positive influential flows with grey and transparent spaces. Where used to guide urban design, strategies, vision and goals this concept can provide (i) a conceptual framing that optimises and encourages an organisation of interdisciplinary and advanced knowledge, improving and advancing sustainable urban development, and (ii) a specificity, and overarching and comprehensive guidance for various UGS types toward the positive outcome of functional biodiversity. Functionally biodiverse UGS and landscapes require lower maintenance and perform at an advanced level for human health, economic development, the natural environment, and built or paved environments and landscapes. In turn, addressing how human activity and modification of urban landscapes can significantly degrade human health and the natural environment, or underachieve. Refined wilding (i) substantiates functional biodiversity as a positive outcome for urban landscapes, with a balance between ecological functions and functions for human populations; (ii) considers quality, function, and connectivity of and between UGS and spaces where UGS could be introduced or improved; (iii) enables an improvement, and addresses common barriers to UGS accomplishing advanced functions for urban sustainability; (iv) encourages urban wilding by functional native and non-native selections, and natural and semi-natural UGS; (v) positively influences and is influenced by grey (built environment) and transparent spaces (blue/aquatic and air). Full article