Smart Cities and Energy Efficiency: Spatiotemporal Big Data Analytics for Sustainable Urban Development
A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "G1: Smart Cities and Urban Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 January 2026 | Viewed by 67
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue explores the dynamic intersection of Geo-Big Data and smart city development, emphasizing how spatial and temporal data can drive innovative solutions to urban challenges, particularly those related to energy efficiency. With a focus on enhancing the quality of life, the collection aims to bring together research on the integration of smart technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), and Big Data analytics to support sustainable and efficient urban energy systems. Contributions are sought that examine how human activities and geographic phenomena influence—and are influenced by—spatiotemporal development patterns, offering valuable insights into energy-aware planning, sustainable mobility, resilient infrastructure, and smart governance.
Contributions to this Special Issue are invited to explore both theoretical frameworks and practical implementations of artificial intelligence and digital transformation in the context of smart cities. Submissions may include case studies, large-scale assessments, and field-based insights that provide a comprehensive understanding of the benefits, challenges, and real-world applications of these technologies. This Special Issue aims to serve as a resource for academics, industry professionals, and policymakers interested in the sustainable evolution of urban environments through digitalization and smart innovation.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to
- Energy efficiency applications (e.g., smart grids, sustainable urban energy systems, or data-driven energy optimization);
- Economic and environmental implications of transitioning toward smart cities, and the role of smart technologies in urban planning and management;
- Applications of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics in optimizing urban decision-making and service delivery;
- Integration of big data and smart city infrastructure energy optimization, including distributed and networked sensors, cyber-physical systems, and IoT network technologies and architectures for resilience and sustainability;
- Novel approaches to environmental engineering for smart cities, including theories and applications of sustainability analysis and SDG-aligned metrics for buildings and districts;
- Digital transformation strategies for sustainable urban governance, planning, and the design of energy-efficient buildings and districts;
- Sustainable urban planning and the built environment, with a focus on smart spatial design and data-driven development;
- Policy and regulatory frameworks supporting the adoption of smart cities and digitalization initiatives;
- Cybersecurity challenges and solutions in managing urban big data and securing interconnected smart systems;
- Human-centered and ethical considerations in digital transformation, including behavioral aspects of big data and smart technology adoption in urban contexts;
- Case studies showcasing successful implementations of AI- and big data-driven smart city projects worldwide.
Dr. Dorota Kamrowska-Zaluska
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- smart city
- sustainable urban energy systems
- data-driven energy optimization
- geo-big data
- planning decision-support tools
- artificial intelligence tools
- sustainable urban development
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