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The Role of Sustainable Transport Development in Urban Areas: Energy Efficiency and Infrastructure Optimization

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Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This proposed Special Issue addresses sustainable transport and its multifaceted impacts on urban areas. Given that urban space is limited, it must be managed effectively. It is essential to identify suitable point and linear locations for transport infrastructure that enable a reduction in energy consumption for urban travel. Special attention should be given to energy-efficient transport modes, including cycling infrastructure, the electrification of transport, the integration of renewable energy sources, and innovative solutions aimed at minimizing energy demand.

Furthermore, transport planning should prioritize residents’ needs. Developing efficient and effective sustainable transport systems provides those travelling with environmentally beneficial choices, particularly through strategies that significantly reduce energy usage, greenhouse gas emissions, and dependence on fossil fuels.

We invite all scientists and practitioners to submit articles related to modern solutions used for sustainable transport system planning. Ensuring high-quality system performance is a significant challenge faced by smart cities and requires a multi-criteria approach that adheres to sustainable development principles. Submissions should emphasize innovative energy management practices, the assessment of energy consumption patterns in urban transport, lifecycle analyses of infrastructure projects, and policy frameworks that support the transition toward energy-efficient and low-carbon urban mobility. We hope this Special Issue of Energies will serve as a platform to present research findings and facilitate the exchange of experiences; we look forward to your contributions.

Dr. Marcin Kłos
Prof. Dr. Grzegorz Sierpiński
Guest Editors

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Keywords

sustainable urban mobility plans
public transport optimization
introduction of electro-mobility infrastructure
spatial planning of electro-mobility infrastructure
transport development
sustainable mobility shaping and planning
information technologies in public transport systems
planning intelligent transport systems
transit-oriented development strategies in urban areas
energy networks in smart cities
conventional, hybrid, and electric drive systems
various communication environments and new innovative mobility services
safety in transport systems
autonomous vehicles and their impact on transport systems
implementation of MaaS (Mobility as a Service)-integrating public transport systems

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Research

29 pages, 3508 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of the Energy Efficiency of Individual Means of Transport in the Process of Optimizing Transport Environments in Urban Areas in Line with the Smart City Idea

by Grzegorz Augustyn, Jerzy Mikulik, Wojciech Lewicki and Mariusz Niekurzak

Energies 2025, 18(15), 4079; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18154079 - 1 Aug 2025

Viewed by 249

Abstract

One of the fundamental goals of contemporary mobility is to optimize transport processes in urban areas. The solution in this area seems to be the implementation of the idea of sustainable transport systems based on the Smart City concept. The article presents a case study—an assessment of the possibilities of changing mobility habits based on the idea of sustainable urban transport, taking into account the criterion of energy consumption of individual means of transport. The analyses are based on a comparison of selected means of transport occurring in the urban environment according to several key parameters for the optimization and efficiency of transport processes, i.e., cost, time, travel comfort, and impact on the natural environment, while simultaneously linking them to the criterion of energy consumption of individual means of transport. The analyzed parameters currently constitute the most important group of challenges in the area of shaping and planning optimal and sustainable urban transport. The presented research was used to indicate the connections between various areas of optimization of the transport process and the energy efficiency of individual modes of transport. Analyses have shown that the least time-consuming process of urban mobility is associated with the highest level of CO₂ emissions and, at the same time, the highest level of energy efficiency. However, combining public transport with other means of transport can meet most of the transport expectations of city residents, also in terms of energy optimization. The research results presented in the article can contribute to the creation of a strategy for the development of the transport network based on the postulates of increasing the optimization and efficiency of individual means of transport in urban areas. At the same time, recognizing the criterion of energy intensity of means of transport as leading in the development of sustainable urban mobility. Thus, confirming the important role of existing transport systems in the process of shaping and planning sustainable urban mobility in accordance with the idea of Smart City. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Sustainable Transport Development in Urban Areas: Energy Efficiency and Infrastructure Optimization)

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