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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (27 March 2023) | Viewed by 20976

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Prof. Dr. Miltiadis D. Lytras

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1. School of Business, Deree—The American College of Greece, 6 Gravias Street, GR-153 42 Aghia Paraskevi Athens, Greece
2. College of Engineering, Effat University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Interests: cognitive computing; artificial intelligence; data science; bioinformatics; innovation; big data research; data mining; emerging technologies; information systems; technology driven innovation; knowledge management
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Dear Colleagues,

Smart cities research provides a unique testbed for progressive, multi-disciplinary business, engineering, computer engineering and architectural research worldwide. The strategy blueprints in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries promote the Smart Cities Vision as it embedded in the pillars of the Vibrant Societies with Sustainable Social Inclusive Economic Growth. Technology driven innovation, empowering communities, and entrepreneurship in novel methods is a bold direction for the realization and application of the Smart Cities Vision to take.

We are inviting multidisciplinary research related to four significant pillars and topics:

Pillar 1. Foundations of smart cities research:

Smart cities as a multi- and inter-disciplinary domain of research;
Theoretical approaches to smart cities value approach;
Progressive research on new research frameworks on smart cities research.

Pillar 2. Novel theoretical models, frameworks, and approaches for the integration of smart cities research in sustainable development:

Multidisciplinary scientific models for the adoption and utilization of smart cities towards sustainable economic development and growth;
Integration of computer-engineering algorithms in smart cities value proposition;
New business models for the delivery of value adding smart cities services;
Use of research methods for new contributions in the body of knowledge of smart cities research.

Pillar 3. Digital transformation in all aspects of value chain of smart cities:

Adoption of artificial intelligence and machine learning for value adding smart cities services;
Exploitation of cloud computing, Internet of Everything research and augmented reality in the context of smart cities;
NEOM as a test bed for next generation smart cities;
Digital transformation of citizenship and government in the context of smart cities.

Pillar 4. Next generation smart cities research:

Emerging models of next generation smart cities;
Megacities in Gulf Cooperation Council countries context;
Leadership and strategy for smart cities design, implementation, and leadership.

Pillar 5: Case studies and indicative smart cities projects in GCCC: dissemination of key outcomes.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Applied Sciences.

Prof. Dr. Miltiadis D. Lytras
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Sustainability 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 2400 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 cities
sustainable development
artificial intelligence
megacities
Gulf Cooperation Council countries
megacities
business models

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 5986 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Blockchain-Enabled IoT Logistics System for Efficient Tracking and Management of High-Price Shipments: A Resilient, Scalable and Sustainable Approach to Smart Cities

by Mohammed Balfaqih, Zain Balfagih, Miltiadis D. Lytras, Khaled Mofawiz Alfawaz, Abdulrahman A. Alshdadi and Eesa Alsolami

Sustainability 2023, 15(18), 13971; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813971 - 20 Sep 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1506

Abstract

The concept of a smart city is aimed at enhancing the quality of life for urban residents, and logistic services are a crucial component of this effort. Despite this, the logistics industry has encountered issues due to the exponential growth of logistics volumes, as well as the complexity of processes and lack of transparency. Consequently, it is necessary to develop an efficient management system that offers traceability and condition monitoring capabilities to ensure the safe and high-quality delivery of goods. Moreover, it is crucial to guarantee the accuracy and dependability of distribution data. In this context, this paper proposes a blockchain-enabled IoT logistics system for the efficient tracking and management of high-price shipments. A smart contract based on blockchain technology has been designed for automatic approval and payment, with the aim of distributing shipping information exclusively among legitimate logistics parties. To ensure authentication, a zero-knowledge proof is used to conceal the blockchain address. Moreover, an intelligent parcel (iParcel) containing piezoresistive sensors is developed to pack delivered goods during the shipping process for violation detection such as severe falls or theft. The iParcels are automatically tracked and traced, and if a violation occurs, the contract is cancelled, and payment is refunded. The transaction fee per party is reasonable, particularly for high-price products that guarantee successful shipment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Cities Research in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries)

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16 pages, 1378 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM Project as a Testing Ground for Economically Feasible Planned Cities: Case Study

by Nadia Yusuf and Dareen Abdulmohsen

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 608; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010608 - 29 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 18960

Abstract

The objective of this case study was to examine how the planned city of NEOM in Saudi Arabia can contribute to the country’s economy and sustainability goals. The case study was intended to assess the challenges of planned city projects through the lens of the potential benefits to the host country’s economy. Using data from the project’s official website and relevant publications, it became possible to assess the risk management in urban megaprojects and to explore the issue of sustainable urbanization in the context of NEOM. In order to analyze the data, content analysis and thematic analysis techniques were used which allowed for the identification of patterns and trends in the data and to draw conclusions about the potential contributions of NEOM to Saudi Arabia’s economy and sustainability goals. The findings suggest that NEOM, which aims to be a net-zero carbon city, has attracted significant partners and investors interested in testing renewable energy technologies and infrastructure. The viability of NEOM as a testing ground for sustainable planned cities and their impact on the host country will depend on the ability to effectively balance the potential economic benefits with the risks and costs associated with the project. This study’s results indicate that NEOM represents an opportunity for Saudi Arabia to rebrand its image and participate in the creation of a green future, but its success will depend on fulfilling the investment requirements and managing the project-related challenges. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Cities Research in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries)

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