Abstract
Majority of the humanity is living in the cities. Cities have adverse environmental impact. Their environmental footprints need to be reduced. As the world's living conditions deteriorate, the survival of the humanity depends on the precautions taken. These precautions can include sustainable living styles, new technologies, and circular economy principles. Furthermore, climate change caused disasters can have adverse consequences as they can be deadly and as they can result in economic loss. The cities need to be resilient so that disasters adverse consequences can be reduced and the post-disaster phase rescue and recovery processes can be effectively carried out. Circular, smart and connected cities based on the new technologies such as big data, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and Internet of Things (IoT) can contribute to the cities' sustainability and resilience performance. This chapter aims to investigate the roles of big data, IoT, ICT, as well as circular, connected and smart cities in enhancing sustainability and resilience of the cities. With this aim, based on the literature review, this chapter covers: need for, pillars of and aspects of smart, sustainable, circular, and resilient cities as well as ways for transforming the cities into smart, sustainable, circular, and resilient ones. This chapter can be beneficial to the researchers, academics, construction professionals, and policy makers.Keywords: Disaster; Internet of Things; Information and Communication Technology; Smart Cities; Big Data; Resilience; Building Information Modelling; Circular Cities; Circular Economy
TopBackground
Smartness, circularity, sustainability, connectedness as well as disaster resilience of the cities are interrelated (Figure 1). Cities’ performances in each of these fields influence each other’s performances.
Figure 1. Interrelation among the concepts of connectedness, smartness, circularity, sustainability, and resilience of the cities
Key Terms in this Chapter
Internet of Things: Network emerged through connected electronic devices.
Big Data: Sum of the digital data gathered.
Sustainable City: Environmentally friendly city that has lowered its environmental footprints.
Resilient City: Cities capable of resisting shocks (e.g., disasters) and able to restore and recover themselves in the post-shocks phase as well as cities capable of adopting themselves to the changing climatic conditions.
Smart City Governance: Interactive governance based on the contribution of the citizens to the government processes enabled by smartness of the cities.
Smart City: Cities operating as well as solving their existing and potential problems with the help of smart technologies supported by big data, IoT, and ICT.
Circular City: Cities that have minimized their waste generation due to their operation based on the circular economy principles.
Connected City: City digitally connected at all levels supporting efficient and effective operation.