Urban Tech And Smart Cities: A Study On Iot-Enabled Infrastructure And Its Impact On Urban Sustainability

Abstract

This research explores the use of IoT-enabled infrastructure within the context of urban centers in Pakistan, measuring the implications such infrastructure has on urban sustainability. The research focused on the interest of the smart city technology available and the use of technology in transform municipal service, resource management and the quality of life in the urban cities in Pakistan. The research utilized a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, including surveys of 450 urban inhabitants, 35 municipal officer in-depth interviews, and the use of IoT sensors in the core cities of the Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad within the areas of transportation, water management and energy distribution systems. The results of resource efficiency were remarkable, with smart systems on integrated water management and wastage reduction of 23%; and intelligent traffic systems on management of time and reduction of time of average traffic by 18% in real time. The predominant challenges were limited technical human capital, poorly aligned and insufficient infrastructure investment, and apathetic behaviors towards provisions on data privacy and data protection. Even with the aforementioned challenges, the findings outlined evidence of urban sustainability and ranging improvements in energy use, pollution abatement, service, and smart city project implementation. The research proposes the minimum required smart city development in scope and sustain political will, public and private sector, and governance pan and partnerships. The provided research outlined the evidence based and recommended actions to urban planners and policy makers and offered the urban planners and policy makers the scope of IoT on urban development sustainability.