Comparative analysis of standardized indicators for Smart sustainable cities:What indicators and standards to use and when?

City managers need indicators for target setting, performance assessment, monitoring, management and decision-making purposes. The choice of the most suitable indicator framework is crucial, but difficult, as it requires expert knowledge. To help cities in their choice, this paper compares seven recently published indicator standards for Smart sustainable cities. A taxonomy was developed to evaluate each of their 413 indicators against five conceptual urban focuses (types of urban sustainability and smartness), ten sectoral application domains (energy, transport, ICT, economy, etc.) and five indicator types (input, process, output, outcome, impact). The results clearly discriminate between indicator standards suited for evaluating the implementation of predominantly smart city approaches versus standards more focused on sustainability assessment. A further distinction is possible in standards almost fully oriented towards impacts reached, and standards that allow for progress evaluation according to steps in the implementation process. Some standards provide a narrow focus on output indicators evaluating the progress in implementing smart urban ICT solutions (e.g. number of smart meters installed). Cities are encouraged to complement such evaluations with impact indicators that demonstrate the effects of those solutions. This paper provides guidance for city managers and policy makers to select the indicators and standard that best correspond to their assessment need and goals, and align with their stage in Smart sustainable city implementation

Benchmarking Nature-Based Solution and Smart City Assessment Schemes Against the Sustainable Development Goal Indicator Framework

Increasing global urbanization yields substantial potential for enhanced sustainability through careful management of urban development and optimized resource use efficiency. Nature-based solutions (NBS) can provide a means for cities to successfully navigate the water-energy-climate relationship, thus enhancing urban resilience. Implementation of NBS can improve local or regional economic resilience underpinned by the sustainable use of natural resources. The innovative governance, institutional, business, and finance models and frameworks inherent to NBS implementation also provide a wealth of opportunity for social transformation and increased social inclusiveness in cities. The ultimate benefit of NBS implementation in cities is increased livability, which is typically measured as a function of multiple social, economic and environmental variables. Given the range of different interventions classified as NBS and the cross-sectoral character of their co-benefits, different assessment schemes can be used to evaluate NBS performance and impact. Herein, performance and impact indicators within three robust NBS- and Smart City-related assessment schemes—Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES), Knowledge and Learning Mechanism on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (EKLIPSE), and Smart City Performance Measurement Framework (CITYkeys)—were critically analyzed with respect to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” Each selected assessment scheme was benchmarked with respect to the Inter-Agency Expert Group on SDG Indicators' global indicator framework for the sub-objectives of SDG 11. The alignment between each of the selected NBS assessment schemes and the SDG indicator framework was mapped with particular emphasis on consistency with city-level framework indicators for each SDG 11 sub-objective. The results were illustrated as composite scores describing the alignment of the analyzed NBS and Smart city assessment schemes with the SDG 11 sub-objectives. These results facilitate NBS assessment scheme selection based on alignment between each analyzed assessment scheme and specific SDG 11 sub-objectives. Cities face multiple challenges amidst a complex hierarchy of legislative, regulatory and other stakeholder obligations. The present study showed that strategic selection of an NBS assessment scheme which closely aligns with one or more sub-objectives within SDG 11 can maximize operational efficiency by exploiting synergies between evaluation schemes

Työtilojen toimivuuden arviointi monikriteerimallin avulla

The objective of this thesis is to develop a method that would help determine which properties of office facilities create additional value for different stakeholders. The premise is that performance indicators and systems can be useful to achieve this goal. In this thesis, an indicator model is developed based on relevant literature and different indicator classifications and systems. Many recent studies indicate the deficiencies in the indoor environmental quality in general. Therefore, a significant potential for value creation through enhanced user satisfaction and productivity can be achieved. The created indicator model is applied in a case study and different stakeholders are interviewed in order to set weights for the indicators. The case buildings are evaluated using quantitative data collected from the buildings together with expert assessments in relation to the same indicator model. The resulted method can be used by different actors to support decision making in an office selection process. The main results of this study are the indicator model, definition of stakeholder group weights, results from the case study and a method for the selection of office facilities for different stakeholders. The indicator model was developed in the framework of the selected cases but can be easily applied for different purposes. In light of the results of this study, the most important aspect for satisfied and productive users of office facilities is usability.Tämän työn tarkoituksena on kehittää menetelmä, jolla voi osoittaa mitkä toimistorakennusten ominaisuudet lisäävät arvoa eri sidosryhmille. Tutkimuksen lähtökohtana on, että toimivuusindikaattorien ja -mallien avulla voidaan päästä tähän tavoitteeseen. Työssä kehitettiin indikaattorimalli, joka perustuu alan kirjallisuuteen sekä aiemmin kehitettyihin indikaattorijäsentelyihin. Useiden tutkimusten mukaan toimistorakennusten sisäympäristön laadussa on paljon parannettavaa ja siten myös potentiaalia rakennusten arvon tuotolle paremman käyttäjätyytyväisyyden ja tuottavuuden kautta. Tässä työssä kehitettyä indikaattorimallia sovelletaan tapaustutkimuksessa, ja eri sidosryhmien edustajia haastatellaan indikaattorien painoarvojen määrittämiseksi. Tapaustutkimukseen valittujen rakennusten toimivuutta myös arvioidaan saman indikaattorimallin valossa käyttäen rakennuksista saatua mittaustietoa sekä asiantuntija-arvioita. Tästä muodostuu menetelmä, jota alan toimijat voivat käyttää toimistorakennusten valintaprosessissa päätöksenteon tukena. Työn päätuloksina voidaan pitää indikaattorimallia, menetelmää eri sidosryhmien painoarvojen asettamiseen, tapaustutkimuksen tuloksia, sekä itse menetelmää, jota voidaan käyttää toimistorakennuksen valintaan. Indikaattorimalli on kehitetty tämän tutkimuksen päämääriä varten, mutta on myös helposti sovellettavissa erilaisiin tarkoituksiin. Työn tulosten valossa voi vetää sen johtopäätöksen, että käytettävyys on keskeisin osa-alue tyytyväisille ja tuotteliaille toimistorakennusten käyttäjille