2023 Theses Master's

Smart Sustainable Cities’ Use of Information and Communication Technologies to Meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: A Case Study of Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town

Sanchez, Robert

This thesis explores the emerging “Smart Sustainable City” concept that incorporates Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to foster sustainable urban development. The concept is defined and contextualized using existing literature, and the role of ICTs in Smart Sustainable Cities and their connection to meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) is established. The current challenges and limitations facing the Smart Sustainable City Model are also discussed.

This thesis presents an international case study: Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town (SST) Project in Fujisawa, Japan. Following a historical account of Japan’s urban planning system, the case study overviews the development process of the Fujisawa SST project, highlighting the implementation of ICTs in the town in comparison to its local context, and establishes how the town’s ICTs work to meet the UN SDGs 7, 11, and 17 (Clean and Affordable Energy, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Partnerships for the Goals). The case study has incorporated a site visit to Fujisawa SST and interviews with stakeholders involved in the governance of Fujisawa SST that were conducted by the researcher. Findings from this thesis and the lessons learned from the case study are intended to serve as a resource for potential future Smart Sustainable City development.