Smart city technologies for sustainable urban planning: Evidence and equity lessons from Shenzhen

Shenzhen, China, uses smart technologies (such as IoT and AI) to make urban planning greener and more sustainable. Drawing on empirical data from 2020–2023, the research analyzes four key initiatives: (1) smart grids and renewable energy integration (achieving 15 % energy savings, totaling 1.6 TWh annually from 2.1 million smart meters), (2) AI-driven traffic management (reducing CO₂ emissions by 20 %), (3) sponge city infrastructure (cutting flood incidents by 60 % in pilot zones), and (4) vertical greening (expanding urban green spaces by 30 %). While these technologies demonstrate measurable environmental benefits, the study reveals systemic challenges, including equity gaps (e.g., affordability-driven digital divide in EV leasing programs, which reached only 12 % of low-income households in Bao’an District vs. 62 % of high-income groups due to deposit barriers and charging deserts), data privacy concerns (47 smart grid breaches in 2023), and high implementation costs (e.g., $120/m² for green retrofits). By combining policy reviews, 210 expert interviews, and spatial data, the study identifies replicable strategies for global megacities while cautioning against technocratic approaches that marginalize vulnerable communities. Key findings underscore the necessity of inclusive governance, with policy recommendations emphasizing subsidized retrofits (e.g., $120/m² cost reduced to $60/m² for low-income households, anonymized IoT data protocols, and modular sponge city kits for Global South adaptation). Shenzhen’s experience illustrates that smart technologies can amplify sustainability outcomes but need fair policies so that everyone benefits. This study advances the smart city literature through its integrated analysis of technical, governance, and equity dimensions, a gap in existing sector-specific research.