Towards building a sustainable future with the tech revolution

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Urban sustainability is a concept that focuses on creating cities that can meet the existing residents’ requirements without compromising future generations’ capabilities to fulfill their needs. This approach requires comprehensive and integrated urban planning, development, and management. The current research was conducted to design an urban sustainability model, emphasizing new technologies.METHODS: Based on the nature of the data, the research method was qualitative and exploratory; the theme analysis method was used to analyze the data. In this study, we conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews using the 5w1h technique on a sample of 13 individuals, including managers, academic staff, specialists, and experts of the 5th district from Tehran Municipality, to gather data. This research was done during the fall and winter of 1402. The criteria for selecting experts include: having at least seven years of useful work experience in Tehran Municipality and relative knowledge of urban sustainability.FINDINGS: The present research identified five main themes, including social, economic, environmental, technological, and managerial. Two sub-themes (social equality and quality of life in the city) were identified for the social dimension. Also, three sub-themes (economic growth, affordability, and access to financial matters) were identified for the economic dimension. Also, three sub-themes (sustainable transportation, sustainable service, and sustainable energy) were considered for the environmental dimension. Three sub-themes (artificial intelligence capabilities, geographical information systems capabilities, and green technology) have been considered for the technology dimension. Finally, three sub-themes (sustainable strategy, human resource planning, and urban marketing) were stated for the management dimension. A total of 14 sub-themes and 48 codes were identified.CONCLUSION: By integrating innovative solutions, such as smart grids, green infrastructure, and renewable energy sources, urban areas can become more sustainable and adapt to urban sustainability challenges. Policymakers, planners, and designers must prioritize the implementation of these technologies to build a sustainable future for all residents of urban environments.