Digital twins and smart environments: An interdisciplinary approach to urban space optimization

Stakeholders involved in urban planning encounter several complexities related to the imperatives of sustainable development and adaptation to climate change. Over the past decades, many authors have shown in their works that the advances in technological innovation, such as artificial intelligence, digital twins, and the Internet of Things, play a significant role in the transformation, design, and experience of the future smart city. Thus, stakeholders involved in urban planning must not only integrate these emerging technologies but also consider the ecological, economic, and social challenges induced by the increasing digitization of our society. The present paper carried out within the HUman at home project (HUT) highlights the importance of an interdisciplinary approach, combining geomatics, social sciences, and artificial intelligence, to develop digital twins that are more focused on real citizen usage. This enables the design of smarter, more adaptive, inclusive, and ethical spaces that respect individuals' needs and privacy while addressing current environmental and social challenges.