Unlocking social sustainability and inclusivity of digitalized urban public Facilities: A Causal model across global case studies

The rapid digital transformation of urban environments is reshaping how citizens interact with public infrastructure. One emerging innovation is Digitalized Urban Public Facilities (DUPFs). While DUPFs are widely recognized for their operational and technological benefits, their social implications, particularly regarding inclusivity and social sustainability, remain underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining how DUPF characteristics, user experiences, and socio-demographic profiles interact to shape perceptions of inclusivity and social sustainability. Adopting a multi-method quantitative research design, the study combines descriptive analysis and inferential modeling techniques. Drawing from a comprehensive literature review, a causal model is developed and validated using survey data collected from users across four global case studies. Through structural equation modeling (SEM) and moderation analysis, the findings reveal that DUPFs significantly enhance social sustainability, especially among marginalized and older users, who benefit most from improved accessibility, usability, and service responsiveness. The results further highlight that higher levels of digitalization and accessible information correlate strongly with perceived inclusivity. Moderation effects show that age and marginalization status amplify the positive impacts of DUPFs, while gender and income have minimal moderating influence. This study contributes novel insights into the social value of digital public services and provides actionable guidance for designing inclusive, user-centered DUPFs that advance equity and urban sustainability across diverse communities. • Presents a comprehensive user-centered evaluation of Digitalized Urban Public Facilities (DUPFs), comparing perceived advantages and challenges across both marginalized and non-marginalized urban populations. • Identifies 19 advantages and 23 challenges of DUPFs, thematically clustered using factor analysis to inform inclusive digital service design for sustainable urban futures. • Reveals a digital hierarchy of needs, emphasizing divergent priorities between marginalized and non-marginalized users, and calls for differentiated policy and design interventions. • Provides actionable recommendations for inclusive, resilient, and citizen-centered digital infrastructure, supporting equitable access, trust-building, and urban social sustainability.