Editorial to Special Issue by Saeid Pourroostaei Ardakani et al: “Data Analytics in Sustainable City PlanningPredictive analytics play an increasingly central role in sustainable city planning. By applying machine learning algorithms to large-scale and multi-source datasets, cities are able to forecast dynamic phenomena such as traffic congestion, crime incidents, and flood risk. These anticipatory insights are crucial for proactive urban management, allowing for early interventions and resource optimisation. Alongside this, the emergence of Digital Twins marks a shift from reactive to real-time urban governance. As a result, cities such as Singapore, Los Angeles, and Amsterdam improve these models to manage infrastructure across sectors including transportation, water supply, energy distribution, and public space usage. These digital ecosystems enable planners to test policy scenarios, monitor service performance, and respond adaptively to changing conditions.
The integration of socio-demographic data into geospatial models enables researchers to identify and analyse disparities in urban vulnerability. For instance, spatial mapping of heat exposure in Indian cities such as Delhi and Bengaluru has informed the more equitable allocation of cooling infrastructure. These equity-oriented approaches ensure that sustainability initiatives are not only technically robust but also socially inclusive. Indeed, they support policymakers in targeting resources toward the most vulnerable populations and thereby addressing persistent inequalities in urban service delivery.
The role of participatory digital platforms is a critical dimension of the sustainable planning discourse. Cities are increasingly turning to the use of GIS tools and e-planning applications to facilitate community involvement in the urban design process. These tools democratise access to data and decision-making and enable citizens to co-create solutions for their neighbourhoods. Such participation enhances the legitimacy and responsiveness of urban policy especially in contexts where historically marginalised groups have been excluded from formal planning mechanisms…(More)”.
