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Nur Sinem Partigöç

Introduction

Urban settlements have become multi-network living areas. It is known
that the basic activity field of urban systems are the chaos, crime, traffic,
health, energy, water and air pollution, unplanned urbanization, access to the
resources etc. due to growth processes and intense population movements
that are observed under the impact of globalisation. It is quite obvious that
traditional methods are insufficient to find solutions to the problems created by
these activity fields. In other words, it has become almost a necessity to arrange
population, resources, environment and information and communication
technologies together in an appropriate way in order to raise and continue the
welfare of society in the multi-network living areas in a certain sustainable level
(Örselli and Akbay, 2019). Significant increase in the locally performed studies on
integrating the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) into each
area of life in order to improve the citizens’ quality of life and their satisfaction
to public services (Harrison and Donnelly, 2011) is an important indicator of the
change of axis regarding the methods implemented for urban systems.
Basis of the emergence of “smart city” approach includes the idea of
taking the assistance from advanced technology in the sustainable and
efficient use of limited natural resources for unlimited human needs. The
development of a new perspective on the problems that unlimited human
needs confront decision management mechanisms at the local level in urban
life has an impact on many areas (Mangır, 2016). It is obvious that smart city
applications are an important tool for the development of sustainable policies
and practices in healthy, safe environments with high life quality. It is seen
that Industry 4.0, pioneered by Germany, and Society 5.0, developed as an
‘innovative philosophy’ by Japan, have the same goals and objectives on
the common ground (Öztuna, 2019). All these new and current applications,
which are based on the idea of a human-centered society living in prosperity,
have been introduced as a society model in which the impact of digitalization
and artificial intelligence is evaluated in every aspect, and the relationship of
people with machines and robots is ensured in the most efficient way. Figure
1 shows a diagram of the components and application areas of smart city
applications.

184 Journal of Environment, Urbanization and Climate