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From Simulation to Reality: Using Digital Twin Technology (DT) to Design Sustainable Smart Cities
Mahshid Ghorbanian *
Assistant professor, Department of landscape Architecture, School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran , ghorbanian@iust.ac.ir
Abstract:  
In recent times, DT technology has emerged to act as a potential facilitator in conceptualizing a sustainable smart city, thereby allowing virtual models to be integrated seamlessly into the physical environment. This paper tends to explore the contribution of DT in urban planning, management, and optimization processes in regards to contemporary trends on sustainability and enhancement of livability within smart city paradigms. DT technology replicates systems, processes, or infrastructures and allows simulation of minute details through extensive analysis and real-time monitoring. DT bridges the gap between virtual and physical spaces, offering data-informed insights to policymakers, urban planners, among other stakeholders, in optimizing urban systems, enhancing resource efficiency, and making better decisions within the paradigm of urban management. The study then enumerates several DT applications; among them are traffic management, environmental monitoring, and emergency response. These represent potential alleviation to urban problems and increasing the quality of life in citizens. On the other hand, DT deployment in urban environments faces challenges related to data privacy and interoperability aspects, which require high infrastructural costs and cooperative solutions. This is further entrenched through the use of case studies and literature reviews that substantiate the potential of DT in guiding cities toward a more sustainable and resilient future by dynamically fostering responsive smart cities that address environmental and social imperatives.
 
Keywords: Digital Twin Technology, Smart Cities, Urban Optimization, Cognitive City, Inclusive Cities, Real-Time Simulations
Full-Text [PDF 174 kb]      
Type of Study: Review Paper | Subject: Urban Design
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