A major new study has revealed how the Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming urban infrastructure and driving progress toward UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11): sustainable cities and communities
Published in Results in Engineering, the global analysis reviewed over 6,300 publications and found that smart technologies—ranging from intelligent traffic systems to real-time waste management—are revolutionising how cities tackle climate, transport, and urban inequality challenges.
The global state of play
Using data from 2010–2024, the authors employed bibliometric mapping and thematic analysis to assess IoT’s contribution to SDG 11.
The results are striking:
- China, India, and Saudi Arabia lead global research output, with the UK ranking among the top contributors in Europe.
- Over 68% of research stems from Asia, highlighting its rapid urbanisation and digital transformation.
Key areas of research include:
- Smart buildings
- Intelligent transportation systems (ITS)
- Cyber-physical systems
- Urban governance and citizen engagement
- Green IoT applications for sustainability
Smart cities, real impact
The study highlights successful deployments of IoT in major global cities:
- Barcelona has implemented sensor-based traffic lights and lighting systems, reducing congestion and energy use.
- New York City and Singapore have used IoT for environmental monitoring and autonomous public transport.
- Indore, India has applied GPS-tracked smart waste management to cut landfill reliance.
These examples reflect the role of IoT in energy efficiency, air quality monitoring, public safety, and climate resilience—all of which directly support SDG 11 targets.
Key findings and future trends
The research identifies emerging priorities for urban innovation:
- Vehicle-to-vehicle communication is the most prominent emerging technology, improving road safety and reducing emissions.
- IoT-connected drones are gaining traction in areas like disaster response, traffic monitoring, and smart agriculture.
- Real-time operating systems and intrusion detection are becoming crucial for IoT network security.
- Blockchain integration is an emerging area to secure and authenticate urban data.
Researchers stress the need for cross-sector collaboration, ethical data governance, and investment in digital infrastructure—especially in underrepresented regions like Africa and Latin America.
“Smart cities are no longer a future vision—they are now a reality, powered by IoT. But for them to be sustainable and inclusive, we need to integrate social equity, privacy, and resilience into the core of digital urban planning,” said Dr. Shaher Zyoud, lead researcher and environmental engineering expert at Palestine Technical University.
Why this matters for the UK construction sector
As the UK accelerates toward net-zero infrastructure and smart city objectives, the findings offer direct implications for:
- Digital planning systems
- Connected infrastructure
- Sustainable housing
- Data-driven policy frameworks
With increasing pressure on local authorities to deliver more with less, IoT-enabled infrastructure provides a powerful toolkit for reducing operational costs, improving urban liveability, and meeting regulatory goals.
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