English Abstract
Abstract:
The implementation of Smart Sustainable City (SSC) solutions provided an
answer to the many urban problems and challenges caused by rapid urbanisation,
environmental degradation, and extensive economic global competition. The Kingdom
of Bahrain strives to achieve its sustainable development goals by adapting Information
and Communication Technologies (ICTs). However, the initiatives undertaken by the
Kingdom of Bahrain lack a schematic framework for the development and assessment
of SSCs solutions.
This research aims to analyse and define a SSC in the local context of the
Kingdom of Bahrain. It further seeks to develop an assessment framework suitable for
evaluating SSCs in Bahrain. The study also validates the developed measurement
framework by assessing the quality of urban life in Diyar Al Muharraq, a newly
developed urban area in the Kingdom of Bahrain selected for its goals of creating a
smart and sustainable urban environment.
The research was conducted in three stages using a mixed-methods approach.
First, the meaning of SSCs in the local context of the Kingdom of Bahrain was
articulated by deriving keywords from the literature review. The keywords were
mapped against the policies and national goals of the Kingdom of Bahrain to develop a
local definition. Second, the definition obtained in the first stage of the research served
as a guideline for identifying the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) suitable for the
local context of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Third, the selected KPIs were then used to
evaluate the urban quality of life in Diyar A1 Muharraq.
The local definition of a SSC that this study outlines highlighted the prime
principles for developing SSCs locally to enhance the quality of urban life. The research
also identified a KPIs framework that can be used to analyse an urban environment in
the Kingdom of Bahrain. The urban evaluation of Diyar Al Muharraq validated the
selected KPIs. This study is an initial step that contributes to understanding SSCs in the
Kingdom of Bahrain. Future studies can test the methodology proposed in this research
by using it to evaluate the quality of urban life elsewhere.
