Goi, Chai-Lee
A icle
The impac o echnological inno a ion on building a
sus ainable ci y
In e na ional Jou nal o Quali y Inno a ion
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
Sp inge Na u e
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Goi, Chai-Lee (2017) : The impac o echnological inno a ion on building a
sus ainable ci y, In e na ional Jou nal o Quali y Inno a ion, ISSN 2363-7021, Sp inge , Heidelbe g,
Vol. 3, Iss. 6, pp. 1-13,
h ps://doi.o g/10.1186/s40887-017-0014-9
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REVIEW Open Access
The impac o echnological inno a ion on
building a sus ainable ci y
Chai-Lee Goi
Co espondence:
[email p o ec ed]
Depa men o Ma ke ing, Facul y o
Business, Cu in Uni e si y, 98009
Mi i, Sa awak, Malaysia
Abs ac
By 2050, he popula ion li ing in majo ci ies, especially in de eloping coun ies, will
ha e inc eased wo old. Wi h he inc easing majo i y o he popula ion occu ing in
u ban a eas, i is c ucial o ocus on how echnological inno a ion can help o deli e a
sus ainable u u e. A sus ainable ci y s i es o c ea e a sus ainable li ing en i onmen
h ough he use o echnology. Thus, he main objec i e o his pape is o e iew he
impac o echnological inno a ion on building a mo e sus ainable ci y. Technological
inno a ion has changed he o e all e ec i eness and bene olence o e ime and wi h
ega d o sus ainabili y. A sus ainable ci y in ol es de elopmen ha mee s he needs
o he p esen wi hou comp omising he abili y o u u e gene a ions o mee hei
own needs. Sus ainable de elopmen encompasses all aspec s o en i onmen al
s ewa dship, social de elopmen , and economic p og ess.
Keywo ds: Technological inno a ion, Sus ainable ci y, En i onmen , Social, Economy
Re iew
This e iew pape will be signi ican ly impo an o he socie y in e ms o building a
mo e sus ainable ci y especially ela ed o economy, social and en i onmen h ough
he echnological inno a ion. O ganising a sus ainabili y agenda equi es a he s a an
in e ac i e app oach ha in ol es public au ho i ies, ci izens and business s ake-
holde s. This is impo an o ob ain b oade suppo and inc ease momen um.
Fu he mo e, he s udy will be impo an o he policy make s, pa icula ly o Minis y
o Science, Technology & Inno a ion and Ci y Council in de eloping a mo e sus ain-
able plans and s a egies in he u u e.
In oduc ion
Ci ies can be classi ied based on he ci ies p ope (adminis a i e), he ex en o
he u ban a ea, o he me opoli an egions [1]. The O ganisa ion o Economic
Co-ope a ion and De elopmen (OECD) [2] also classi ied he size o ci ies based
on ou ca ego ies. Fi s , a la ge me opoli an a ea has a popula ion o 1.5 million
o mo e. Second, he me opoli an a ea has a popula ion be ween 500,000 and 1.5
million people. Thi d, a medium-sized u ban a ea has a popula ion o abou
200,000 o 500,000 people. Fou h, a small-sized u ban a ea has a popula ion o
abou 500,000 o 200,000 people.
In e na ional Jou nal o
Quali
y
Inno a ion
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Goi In e na ional Jou nal o Quali y Inno a ion (2017) 3:6
DOI 10.1186/s40887-017-0014-9
“The wo ld is unde going he la ges wa e o u ban g ow h in his o y. Mo e han hal
o he wo ld’s popula ion now li es in owns and ci ies”[3]. F om 1950 o 2010, 1.3 bil-
lion people li e in small ci ies, 632 million people li e in medium-sized ci ies, and 570
million people li e in la ge ci ies [4]. By 2050, he popula ion li ing in ci ies, especially
in de eloping coun ies, will ha e inc eased wo old. Thus, “ he p oblems c ea ed by
ampan u banisa ion a e among he mos impo an challenges o ou ime. They also
ep esen one o he g ea es oppo uni ies –and esponsibili ies – o he p i a e sec-
o . Business is uniquely posi ioned o shape he sus ainable, economically compe i i e
ci ies o he u u e”[5]. Wi h u ban a eas con aining he inc easing majo i y o he
popula ion, i is e y impo an o ocus on how echnological inno a ion can help de-
li e a sus ainable u u e. A sma sus ainable ci y s i es o c ea e a sus ainable li ing
en i onmen h ough he use o echnology [6]. “T ans o ming ci ies o he be e
h ough sus ainable echnology”[7].
The e a e se e al issues ha pose a majo impac on he quali y o li e ha d i es he
shi owa ds a mo e sus ainable ci y. Fi s , he e is a apid ise in he numbe o people
who mo e in o and li e in ci ies. T ends and li es yle ha e led o he de elopmen o in a-
s uc u e and buildings, along wi h cul u al and social p ac ices wi hou des oying na u e
and he en i onmen . The e o e, he e is a need o c ea e a sma ci y by in ol ing sma
ene gy managemen , in as uc u e de elopmen , was e and en i onmen managemen ,
public-p i a e pa ne ships, economic de elopmen plans, sma heal hca e, and sma
educa ion p og ams. Second, i is a huge challenge o ans o m a ci y h ough sus ainable
echnological inno a ion. Some imes a ci y ails o ecognise he challenges o he digi al
di ide [8]. The de elopmen o he omo ow sus ainable ci y mus be well planned, o e s
se ices, in ol es he communi y, and includes well-linked whole sys ems.
Thus, he key ques ion ha has been add essed is whe he echnological inno a ion
has an impac on building a sus ainable ci y.
This pape p o ides an o iginal app oach ha o e s a discussion o he impac o
echnological change on building a sus ainable ci y. Fu he mo e, a subs an ial numbe
o e e ences a e included o indica e he speci ic esea ches o he analysis o his
opic. The pape is o ganised as ollows:
The i s sec ion is ela ed o echnological inno a ion. This sec ion co e s he
o e iew o echnological inno a ion and also inno a ion in echnological change.
The second sec ion is ela ed o he discussion o a sus ainable ci y. This sec ion
co e s a ew issues ela ed mainly o he en i onmen , social, and economy.
The hi d sec ion co e s he impac o echnological inno a ion on building a
sus ainable ci y.
The inal sec ion discusses he conclusion and he limi a ions o u u e esea ch.
Technological inno a ion
O e iew
Technological inno a ion in ol es “ he in oduc ion o some hing new, o a new idea,
me hod, o de ice”[9]. Sus ainable de elopmen mus ake in o accoun he e ec i e-
ness o he echnology [10]. Technological inno a ion, as pa o echnological change
[8], allows o ganisa ions o es new ideas a speeds and p ices ha we e ne e
Goi In e na ional Jou nal o Quali y Inno a ion (2017) 3:6 Page 2 o 13
an icipa ed a decade ago [11]. “Changes in consump ion pa e ns can d i e he c ea ion
o new echnologies necessa y o sus ainabili y and hei adop ion and di usion a he
desi ed pace. Success in b inging abou hese changes will equi e subs an ial eo gani-
sa ion o he economy and socie y and changes in li es yles. Economic and inancial
incen i es o he c ea ion and adop ion o new echnologies will be needed, which
may include inno a i e policy e o ms”[4].
Inno a ion in echnological change
Inno a ion is ela ed o how consume s pe cei e an idea, a p ac ice, a p oduc , o an objec
as a new hing, and begins wi h consume s’awa eness o he inno a ion. Meanwhile, di u-
sion is a p ocess in which in o ma ion abou he inno a ion is con eyed h ough ce ain
channels o e ime among he consume s [12]. Ve g ag [13] discussed ha inno a ion
goes beyond in en ion. I e e s o he sp ead o new echnology in o he wide socie y.
The de elopmen o echnological inno a ion has led o he six h gene a ion. Ro hwell
[14] men ioned ha he de elopmen o echnological inno a ion in he i s s age up o
he i h has al eady begun since he 1950s. The gene a ions o inno a ion include ech-
nology push, ma ke /demand pull, coupling, c oss- unc ioning, as well as in eg a ion and
ne wo king. Hasan and Adomdza [15] added ano he gene a ion, a six h gene a ion,
known as design-d i en inno a ion. I means o design new p oduc s whils simul an-
eously c ea ing a need o consume s. Technological change and sus ainabili y a e closely
ela ed o each o he . Bo h ac o s o m he inno a ion in o de o imp o e he e ec i e-
ness o en i onmen al s ewa dship, social de elopmen , and economic p og ess [16].
Technology is ans o ming inno a ion a i s co e, and he speed o change in ol es
e olu ion, e ec , and wha is ahead [11]. Ga ne [17] e ealed h ee dis inc echnology
ends ha a e poised o be o he highes p io i y in e ms o acing apidly accele a -
ing digi al inno a ion. The combina ion o digi al inno a ion in he business model will
es ablish and empowe a ci y o be mo e sus ained. The summa y o echnology
inno a ion can be illus a ed in o Fig. 1.
Fig. 1 Hype cycle o eme ging echnologies. Sou ce: Ga ne [17]
Goi In e na ional Jou nal o Quali y Inno a ion (2017) 3:6 Page 3 o 13
T anspa en ly imme si e expe iences. Technology becomes mo e human-cen ic,
whe e i will in oduce anspa ency be ween people, businesses, and hings. Also,
he e olu ion o echnology becomes mo e adap i e, con ex ual, and luid wi hin
he wo kplace, a home, and in e ac ing wi h businesses and o he people.
The pe cep ual sma machine age. Sma echnology will be he mos dis up i e
o e he nex decade. This will allow o ganisa ions wi h sma machine
echnologies o ha ness da a in o de o adap o new si ua ions and sol e
p oblems.
The pla o m e olu ion. Eme ging echnology is e olu ionising he concep s o
how pla o ms can be de ined and used. This includes shi ing echnical
in as uc u e o ecosys em-enabling pla o ms, which is laying he ounda ions
o en i ely new business models ha a e o ming he b idge be ween humans
and echnology.
Al hough a esea ch ela ed o echnology inno a ion has eached 100 yea s, he con-
e gence o esea ch ela ed o science, echnology, and inno a ion only began in 1960
[18]. The o e all echnological inno a ion sys em has ga ne ed widesp ead a en ion, es-
pecially beyond he con ex o sus ainabili y. Besides echnological inno a ion sys em,
he e ha e been o he aspec s ha a e ela ed o sys em delinea ion, spa ial aspec s, ansi-
ions, poli ics, and policy ecommenda ions [19].
The e a e wo main componen s ela ed o he s udy o inno a ion. Fi s is he use o
pa en scale, whe eby he da a is used o s udy he geog aphy o inno a ion and also
he spa ial ex en o knowledge spillo e . Second is he measu ing o inno a ion by
using su ey. This e e s o a se o ques ions ha asks es ablishmen s whe he a new
p oduc , p ocess, o o ganisa ional inno a ion has been in oduced. The ques ions a e
also ela ed o whe he he inno a ion is new [20]. Re iews ha e been conduc ed on
upda ed academic a icles ha we e published in 2017 in o de o u he unde s and
he ends o echnological inno a ion.
One o he main p oblems o u ban sus ainabili y is ela ed o ene gy consump ion.
Velmu ugan [21], in his s udy, ocused on he sus ainable pe spec i es o ene gy
consump ion. The esul s showed ha he ene gy sa ed in 1 yea could be used powe
60,000 Eu opean homes. In p ac ice, manu ac u e s, especially, can imp o e ene gy
e iciency h ough design and implemen ene gy-e icien p ojec s on hei own o en e
in o ene gy pe o mance con ac ing (EPC), which mainly includes sha ed and gua an-
eed sa ings [22]. Also, Miao’s [23] s udy discussed he o e all ene gy sys em and CO
2
emission. The popula ion scale is he mos impo an ac o in esiden ial ene gy
consump ion and CO
2
emissions.
The wo ld has wi nessed ex eme en i onmen al de e io a ion o e he pas ew de-
cades. Rapid de elopmen in u ban a eas has caused se e e en i onmen al pollu ion
and ecological des uc ion. G een inno a ion is an impo an app oach o achie e
sus ainable ci y de elopmen . The e is e en a ela ionship be ween legi imacy p essu e,
p o i abili y, and g een inno a ion. G een inno a ion will lay he ounda ion o balan-
cing p o i and en i onmen al esponsibili y, and a he same ime achie e he ha mo-
nious de elopmen o socioeconomic en i onmen ally [24]. The con inui y o
echnological inno a ion in ol es g een echnological inno a ion, g een ins i u ional
inno a ion, and g een business model inno a ion [25].
Goi In e na ional Jou nal o Quali y Inno a ion (2017) 3:6 Page 4 o 13

Technological inno a ion is no jus ela ed o oad managemen sys em, building
managemen sys em, and public acili ies managemen , bu also o solid was e manage-
men . The p oblems o solid was e managemen include he amoun and composi ion
o was e gene a ed, apid expansion o u ban a eas, unding issues, apid echnological
ad ancemen , and limi ed ene gy and aw ma e ials [26, 27].
To ensu e he success o echnological inno a ion, i equi es a consolida ion policy.
Isaksson e al. [28] p oposed laye ing and pa allel policy-making. I is a complemen a y
concep o unde s and he challenges associa ed wi h he implemen a ion o sus ainable
mobili y. A numbe o s udies ha e also been iden i ied o be ela ed o policies such as
en i onmen al policies [29], anspo policies [30], and policy and planning o sh ink-
ing ci ies [31].
Sus ainable ci y
O e iew
A sus ainable ci y means “de elopmen ha mee s he needs o he p esen wi hou
comp omising he abili y o u u e gene a ions o mee hei own needs”[32]. In he
wen y- i s cen u y, he e has been a shi om sus ainabili y assessmen o sma -ci y
goals, ans o med in o sma sus ainable ci y [33].
The amewo k o a ci y should be holis ically in eg a ed wi h he u ban sus ainable
p inciple [34]. Basically, mos o he li e a u es ha ha e been s udied so a co ela ed
inno a ion and ci y de elopmen oge he . Inno a ion is conside ed as a d i e o
economic g ow h. Inno a ion is also an open p ocess, wi h inno a i e o ganisa ions d aw-
ing ideas, con ac s, and lea ning oppo uni ies om hei en i onmen [35].
Fou dimensions o sus ainable de elopmen ha e been iden i ied in building a mo e
sus ainable ci y [36, 37]:
En i onmen al dimension is ela ed o he objec i es o he conse a ion and
p ese a ion o he en i onmen . This includes aspec s such as a mosphe e, soil,
wa e , oceans and seas, biodi e si y, and sani a ion.
Social dimension is ela ed o he objec i e ha in ol es he sa is ac ion o human
needs. They include popula ion, employmen and income, heal h, educa ion,
housing, and secu i y, which aim o e lec he le el o educa ion, income
dis ibu ion, and li ing condi ions.
Economic dimension is conce ned wi h he e iciency o p oduc ion p ocesses and
changes in consump ion pa e ns.
Ins i u ional dimension includes he abili y and e o spen by go e nmen s and
socie ies o implemen changes equi ed o an e ec i e implemen a ion o
sus ainable de elopmen .
En i onmen al dimension
“Ci ies a e a he c oss oads o implemen ing sys em changes o sus ainable de elopmen .
Pa adigm shi s a e needed in mul iple dimensions o ede ine he ela ions o ci ies wi h
he en i onmen ”[38]. “Ci ies impac hei immedia e en i onmen , as well as he global
en i onmen ”[39]. Acco ding o Sha ma [40], a sus ainable ci y includes en i onmen al
sus ainabili y, he i age conse a ion, app op ia e echnology, in as uc u e e iciency,
Goi In e na ional Jou nal o Quali y Inno a ion (2017) 3:6 Page 5 o 13
placemaking, social access, ansi -o ien ed de elopmen , egional in eg a ion, human
scale, and ins i u ional in eg i y.
Ene gy consump ion in u ban a eas is as much as 75%. I also accoun s o 70% o ca -
bon dioxide emissions. To mee he needs o he popula ion in u ban a eas, in as uc u e
de elopmen some imes igno es ecological sus ainabili y. Li ing in u ban a eas has con-
ibu ed o p essu e on he ecosys em. Human ecological oo p in has exceeded he cap-
aci y o e es ial ecosys ems o as much as 50%. The le el o ecosys em se ices a he
momen is isky a a c i ical le el o deg ada ion. Thus, he e a e i e majo challenges o
u ban sus ainabili y. These include ecological oo p in , ecosys em se ices and biodi e -
si y, in es men o sus ainabili y, he good li e, as well as leade ship and coope a ion [41].
So a , a numbe o cu en issues ela ed o he en i onmen ha e been published.
The e is a close ela ionship be ween sus ainable u ban de elopmen and en i onmen-
al sus ainabili y. The e o e, i is impo an o o mula e any s a egy o ans o ma ion,
enewal, and egene a ion. A ew s udies ha e e en e alua ed he en i onmen al
ou comes and e ec i eness o egene a ion p og ammes, especially in ela ion o g een
spaces, access o public anspo a ion, clima e change, and seismic- isk educ ion [42].
Due o he high popula ion densi y in he ci y, anspo sys em is a key issue being
discussed. Nanaki e al. [43] men ioned ha an e icien and lexible anspo sys em is
essen ial o a u u e o low ca bon anspo sys em. Thei s udy also ound ha he
di e ences in he le els o emissions coming om he di e en sys ems o each ci y
depic di e ences in he quali y and u ilisa ion o anspo a ion ne wo ks. Ca bon
emissions a e co ela ed wi h income. Pe capi a incomes a e highe in a ci y, which
esul s in highe a e age pe capi a demand in majo emissions sou ces. High ca bon
emissions ha e also inc eased om households. By unde s anding ha beha iou s a ec
ene gy consump ion will be use ul in p omo ing low ca bon household [44].
El Gho ab and Shalaby [45] discussed a g een ci y as a new app oach o planning and de-
eloping a sus ainable ci y. Sus ainable u ban de elopmen appea s o be closely connec ed
wi h he discu si e p oduc ion o g een ci y o eco-ci y. The implemen a ion o sus ainable
u ban de elopmen ocuses on g een in as uc u e, ansi -o ien ed de elopmen , b own-
ield ede elopmen , and ca bon educ ion plan [46]. The pu pose o a g een ci y is o s i e
o educe en i onmen al impac by educing was e, expanding ecycling, lowe ing
emissions, and inc easing housing densi y, while expanding open space and encou aging
he de elopmen o sus ainable local businesses [47]. Thus, a numbe o s udies ha e been
conduc ed ha a e ela ed o g een alue. A s udy conduc ed by Vyas and Jha [48] and Shad
e al. [49] s a ed ha g een building cons uc ion is conside ed o be an essen ial p ac ice o
achie e sus ainabili y. Se ao-Neumann e al. [50] discussed he impo ance o connec ing
land use and wa e planning. Ogie e al.’s [51] s udy emphasised on lood mi iga ion in a-
s uc u e, whe eby i is c ucial o emo e accumula ing loodwa e om low-lying a eas
whe e d ainage is na u ally poo due o a e y low slope g adien . A s udy by Zhang e al.
[52] concluded ha he ope a ing e iciency, ope a ing pe o mance, and se ice quali y o a
d ainage en e p ise is de e mined by i s sus ainable de elopmen le el ha in ol es u ban
was ewa e ea men , cons uc ion o d ainage enginee ing, ope a ion and main enance,
and consul ing. Peng e al. [53] e alua ed ecosys ems and he impac s caused by he change
in he en i onmen . A s udy conduc ed by Tho ne e al. [54] included wide aspec s. I in-
ol es making he alloca ion o land o u ban de elopmen mo e sus ainable and bea s an
impac on ood p oduc ion, ecosys em se ices, and biodi e si y conse a ion.
Goi In e na ional Jou nal o Quali y Inno a ion (2017) 3:6 Page 6 o 13
The Economis In elligence Uni (EIU) [55] de eloped a g een ci y index in alignmen
wi h g een managemen . I co e s CO
2
emissions, ene gy, buildings, land use, anspo ,
wa e and sani a ion, was e managemen , ai quali y, and en i onmen al go e nance ( e e
o Table 1). Ano he model o g een managemen p oposed 12 g een guidelines o c ea ing
a happie , heal hie , and a mo e sus ainable and g een ci y. The 12 g een guidelines all in o
h ee key ca ego ies: u ban o m (u ban g ow h bounda y, ansi -o ien ed de elopmen ,
mixed-use, small blocks, and public g een space), anspo a ion (non-mo o ised ansi ,
public ansi , and ca con ol), and ene gy and esou ces (g een buildings, enewable and
dis ibu ed ene gy, was e managemen , and wa e e iciency). They a e also consis en ly
mo ing owa ds o a sma ci y, which in ol es sma elecommunica ion, sma mobili y,
sma ene gy managemen , sma go e nance, sma public se ices, and sma sa e y [56].
Social dimension
The aspec o social de elopmen owa ds building a mo e sus ainable ci y “occu s
when he o mal and in o mal [p ocesses, sys ems, s uc u es, and ela ionships] ac-
i ely suppo he capaci y o cu en and u u e gene a ions o c ea e heal hy and
li eable communi ies”. This social aspec co e s equi y, di e si y, quali y o li e, democ-
acy and go e nance, and in e -connec edness [57].
Be acchini and Seg e [58] add essed wo majo issues abou social quali y in cul u e-
led u ban egene a ion plans. Fi s is a plan in e ms o he ins umen al in ol emen
o he communi y in pa icipa ion p ac ices. Second is an u ban policy ha is ela ed o
he c ea i e ci y no ion ha needs o be implemen ed.
Li ing sociabili y in ol es he ci y i sel and a combina ion o cul u e and na u e [59]. The
s udy conduc ed by Guzmán e al. [60] measu ed he link be ween cul u al he i age
managemen and sus ainable u ban de elopmen and iden i ied h ee le els o a moni o ing
sys em o he managemen sys em: s a egic le el, ope a ional le el, and moni o ing le el.
The Wo ld Economic Fo um [61] iden i ied h ee indica o s o social sus ainabili y
( e e o Fig. 2). The i s indica o aims o assess a popula ion’s access o basic neces-
si ies. I is a measu e o inclusion, as well as a measu e o he ul ilmen o basic
Table 1 EIU’s The G een Ci y Index
CO2 Ene gy Buildings T anspo
•CO2 in ensi y
•CO2 emissions
•CO2 educ ion
s a egy
•Ene gy consump ion
•Ene gy in ensi y
•Renewable ene gy
consump ion
•Clean and e icien
ene gy policies
•Ene gy consump ion o
esiden ial buildings
•Ene gy-e icien buildings
s anda ds
•Ene gy-e icien buildings
ini ia i es
•Use o non-ca
anspo
•Size o non-ca
anspo ne wo k
•G een anspo
p omo ion
•Conges ion educ ion
policies
Was e and land use Wa e Ai quali y En i onmen al
go e nance
•Municipal was e
p oduc ion
•Was e ecycling
•Was e educ ion
policies
•G een land use
policies
•Wa e consump ion
•Sys em leakages
•Was ewa e sys em
ea men
•Wa e e iciency and
ea men policies
•Ni ogen dioxide
•Sulphu dioxide
•Ozone
•Pa icula e ma e
•Clean ai policies
•G een ac ion plan
•G een managemen
•Public pa icipa ion in
g een policy
Sou ce: The Economis In elligence Uni (EIU) [55]
Goi In e na ional Jou nal o Quali y Inno a ion (2017) 3:6 Page 7 o 13
physical needs. The second indica o is linked o he concep o pe cei ed economic se-
cu i y. I aims o e alua e a popula ion’s ulne abili y o economic exclusion. Finally,
he hi d indica o assesses social cohesion.
Economic dimension
The e is a ela ionship be ween balance economic goals wi h social and en i onmen al.
As men ioned by Soubbo ina [62], his balance can be discussed wi h easons:
I en i onmen al and social losses esul ing om economic g ow h u n ou o be
highe han economic bene i s, he o e all esul o people’s wellbeing becomes
nega i e.
The economic g ow h i sel ine i ably depends on i s na u al and social condi ions.
To be sus ainable, i mus ely on a ce ain amoun o na u al esou ces and
se ices p o ided by na u e such as pollu ion abso p ion and esou ce egene a ion.
The economic g ow h mus be cons an ly nou ished by he ui s o human
de elopmen .
Bullock e al. [63] s udied he economic con ibu ion o he sus ainabili y and
e icien unc ioning o a ci y, especially he bene i s in an economic con ex o p i-
a e indi idual bene i s and public goods bene i s. Fi s , he economic assessmen
ocuses on he impac on businesses. Second, in e ms o p i a e bene i s, anspo
in es men p o ides a mix u e o p i a e and public goods bene i s. The ime-
sa ing in p i a e bene i s is a key mo i a ion. Thi d, o business sales, pe cep ions
o change in sales ha e been ound o a y by loca ion and na u e o cha ac e is-
ics o p oduc s. Fou h, in e ms o heal h bene i s, i includes ime-sa ing and
educed cos s o conges ion, pollu ion, and CO
2
emissions. The cycling ac i i ies
p o ide physical exe cise, which con ibu es o heal h and educes expendi u e on
heal hca e. Finally, in e ms o ime-sa ing and wide economic bene i s, i con ib-
u es o he ci y’s economy by imp o ing connec i i y be ween jou ney, o igin, and
des ina ion, and by educing jou ney ime.
The impac o echnological inno a ion on building a sus ainable ci y
I is e y impo an o unde s and he challenges o a con empo a y ci y. The challenge is due
o he inc easingly complex na u e and he a ie y o he con empo a y ci y [64]. Thus, a
u u e ci y needs o balance economic de elopmen wi h ene gy e iciency and he p ese a-
ion o na u al esou ces in o de o imp o e he quali y o li e [65]. “Balancing he immedia e
Fig. 2 Th ee indica o s o social sus ainabili y. Sou ce: The Wo ld Economic Fo um [61]
Goi In e na ional Jou nal o Quali y Inno a ion (2017) 3:6 Page 8 o 13