PLOS is a non-profit organization on a mission to drive open science forward with measurable, meaningful change in research publishing, policy, and practice.

Building on a strong legacy of pioneering innovation, PLOS continues to be a catalyst, reimagining models to meet open science principles, removing barriers and promoting inclusion in knowledge creation and sharing, and publishing research outputs that enable everyone to learn from, reuse and build upon scientific knowledge.

We believe in a better future where science is open to all, for all.

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Smart cities research

PLOS publishes a wide array of open and cutting-edge research focused on smart cities, highlighting the role of technology in creating sustainable, efficient, and connected urban spaces.

Discover critical multidisciplinary studies from communications technology to smart energy management. These articles offer valuable insights into how cities can leverage digital innovations to address modern challenges and improve sustainable urban living.

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Discover smart cities research from PLOS

Cities are hubs of human interaction and the innovations that stem from them. While urbanization has brought numerous benefits to society, it has also contributed to some of our most urgent challenges, including sustainability, climate change, poverty, and inequality.

The below PLOS articles explore the multi-disciplinary research around smart cities and their communities on a global scale. They cover a broad range of essential topics, including Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure, machine learning, energy efficiency, and urban logistics, providing insights into how smart technologies can transform urban spaces into dynamic, resilient, and future-ready communities.

Research spotlights

As a leading publisher in the field, these articles showcase research that has influenced academia, industry and/or policy.

changzhi-china

Regional innovation effect of smart city construction in China

PLOS One

plastic-garbage-conveyor-belt-waste-recycling-factory-workers-background

Waste management 2.0 leveraging internet of things for an efficient and eco-friendly smart city solution

PLOS One

solar-cell-farm-power-station-smart-grid-alternative-energy-from-sun

Priorities in smart grid design research

PLOS Climate

Smart cities research topics​

PLOS publishes research across a broad range of topics. Take a look at the latest work in your field.

All smart cities

Water supply

Urban governance

Smart mobility

Information systems

Waste management

Sensors

Energy systems

Transportation

Smart houses

Explore the latest research developments in your field

Our commitment to open science means others can build on PLOS smart cities research to advance the field. Discover selected popular smart cities research below:

Turn down for watt: Community fit and thermal comfort habituation predict average household heating energy consumption

PLOS Climate

The impact of low-carbon city pilot policy on urban green technology innovation: Based on government and public perspectives

PLOS One​

Research on sustainable green building space design model integrating IoT technology

PLOS One​

Concept of the knowledge-based city logistics: Problems and solutions

PLOS One​

Water distribution pipe lifespans: Predicting when to repair the pipes in municipal water distribution networks using machine learning techniques

PLOS Water ​

Prospects and challenges of achieving sustainable urban green-spaces: A case study of urban greening in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Bangladesh

PLOS Sustainability and Transformation​

Innovate green building for urban heat mitigation and adaptation

PLOS Climate

Urban gardening education: User reflections on mobile application designs

PLOS One​

Browse the full PLOS portfolio of open access smart cities articles

Explore all research

11,245 authors from 137 countries chose PLOS to publish their smart cities research* 

Reaching a global audience, this research has received over 4,900 news and blog mentions^ 

Research in this field has been cited 46,481 times
after authors published in a PLOS journal*

Related journals in smart cities

We provide a platform for smart cities research across various PLOS journals, allowing interdisciplinary researchers to explore smart cities research at all preclinical, translational and clinical research stages.

PLOS Climate

PLOS Climate

PLOS Complex Systems

PLOS Complex Systems

PLOS One

PLOS One

PLOS Sustainability and Transformation

PLOS Sustainability and Transformation

PLOS Water

PLOS Water

*Data source: Web of Science. © Copyright Clarivate 2024 | January 2004 – September 2024
^Data source: Altmetric.com | January 2004 – September 2024

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