Smart Cities designed by Smart Communities: An Engaged Approach to Develop a Sociotechnical Network on Flooding, Air and Water Quality.

Climate Adaptation is a collective challenge. As cities articulate responses to environmental impacts, technology-based approaches are crucial in assessing the causes and drivers of these impacts. Engaging residents while establishing sensor networks on the pathway toward a smart city framework allows for more equity and acceptance as the data-driven outcomes are grounded in the community. In addition, community participation is a helpful tool in identifying and locating some causes and drivers. In order to provide community members and decision-makers with information to take action against environmental threats, access to visualized sensor data is necessary.

This study aims to develop a sociotechnical network, combining urban design, social science and engineering tools to (1) identify vulnerability zones, (2) measure data on flooding, air, and water quality, and (3) inform community members and decision-makers through a data dashboard. A small coastal town in Texas’ Coastal Bend Region is utilized as a case study.

Methodologically, this study utilizes a participatory mixed-methods approach, including urban analysis, geospatial mapping, and designing and visualizing data to generate the dashboard. The paper outlines a step-by-step process for developing community partnerships, conducting workshops, deploying sensors, collecting data, and making information accessible.

This research project is a practical guide for engaged scholars in the social sciences, engineering, and urban design fields. The outcomes visualized on a data-driven community dashboard provide meaningful information to both academic and non-academic audiences, residents and decision-makers alike.