Premier, A; GhaffarianHoseini, A and GhaffarianHoseini, A (2022) Solar-powered smart urban furniture: Preliminary investigation on limits and potentials of current designs. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 11(2), pp. 334-345. ISSN 2046-6099
Abstract
Purpose: This research is focused on solar-powered (smart) urban furniture, and it is aimed at providing a classification of it and to understand the main problems related to the adoption of these devices and where future design-led research should focus. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology involved a selection of international case studies in important urban contexts focussing on three main aspects: architectural integration, context sensitivity and system visibility of photovoltaic (PV) technologies applied to smart urban furniture. Findings: The preliminary results indicate that potential limits to the application of these technologies are urban morphology and lack of design of some solutions. Research limitations/implications: This research is focused on solar-powered (smart) urban furniture. Further investigation on built case studies may lead to a better understanding of the efficiency of the smart urban furniture and their appreciation by the people. Practical implications: This study can be useful to understand the potential use and customization of these products in New Zealand. Social implications: In Auckland’s central business district, these tools can be useful to help homeless people to recharge their phones and offer access to free Wi-Fi. Energy generation can be useful also for providing temporary heating during winter and so forth. Originality/value: Design proposals and research highlight public benefits of smart urban furniture without considering aspects like their integration with the surrounding context. This is also the first study that identifies lack of design in some of the solutions available in the market.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | photovoltaics; smart city; smart urban furniture; solar energy; street furniture |
| Index terms: | photovoltaic, investigation, smart city, New Zealand, case study, customization, efficiency, urban morphology, integration, methodology, winter, solar energy, proposal |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, urban sustainability, climate science, construction manufacturing, energy systems, project planning, performance management, urban form and morphology, research methods, Geography, organizational analysis |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Quality Management, Urban Studies, Sustainability, Research Practice, Project Management, Geographical Context, Business Strategy |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here