Page 66 - U4SSC Blockchain for smart sustainable cities

5. Blockchain for smart sustainable cities: cross-case analysis and
framework proposal

This section presents a cross-case analysis highlighting the challenges, opportunities and lessons learned
from the use-cases presented previously. The purpose of the analysis is to understand the complexity of
the projects, and to identify the critical elements and patterns for the application of blockchain in smart
cities context. The findings from these analyzes are summarized in the “4S framework” below (Figure 14).

This “4S Framework” encompasses Situation, Sustainability, Smartness and Suitability. The four dimensions
of the framework are linked and interdependent, which means that the context and the challenges of the
city will define the sustainability issue to address the priority and translate it into smart city initiatives,
supported by the right type of blockchain technology. Vice-versa, the suitability of blockchain is not
important if it does not support the city to become smarter. There is no smartness without sustainability,
and sustainability might not have the right impact on the specific context of the city.

For the purpose of this report, blockchain for cities (B4C) use-cases have been analyzed based on these axes
using evidence-based models and dimensions from the academic literature. The findings of this analysis
are summarized in Table 8 and explained in detail in the remaining sections of this report. e

Figure 14: 4S Framework of blockchain for cities

Blockchain in this framework is considered as a digital innovation that requires strategic and operational
planning to build a smart and sustainable city. A different framework to define the “4S” dimensions of
blockchain for Smart Sustainable Cities framework was used. This framework will be explained later in detail.
The “Situation” detailing will be presented with the general context of the blockchain-based city project.

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d Success of a city’s transition to a smart city depends on the synergic action by the triple helix key actors: public bodies, universities, and private
companies (IEEE, 2016).
e The green ticks denote the characteristics that are inherent to the use-case and the red crosses indicate characteristics that are absent.

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