This edited volume offers a comprehensive platform for high-quality theoretical and applied research on smart cities, emphasizing integrated approaches that place the human factor at their core. It brings together interdisciplinary perspectives on smart cities and smart communities, addressing their implications for quality of life, sustainability, and effective governance. Contributions explore strategic, quality, knowledge, and information management alongside intelligent systems, social responsibility, safety culture, and education for sustainable development. The volume further examines energy-related dimensions, including policy, management, efficiency, optimization, security, law, and economics as well as broader philosophical and technological frameworks such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, big data, cognitive technologies, and electromobility. Environmental and economic perspectives, including ecological awareness, environmental law and management, green energy, circular economy models, and emerging knowledge- and quality-based economies, complete this holistic exploration. Together, the contributions provide an integrative and forward-looking resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers engaged in shaping sustainable, human-centered smart cities.

Roberto Alonso González-Lezcano is accredited as a Full Professor at the Universidad CEU San Pablo Madrid.

Guadalupe Cantarero García is a Senior Lecturer at Universidad CEU San Pablo Madrid.