Digital Technologies in Urban Regeneration: A Systematic Literature Review from the Perspectives of Stakeholders, Scales, and Stages

Urban regeneration, as a key strategy for promoting sustainable development of urban areas, requires innovative digital technologies to address increasingly complex urban challenges in its implementation. With the fast advancement of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), Interne...

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Main Authors: Xiaer Xiahou, Xingyuan Ding, Peng Chen, Yuchong Qian, Hongyu Jin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Buildings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/14/2455
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author Xiaer Xiahou
Xingyuan Ding
Peng Chen
Yuchong Qian
Hongyu Jin
author_facet Xiaer Xiahou
Xingyuan Ding
Peng Chen
Yuchong Qian
Hongyu Jin
author_sort Xiaer Xiahou
collection DOAJ
description Urban regeneration, as a key strategy for promoting sustainable development of urban areas, requires innovative digital technologies to address increasingly complex urban challenges in its implementation. With the fast advancement of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and big data, these technologies have extensively penetrated various dimensions of urban regeneration, from planning and design to implementation and post-operation management, providing new possibilities for improving urban regeneration efficiency and quality. However, the existing literature lacks a systematic evaluation of technology application patterns across different project scales and phases, comprehensive analysis of stakeholder–technology interactions, and quantitative assessment of technology distribution throughout the urban regeneration lifecycle. This research gap limits the in-depth understanding of how digital technologies can better support urban regeneration practices. This study aims to identify and quantify digital technology application patterns across urban regeneration stages, scales, and stakeholder configurations through systematic analysis of 56 high-quality articles from the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Using a mixed-methods approach combining a systematic literature review, bibliometric analysis, and meta-analysis, we categorized seven major digital technology types and analyzed their distribution patterns. Key findings reveal distinct temporal patterns: GIS and BIM/CIM technologies dominate in the pre-urban regeneration (Pre-UR) stage (10% and 12% application proportions, respectively). GIS applications increase significantly to 14% in post-urban regeneration (Post-UR) stage, while AI technology remains underutilized across all phases (2% in Pre-UR, decreasing to 1% in Post-UR). Meta-analysis reveals scale-dependent technology adoption patterns, with different technologies showing varying effectiveness at building-level, district-level, and city-level implementations. Research challenges include stakeholder digital divides, scale-dependent adoption barriers, and phase-specific implementation gaps. This study constructs a multi-dimensional analytical framework for digital technology support in urban regeneration, providing quantitative evidence for optimizing technology selection strategies. The framework offers practical guidance for policymakers and practitioners in developing context-appropriate digital technology deployment strategies for urban regeneration projects.
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spelling doaj-art-e69341bac4734590a2eaeeca0717d6eb2025-08-20T02:45:34ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-07-011514245510.3390/buildings15142455Digital Technologies in Urban Regeneration: A Systematic Literature Review from the Perspectives of Stakeholders, Scales, and StagesXiaer Xiahou0Xingyuan Ding1Peng Chen2Yuchong Qian3Hongyu Jin4School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, ChinaSoutheast University Architectural Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd., Nanjing 210096, ChinaSchool of Architecture, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, ChinaDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New ZealandUrban regeneration, as a key strategy for promoting sustainable development of urban areas, requires innovative digital technologies to address increasingly complex urban challenges in its implementation. With the fast advancement of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and big data, these technologies have extensively penetrated various dimensions of urban regeneration, from planning and design to implementation and post-operation management, providing new possibilities for improving urban regeneration efficiency and quality. However, the existing literature lacks a systematic evaluation of technology application patterns across different project scales and phases, comprehensive analysis of stakeholder–technology interactions, and quantitative assessment of technology distribution throughout the urban regeneration lifecycle. This research gap limits the in-depth understanding of how digital technologies can better support urban regeneration practices. This study aims to identify and quantify digital technology application patterns across urban regeneration stages, scales, and stakeholder configurations through systematic analysis of 56 high-quality articles from the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Using a mixed-methods approach combining a systematic literature review, bibliometric analysis, and meta-analysis, we categorized seven major digital technology types and analyzed their distribution patterns. Key findings reveal distinct temporal patterns: GIS and BIM/CIM technologies dominate in the pre-urban regeneration (Pre-UR) stage (10% and 12% application proportions, respectively). GIS applications increase significantly to 14% in post-urban regeneration (Post-UR) stage, while AI technology remains underutilized across all phases (2% in Pre-UR, decreasing to 1% in Post-UR). Meta-analysis reveals scale-dependent technology adoption patterns, with different technologies showing varying effectiveness at building-level, district-level, and city-level implementations. Research challenges include stakeholder digital divides, scale-dependent adoption barriers, and phase-specific implementation gaps. This study constructs a multi-dimensional analytical framework for digital technology support in urban regeneration, providing quantitative evidence for optimizing technology selection strategies. The framework offers practical guidance for policymakers and practitioners in developing context-appropriate digital technology deployment strategies for urban regeneration projects.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/14/2455digital technologiesurban regeneration (UR)stakeholdersproject size-levelproject stagessystematic review
spellingShingle Xiaer Xiahou
Xingyuan Ding
Peng Chen
Yuchong Qian
Hongyu Jin
Digital Technologies in Urban Regeneration: A Systematic Literature Review from the Perspectives of Stakeholders, Scales, and Stages
Buildings
digital technologies
urban regeneration (UR)
stakeholders
project size-level
project stages
systematic review
title Digital Technologies in Urban Regeneration: A Systematic Literature Review from the Perspectives of Stakeholders, Scales, and Stages
title_full Digital Technologies in Urban Regeneration: A Systematic Literature Review from the Perspectives of Stakeholders, Scales, and Stages
title_fullStr Digital Technologies in Urban Regeneration: A Systematic Literature Review from the Perspectives of Stakeholders, Scales, and Stages
title_full_unstemmed Digital Technologies in Urban Regeneration: A Systematic Literature Review from the Perspectives of Stakeholders, Scales, and Stages
title_short Digital Technologies in Urban Regeneration: A Systematic Literature Review from the Perspectives of Stakeholders, Scales, and Stages
title_sort digital technologies in urban regeneration a systematic literature review from the perspectives of stakeholders scales and stages
topic digital technologies
urban regeneration (UR)
stakeholders
project size-level
project stages
systematic review
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/14/2455
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