Incorporating Citizen Science to Enhance Public Awareness in Smart Cities: The Case Study of Balaguer

Featured Application Our study introduces an innovative application through the deployment of the Totem Outdoor DELUX interactive kiosk, complemented by a user-friendly web application. This dual-component system is not solely a cutting-edge piece of smart furniture centered on hardware; it also encompasses a specially designed web application to engage the citizens of Balaguer. Together, they form a comprehensive infrastructure aimed at enhancing environmental awareness and promoting civic participation. This kiosk is a dynamic platform for displaying real-time data from sensors across the city, facilitating interactive questionnaires, and providing essential information about the city and town hall. The application of this technology directly contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by fostering public awareness and participation in critical issues such as climate action, health and well-being, gender equality, innovation in infrastructure, and reducing inequalities. Specifically, the interactive totem allows for the collection and analysis of data regarding citizens' perceptions of their living conditions, environmental impact, and social inequalities. This practical application of our work exemplifies how technological innovation can be leveraged to enhance civic engagement, support sustainable development, and foster a more informed and participatory urban community.Abstract The concept of a smart city is becoming increasingly popular to improve citizens' quality of life. Institutions are also committed to enhancing the sustainability of cities by implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper presents a Balaguer case study investigating energy demand monitoring, decreasing energy demand, and citizen acceptance in a municipality district. The study collected data from three sources: (1) quantitative data coming from on-site sensors; (2) quantitative data from a simulation of the area; and (3) qualitative data from questionnaires developed with a totem located in the city center. This study shows the importance of citizen science in contributing towards the increased awareness of energy demand, renewable energy, and climate change. But it also shows how citizen science can improve research quality involving the municipality authorities. This study also was instrumental in contributing to the increase in awareness among municipality authorities and capacity building on the topic. This activity may also contribute towards the implementation of actions to reduce the energy demand in public buildings and helping them in deploying policies to decrease energy demand in buildings, increase the use of renewable energy, and increase awareness among citizens. The government will use the information gathered to develop policies for citizen improvement.