Investigating the critical factors that contribute to the success of sustainable consumer behaviour in smart cities: evidence from UAE

<p dir="ltr">This study develops a conceptual framework to examine how sustainability principles are integrated into everyday behaviours within the context of smart cities, with Masdar City in the UAE serving as the empirical focus. Everyday behaviour here refers to the routine practices of residents, including energy use, waste management, mobility choices, and cultural habits, which both shape and are shaped by the technological and regulatory environment. The research adopts a qualitative design, using thematic analysis to identify patterns that explain how sustainability is enacted at the intersection of systemic structures and individual practices.</p><p dir="ltr">The framework combines Ecological Modernization Theory (EMT) and Affordance Theory to anchor the analysis across macro and micro levels. EMT highlights the institutional, regulatory, and market mechanisms that drive sustainability transitions at the systemic level, while Affordance Theory explains how residents interpret and act upon the affordances of smart technologies and infrastructures in their daily lives. This dual perspective demonstrates how macro-level structures—such as policy enforcement, economic incentives, and technological infrastructures—translate into, and are reinforced by, micro-level behaviours like mindful consumption, compliance with sustainability norms, and community engagement.</p><p dir="ltr">Data were drawn from 24 purposefully selected participants who either live or work in Masdar City and actively engage with its smart technologies and sustainability initiatives. The thematic analysis identified three major themes: technological enablement of sustainable practices; regulatory influence and compliance; and economic accessibility and incentives. These themes show how smart infrastructures such as smart grids, real-time data systems, and waste automation facilitate sustainable practices, while challenges such as affordability of eco-friendly products constrain broader uptake.</p><p dir="ltr">By linking systemic structures with lived practices, the study provides theoretical contributions to understanding how sustainability transitions occur in smart cities. It demonstrates that sustainability cannot be explained by either structural drivers or individual agency alone but emerges through their dynamic interplay. The findings offer practical insights for policymakers and urban planners by highlighting the need for regulatory frameworks, economic incentives, and technological infrastructures that support everyday sustainable behaviours without imposing disproportionate burdens. The study concludes by noting the importance of expanding research beyond Masdar City to more conventional urban contexts, incorporating longitudinal approaches, and engaging with cultural processes and corporate actors to capture the full complexity of sustainability in everyday urban life.</p>