Bridging livability and decarbonization for age-friendly cities

The rise in aging populations around the globe highlights the increasing significance of designing livable and age-friendly cities to ensure inclusivity. Simultaneously, designing sustainable cities and mitigating carbon emissions are crucial to global warming concerns. However, even if these areas are currently imperatives for improving the built environment, are they considered in a mutually inclusive manner? Although the pursuit of livable cities broadly aligns with the goals of sustainability and decarbonization, the interconnection and synergy between these criteria have not been extensively explored. Therefore, this research aims to uncover the relationship between livability and decarbonization and analyze their combined impact on age-friendly cities. This research first identified the criteria of livability, decarbonization, and aging needs from seminal sources. Then, an integrated model was developed by combining system modeling and mind-mapping approaches to explore the interconnectedness and reciprocal influence between these domains. The results of this study demonstrate that livability and decarbonization are highly connected and contribute differently to aging needs. While decarbonization is the primary instigator, aiming to improve the financial security of older adults, livability criteria mostly serve as the consequential quality, aiming to enhance the overall quality of life for older adults.