Smart Cities, Vol. 8, Pages 140: Green Smart Museums Driven by AI and Digital Twin: Concepts, System Architecture, and Case Studies

Smart Cities doi: 10.3390/smartcities8050140

Authors:
Ran Bi
Chenchen Song
Yue Zhang

In response to the urgent global call for “dual carbon” targets, the sustainable transformation of public museums has become a focal issue in both academic research and engineering practice. This study proposes and empirically validates an integrated management framework that unites digital twin modeling, artificial intelligence, and green energy systems for next-generation green smart museums. A unified, closed-loop platform for data-driven, adaptive management is implemented and statistically validated across distinct deployment scenarios. Empirical evaluation is conducted through the comparative analysis of three representative museum cases in China, each characterized by a distinct integration pathway: (A) advanced digital twin and AI management with moderate green energy adoption; (B) large-scale renewable energy integration with basic AI and digitalization; and (C) the comprehensive integration of all three dimensions. Multi-dimensional data on energy consumption, carbon emissions, equipment reliability, and visitor satisfaction are collected and analyzed using quantitative statistical techniques and performance indicator benchmarking. The results reveal that the holistic “triple synergy” approach in Case C delivers the most balanced and significant gains, achieving up to 36.7% reductions in energy use and 41.5% in carbon emissions, alongside the highest improvements in operational reliability and visitor satisfaction. In contrast, single-focus strategies show domain-specific advantages but also trade-offs—for example, Case B achieved high energy and carbon savings but relatively limited visitor satisfaction gains. These findings highlight that only coordinated, multi-technology integration can optimize performance across both environmental and experiential dimensions. The proposed framework provides both a theoretical foundation and practical roadmap for advancing the digital and green transformation of public cultural buildings, supporting broader carbon neutrality and sustainable development objectives.

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Ran Bi www.mdpi.com