A Computational Framework for Evaluating Quality of Life in Sustainable Urban Environments: Integrating Physical and Digital Service Accessibility

Evaluation of an individual’s accessibility to urban services is crucial for urban planners and policymakers to assess various urban policies and scenarios. Most studies have emphasized accessibility in physical spaces, with limited attention to the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in providing virtual access and its implications for quality of life (QOL) and sustainability. This study addresses this gap by examining the substitutability of physical activities with digital alternatives and their potential contribution to decarbonization. Using data from an online questionnaire survey in Japan, we analyze how individuals access services across both transportation and ICT networks. We propose an integrated evaluation framework that measures QOL by considering accessibility in both physical and virtual spaces. The analysis highlights differences in substitutability across activities such as shopping, working, schooling, and entertainment, while revealing that services like healthcare and physical tourism remain less substitutable. The results disclose that accessibility strongly influences individuals’ adoption of digital alternatives, which in turn offer significant benefits in terms of convenience and environmental impact. The proposed methodology provides valuable insights seeking to balance physical and virtual service accessibility, supporting sustainable urban development in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals 10 and 11.