According to the UN, in 2045 the urban worldwide population will exceed 6 thousand million inhabitants, and it therefore foresees an unprecedented growth rate of the urban population. This rapid transition into a highly urbanized population causes a few challenges in several areas such as: education, health, environment, energy, public service, etc. The growing urbanization has transformed cities into complex social ecosystems, making it imperative to ensure sustainable development. It is in this context that technology arises as a crucial element, enabling the improvement in the management of cities, resulting in the concept of smart city.
With more than half of the world's population currently living in cities, housing, economic, and social challenges have increased exponentially, with municipalities coming under increasing pressure to implement measures to help them achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), approved in 2015 by the United Nations (UN). There is an urgent need to (re) think strategies for the management of natural, social, and economic resources for the protection of the environment and the fight against poverty in urban centers. If we can promote sustainable cities, we can hold the key to solving many of the world's challenges. Historic riverside areas are areas of great sensitivity since they are particularly vulnerable areas.
This work aims to analyze the certification models, looking at existing cases, to understand their impact on the sustainable transition of cities, using historic riverside areas as a case study.
A detailed identification and analysis of existing certifications in cities such as WCCD and M2V certification was conducted and compared according to different criteria and dimensions identified. As an example, we compared certifications at the building scale level, such as LEED certification and BREAM certification (because they are two very widespread certifications worldwide). In all, the sample included thirteen certifications, applied at three different scales: buildings, neighborhoods, and cities/municipalities. The analysis of results allowed for two SWOT analyses - one based on the literature review and the other based on interviews with experts in the field. In Portugal, there are already many initiatives that actively contribute to this development, and certifications are a good bet in the urban sustainable transition if they are accompanied by updates and reviewed according to the location and scale applied.

Supervision: Rita Lopes and João Pedro Gouveia