Objective The urbanization development in China has shifted from incremental construction to stock renewal, positioning urban renewal as a national strategy. According to the Guidelines for Park City Planning and Construction in Shanghai, Shanghai aims to have over 1,000 parks by 2025, emphasizing the need to enhance the comprehensive service functions of parks at all levels. This signifies both quantitative growth of urban parks and qualitative improvement of existing parks, which is conducive to fostering high-quality development. In addition, the application of digital twin technology in landscape architecture has become crucial. In this context, this research proposes three key approaches for achieving sustainable renewal of urban parks: Focusing on ecosystem services, centralizing lifecycle management, and leveraging digital intelligence as technical support.

Methods Taking Shanghai Zhongshan Park as an example, the research acquires ecological data in four dimensions: Intelligence, water, greenery, and carbon. Based on the digital twin technology for urban parks, the research constructs the STAR system, which comprises four modules: Ecological effect simulation (Simulation), ecological efficiency monitoring (Tracking), ecological data integration (Assembly), and ecological practice management and control (Realization). 1) Simulation: In the early intervention stage, quantitatively simulate design possibilities, and achieve comprehensive assessments of site conditions and precise predictions of design proposals, so as to obtain the optimal planning and design scheme. 2) Tracking: In the middle and later stages, evaluate the ecological efficiency presented after design implementation, through regular and real-time monitoring. 3) Assembly: Supported by the digital twin technology for landscapes, establish a digital twin platform to visualize and display ecological data. 4) Realization: Based on the monitoring data, provide scientific foundations for precise interventions in subsequent intelligent operations and maintenance. This includes subsequent intelligent management and operations, and targeted management decisions based on evaluation results to maintain or achieve higher ecological efficiency. Integrating various monitoring and simulation technologies, the STAR system can enable the full life cycle management of urban park renewal.

Results The case study of Shanghai Zhongshan Park elucidates the specific contents and outlines the key points of the technology framework of the STAR system. In the simulation phase, results from simulating the hydrodynamics and water quality of Chenjiachi Pond in Shanghai Zhongshan Park, modeling microclimate and cooling effects, and estimating the carbon sequestration efficiency of Peacock Island in Chenjiachi Pond are used to propose improvements in hydrodynamics and water quality, comfort improvement schemes for the wharf area, and vegetation configuration adjustment strategies for Peacock Island, so as to enhance the ecological efficiency of Shanghai Zhongshan Park. Monitoring ecological efficiency involves close monitoring of all relevant factors, including regular and real-time monitoring of water quality and hydrodynamics, real-time monitoring of the microclimate using negative ion monitoring stations, and all-day biodiversity monitoring with sound recognition equipment and infrared-triggered cameras for wildlife. Regular and detailed measurements of the carbon sequestration efficiency of plants allow real-time and precise evaluation of the ecological efficiency of the renovated Shanghai Zhongshan Park. The digital twin platform can visualize all aspects of water, greenery, and carbon ecological data, based on which a dynamic ecological efficiency evaluation platform driven by AI and big data can be built for processing multimodal data and assessing ecological spatial benefits. This can create an ecological space with high-efficiency ecosystem services such as source pollution control, water quality regulation, biodiversity support, and carbon sequestration regulation, providing various risk warnings and scientific support for subsequent ecological practice management.

Conclusion The practical application of the STAR system in Shanghai Zhongshan Park can further clarify the technical points of its technology framework, thus validating the feasibility, typicality, and universality of the practical approach. The STAR system can support the sustainable renewal of urban parks and the improvement of ecosystem services in high-density human settlement environments.