Every　year,　structural　flaws　or　breakdowns　cause　thousands　of　people　to　be　harmed　and　cost　billions　of　dollars　owing　to　the　limitations　of　design　methods　and　materials　to　withstand　extreme　earthquakes.　Since　earthquakes　have　a　significant　effect　on　sustainability　factors,　there　is　a　contradiction　between　these　constraints　and　the　growing　need　for　more　sustainable　structures.　There　has　been　a　significant　attempt　to　circumvent　these　constraints　by　developing　various　techniques　and　materials.　One　of　these　viable　possibilities　is　the　application　of　smart　structures　and　materials　such　as　shape　memory　and　piezoelectric　materials.　Many　scholars　have　examined　the　use　of　these　materials　and　their　structural　characteristics　up　to　this　point,　but　the　relationship　between　sustainability　considerations　and　the　deployment　of　smart　materials　has　received　little　attention.　Therefore,　through　a　review　of　previous　experimental,　numerical,　and　conceptual　studies,　this　paper　attempts　to　draw　a　more　significant　relationship　between　smart　materials　and　structural　sustainability.　First,　the　significant　impact　of　seismic　events　on　structural　sustainability　and　its　major　aspects　are　described.　It　is　then　followed　by　an　overview　of　the　fundamentals　of　smart　material’s　behaviour　and　properties.　Finally,　after　a　comprehensive　review　of　the　most　recent　applications　of　smart　materials　in　structures,　the　influence　of　their　deployment　on　sustainability　issues　is　discussed.　The　findings　of　this　study　are　intended　to　assist　researchers　in　properly　addressing　sustainability　considerations　in　any　research　and　implementation　of　smart　materials　by　establishing　a　more　explicit　relationship　between　these　two　concepts.　©　2021　by　the　authors.　Licensee　MDPI,　Basel,　Switzerland.