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Innovative use cases in urban development

Together we develop and test data-driven use cases for future-proof infrastructure and spatial planning with a focus on social transformation, energy and climate. Using Urban Data Platforms and Urban Digital Twins, data can be taken into account and analyzed to a much greater extent than before. This promotes integrated urban development, leads to increases in quality (e.g. planning speed, avoidance of incorrect planning) and efficiency gains (e.g. space, energy).

In this sub-project, digital solutions and tools are developed and implemented together with the responsible departments and urban developers in order to support them in their daily work and in decision-making processes in urban development.

The identification of current challenges in planning processes form the basis for the processing of applied cases in order to implement innovative solutions in a targeted manner with the aid of Urban Data Platforms and Digital Twins. Key benefits for urban development arise as a result of:

  • Integration of more information for decision-making processes (data-based decisions using numerous data sources)
  • Combination of data from different areas (opening “data silos”)
  • Use of sensor technology in urban development
  • New analytics tools
  • (real-time) simulation
  • Participation by external stakeholders 

Current challenges faced by cities and municipalities taken up as use cases for Urban Digital Twins

Blick auf den Energieberg Georgswerder in Hamburg, Windräder und Solaranlage im Vordergrund
© Mediaserver Hamburg
Energy and climate-friendly urban developmentCities account for a substantial share of energy and resource consumption in Germany. Cities are also particularly affected by climate change. Cities therefore face especially strong challenges in developing strategies for efficient use of resources and strategies for adaptation. Urban Digital Twins support the development and implementation of measures for climate-neutral, energy and resource-efficient urban development at neighbourhood level. This way, they contribute towards achieving the ambitious municipal climate and energy policy goals.
Augustusplatz in L
© Immo Koss, https://www.flickr.com/photos/immokoss
Urban areas with special need for actionUrban areas are subject to constant change. Social and spatial transformation processes constantly lead to changes in land use. At the same time, more and more different types of uses (e.g. housing, mobility, leisure, climate and environmental protection) compete for scarce urban space and resources. Integrated assessment of competing land demands contributes to sustainable and socially just urban development. Urban Digital Twins help analyse spatial challenges as well as develop solutions. Complex interrelationships can be presented for the benefit of planners and citizens in a clear and transparent manner.
© Angela Pfeiffer
New digitalplanning toolsDigital planning tools offer new possibilities for exchanging data and information about the basis for planning, for forecasting urban development trends, for online participation and communication about future urban development. Innovative tools can be used, for example, to automatically depict urban redensification potentials. Simulations of different urban developments provide insights into what the future might look like. This increases planning efficiency and avoids planning errors. Urban Digital Twins offer a holistic system for data processing without media discontinuity. Through the use of innovative methods and the establishment of standards, interrelationships and decision-making paths can be made transparent, and this ensures efficient processing.
Personen um einen Touchtisch, auf eine Karte zeigend
© Landeshauptstadt München
Learning from one another – digital solutions in the field of urban developmentComplex urban interrelationships are more easy to understand with Digital Twins. Know-how exchange about digital solutions in urban development, for both existing and for new, innovative solutions for urban development challenges developed as part of the funding project creates a sound basis for a discourse that can also include other cities.

The implementation of these solutions is currently being prepared in the three partner cities, in cooperation with the specialised planning departments of the city administrations, the local offices for (citizen) participation and with other relevant actors such as energy suppliers or municipal utilities, before they are trialed in the real world.

By 2025, we intend to complete the technical implementation of new digital methods, tools and formats within the framework of our use cases, and to have them successfully tested by those responsible for technical planning. The documentation of use case development will be made available so that the knowledge gained in the CUT project can also be used in the use case development in other cities and municipalities.

Objectives of the sub-project

  • Intelligent utilisation of data for working on urban planning topics of the future
  • Improving transparency of complex urban development procedures
  • Re-design of established administrative practices
  • Efficiency gains regarding the utilisation of space, infrastructure, energy and finance

Overview of all sub-projects:

Five specialist areas
The Partner Cities
Funded by