Urban Data Platforms and Digital Twins

In addition to the development of the theoretical concept, the focus of our work is on providing the infrastructure for Urban Digital Twins. This work is based on existing Urban Data Platforms of partner cities, which we develop further and make ready for use by others. In doing so, we also work on issues related to, and establish processes in the context of, data provision and data governance, and we have initiated a DIN SPECDIN SPECDIN SPEC bezeichnet die öffentlich verfügbare Spezifikation (Abkürzung: SPEC), z.B. einer neuen Technologie über das Deutsche Institut für Normung e.V. (DIN e.V.). Sie wird von freien Akteuren erarbeitet, z. B. von Unternehmen, Organisationen oder wissenschaftlichen Einrichtungen. Der so entstehende Standard kann je nach Fall innerhalb weniger Wochen bis hin zu mehreren Jahren im Workshop-Verfahren entwickelt werden und beschleunigt beispielsweise die Markteinführung eines Produktes. Das DIN stellt dabei sicher, dass der neue Standard nicht mit bestehenden Normen kollidiert und sorgt für eine nationale Veröffentlichung. on the topic of “Digital Twin for Cities and Municipalities”.

Through Urban Data Platforms, we make urban planning data available via standardised interfaces. In conformity with legal requirements, the data can be viewed in map portals for instance, used in participatory and decision-making processes, or integrated into their own applications by experienced users. By 2025, we plan to make the main components of an Urban Data Platform available in a reusable form and thus enable cities and municipalities to reinforce their own data sovereignty. These Urban Data Platforms represent the foundations for the Urban Digital Twins infrastructure.

What is the current status in the three partner cities?

3D-Ansicht von Hamburg — © Landesbetrieb für Geoinformation und Vermessung Hamburg

HamburgHamburg has had a Spatial Data Infrastructure since 2005 and has been developing it further since 2017 in the form of the Urban Data Platform Hamburg (UDP_HH). The real-time data infrastructure for high-performance event-based data provision via a standardised interface has been made available as open source technology for use by other municipalities since 2019.

3D-Stadtansicht von Leipzig — © Stadt Leipzig

LeipzigLeipzig has been operating an urban geographical data infrastructure (GDI) since 2012 and is expanding it into an Urban Data Platform. The integration of sensor data has been implemented in pilot applications.

3D-Stadtansicht von München — © Landeshauptstadt München

MunichMunich has been operating an urban geographical data infrastructure (GDI) since 2006, and it forms the basis of the Urban Data Platform. Integration of sensor data is currently being implemented. The Digital Twin is already being used for planning purposes and citizen participation and is to be further developed within the scope of the CUT project.

Objectives of the sub-project

The overarching objective is the further development and operational use of replicable Urban Data Platforms and Urban Digital Twins in the three partner cities – and beyond.
Additional objectives:

Data integration and provision

Data provision for the use cases handled via standardised interfaces
Sharing best practices in the areas of data integration and data provision

Concept design

Definition of “Urban Digital Twin”
DIN SPEC “Digital Twin for Cities and Municipalities”
Development of a concept for a generic architecture using software modules
Determination of developments required in the three cities

Implementation & Maintenance

Development and implementation of replicable building blocks for Urban Data Platforms and Urban Digital Twins

Data governance

Defining fields of action for data governance
Sharing recommendations on data governance using the example of the implementation of Urban Data Platforms and Digital Twins

Overview of all sub-projects:

Five specialist areas