The transformation to a smart city is changing the everyday lives of people around the world. Whether it's a ticket for the train or an appointment at the citizens' office - many services can be accessed online. Intelligent traffic lights adapt their switching to the traffic situation. Smart grids regulate the energy supply.
Citizens use digital networks for social networking and, of course, make use of the Internet of Things. Smart City not only involves the digitization of urban infrastructures, but also a new concept of living and working in cities. Urban transformation and smart city are therefore part of the Smart Specialization Strategy (S3) of the Ruhr Metropolis.
Smart City: Ruhr Area Research Landscape
As a region undergoing structural change, the Ruhr Metropolis has years of experience in transformation. Coupled with a diverse research landscape, this experience leads to a high level of innovation competence, also in the area of digital urban development. The Westphalian University of Applied Sciences in Gelsenkirchen conducts research in the field of smart cities at its Institute of Economics and at the Institute of Work and Technology.
The Smart Grid Technology Lab at TU Dortmund University focuses on smart energy supply. With the competence field of metropolitan research of the University Alliance Ruhr, the universities in Dortmund, Bochum and Duisburg-Essen are dedicated to questions of urban development and transformation in a cross-location network. At the Duisburg location, this includes the Joint Centre Urban Systems as an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research center.
Well networked in the direction of Smart Cities
As an initiative of the WiN Emscher-Lippe business development agency, the SMART REGION Emscher-Lippe project aims to turn Gelsenkirchen, Bottrop and the Recklinghausen district into digital model regions. Here, stakeholders are networked, innovative ideas are tested in the context of the smart city in Open Innovative Labs, and disadvantaged neighborhoods are strengthened through knowledge transfer in the area of digitization.
With the participation of the Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences, the DigiQuartier uses digitization for neighborhood development that is suitable for the elderly, families and people with disabilities. Bochum, Bottrop, Hagen and Gelsenkirchen are also part of the global "bee smart city" network with great potential for knowledge transfer to the Ruhr Metropolis.
Bochum
has been linking all facets of urban development and urban transformation for the development into a smart city in a smart city concept since 2021.
Bottrop
Uses data on residents' movement and behavior patterns to make data-driven decisions about downtown revitalization efforts.
Hagen
is testing an app that incentivizes people to use greener transportation, get more exercise, and bike more.
Ruhr Metropolis Real Lab
Duisburg, Dortmund, Herne, Essen, Unna and Oberhausen are also driving forward their smart city activities. Hamm has a digitization and innovation center with a focus on the smart home sector.
To drive urban transformation forward, digital infrastructures must be ensured and close collaborations between municipalities, companies and science must be created.
The Ruhr Metropolis, with its dense research landscape and strong expertise in digitization and artificial intelligence, offers great opportunities here. Due to its size and heterogeneity, it has optimal conditions as a real laboratory in which approaches to urban transformation can be tested and implemented.
The strategy of intelligent specialization (S3) is an important basis for obtaining European funding for regional development. The European Commission promotes the specialization of economic strengths - based on the strategy, the Ruhr Metropolis further develops its central competencies, unique selling points and lighthouse projects.
Sources: Trendforschung (2020): Der Markt für Smart City bis 2030, Photo: Christian Lue