STRATEGY

Challenges

New technologies also bring along new risks. The digitalisation and networking of critical infrastructure and municipal institutions make them vulnerable to hacker attacks and malfunctions with potential consequences for citizens. The growing importance of data as a raw material has led to new threats, such as data theft from companies and households. Digital communication with and between authorities also poses a challenge to the encryption standard.

Objectives

We want cybersecurity to be given the same priority as physical security. Specifically, this means that communication, data storage and network backup have to meet the highest security standards based on state-of-the-art technology. In addition, we want to exploit and promote Darmstadt’s potential to develop innovative cybersecurity solutions.

Challenges

In addition to the IT infrastructure, which is used to transmit data, the processing and provision of data is also crucial to unlocking the potential of Smart City Darmstadt. Thanks to its infrastructure and numerous sensors, Smart City Darmstadt has a large amount of data. This data must be made publicly available and, at the same time, data protection and IT security must be observed for personal data.

Objectives

In order to be able to develop new applications and create transparency, we want to give business, science and citizens access to public data on the basis of the open-data principle. At the same time, we ensure the protection of personal data and support the sovereignty of Darmstadt residents in handling their data. In order to improve the quality of life, we are working on the basis of the data platform to improve the services offered by Smart City Darmstadt.

Challenges

The expansion of renewable energies and the associated decentralisation of energy generation bring opportunities for new supply models on the one hand and increased demands on existing grids on the other. The costs of new infrastructures are going up along with the increased integration of renewable energies. At the interface between increased demand, new infrastructure and rising costs, there is an opportunity to improve the energy supply of the Smart City with innovative solutions. At the same time, digital technologies enable intelligent control of energy consumption in public life and private households.

Objectives

Energy management is designed to be efficient and low-emission. To this end, an intelligently networked energy infrastructure is being set up. Flexible load management and intelligent grid control reconcile energy consumption and supply. At the same time, energy is saved by automatically controlling energy consumption in public life and private households. To ensure that everyone benefits from the improved energy supply, electricity and gas will remain affordable.

Challenges

Between 2010 and 2016 alone, the population of the city grew by 11.7 per cent to 160,000 inhabitants. This has a positive effect on urban diversity – more than 150 nations now live in Darmstadt – but goes hand in hand with diverging needs of different stakeholder groups. Digitalisation also raises concerns among some citizens, which may hinder the use of new technologies. At the same time, Darmstadt companies and research institutes face constant international competition for skilled workers who require a dynamic and open society. We are also called upon to make digitalisation and democracy a common cause in which all citizens can participate.

Objectives

We want our society to bridge the gap between the analogue and digital worlds and no longer see them as separate areas of life. Central to this is that we create a meeting place where citizens can test, discuss and experience new technologies together. In addition, we want to further improve our existing digital citizen participation platform in order to make political and social processes digitally accessible to all citizens. We also want to create digital meeting places that strengthen cohesion in urban society.

Challenges

Demographic change all over the world doesn’t stop at Darmstadt. Since 2006, the number of over 65s in Darmstadt grew by five per cent – and thus the need for age-appropriate medical care also increased. As a result, more and more patients need barrier-free and targeted medical consultations that enable as many care steps as possible at home. In addition, the efficient exchange of information between healthcare providers for treating patients requires the dissolution of digital information silos.

Objectives

We want to use our resources and expertise efficiently using new technologies and reduce barriers to accessing the healthcare system. To this end, we will facilitate the secure processing of health data in order to optimise treatment processes and improve coordination between different healthcare providers. In addition, patients receive direct and individual access to initial medical advice online to avoid unnecessary visits to the doctor.

Challenges

E-commerce and associated changes in purchasing and usage patterns have been presenting the retail sector with new challenges in recent years: on the one hand, growing deliveries from online retailers are causing logistical challenges within the urban area due to inefficient delivery systems and increased traffic volumes. On the other hand, retailers in Darmstadt are suffering from increased competition and need innovative concepts to be able to hold their own both online and offline. Darmstadt’s attractiveness for tourists can also be increased.

Objectives

We want to make it easier for our citizens to access online shopping platforms and integrate local retailers into the growth market. Thanks to integrated delivery logistics with short delivery times, our stores will regain their proximity to customers as an advantage based on location. We also want to optimise delivery logistics in the urban area in order to develop a sustainable and efficient delivery system in the long term. We also want to promote tourism through attractive offers for visitors.

Challenges

Thanks to intelligent and digitally networked systems, people, machines and products will be able to communicate directly with each other in the future. Digital transformation in industrial production means linking production processes with state-of-the-art information and communication technologies and affects all stakeholders along the entire value chain – from suppliers to producers to service providers. This overarching connection requires a common understanding of the importance and potential applications of digital technologies in industrial production and possible implementation measures. The challenge lies in the needs-based and transparent presentation of potential Industry 4.0 applications and their effects on the existing product portfolio.

Objectives

We want to promote digitalisation and cross-company networking in industrial production with advanced training courses for affected stakeholders. By holding events and workshops as well as offering consulting services, Darmstadt’s production companies are informed about modern application possibilities and get to know potential areas of application on the basis of practical examples. Particular attention is paid to small and medium-sized enterprises. The aim is to secure the long-term competitiveness of Darmstadt’s industry with digital production processes and thus increase the attractiveness of the business location.

Challenges

More than 91 per cent of Darmstadt already has an internet speed of 200 megabits per second. The last subpar areas still have to be covered and the next stage of expansion is to enable comprehensive broadband internet coverage. We will do this by giving top priority to negotiations with potential network operators to promote broadband deployment. In addition to providing internet access via fixed-network connections, new mobile networks, such as the LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) or 5G, are of particular importance. While 5G technology is dependent on a nationwide fibre-optic network and poses significant infrastructural and financial challenges, LoRaWAN is a comparatively inexpensive and easy-to-implement infrastructure.

Objectives

We want to create the infrastructural conditions for tomorrow’s economy by creating a comprehensive, future-proof and high-performance broadband infrastructure at all levels. The digital infrastructure is to be provided to citizens and Darmstadt’s economy as a matter of course as part of services of general interest. We laid the foundation for this in June 2018 with the resolution of Darmstadt’s broadband strategy by the city council. By 2040, fibre optics will be available across the board. By setting up the necessary IT infrastructure, we are laying the foundations for implementing new mobile networks and thus higher transmission speeds, as well as for the Internet of Things (IoT). We are also expanding free Wi-Fi in the city area.

Challenges

Threats to the safety of Darmstadt’s citizens mainly occur in the form of traffic accidents, fires or criminal acts. The technical solutions for preventing and dealing with these incidents often no longer meet current standards. The central challenge is to develop creative, digital solutions to overcome these threats.

Objectives

We want to make sure our citizens are protected. To this end, we are comprehensively digitalising processes that are used by rescue and emergency services in an emergency. All relevant evacuation plans and information will be available digitally. With digital solutions, we want to spare emergency services unnecessary bureaucracy and enable capacity planning to be more tailored to their needs. New technologies allow us to analyse the situation more quickly and comprehensively in order to better respond to threats.

Challenges

A 150-year-old painting in the museum, the unmistakable Italian opera house or the works of famous writers – all are timeless and inspire generations. But the digital transformation does not stop at seemingly everlasting cultural artefacts. The difficulty here is not in adapting the content but in the way it is presented. All of Darmstadt’s cultural institutes are therefore faced with the challenge of preparing their diverse offerings digitally and conveying culture in a contemporary way.

Objectives

We want to bring culture to life digitally. Darmstadt stands out for its cultural uniqueness and is characterised by close cooperation with cultural professionals as well as extensive cultural support. Darmstadt’s cultural heritage, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2022 with the Mathildenhöhe artists’ colony, is to be preserved and strengthened through digital projects and, in particular, to cater to the interests of younger generations. By integrating playful elements, we want to offer Darmstadt residents and tourists easy and attractive access to our cultural offerings and promote active engagement with cultural topics. In addition, the aim is to facilitate a cultural dialogue with the most important stakeholders in the field of digitalisation, who are artistically minded when dealing with the topic.

Challenges

Darmstadt’s economic success is attracting more and more people – there are now three jobs for every four inhabitants. As a result, the volume of traffic in the city is constantly increasing. Over the past ten years, the number of commuters coming into the city has increased by 15 per cent, which has also increased the demands placed on public transport and traffic management. Many German cities were rebuilt as ‘car-friendly cities’. However, the concept of conventional private transport is increasingly coming into conflict with modern urban planning concepts and stricter environmental and climate regulations. At the same time, new mobility concepts such as e-mobility and rental bike systems require special infrastructure and traffic planning in order to be effective.

Objectives

New mobility concepts and a sustainable, urban transport infrastructure are reducing the volume of petrol-powered private vehicles. This reduces pollution and ensures affordable and reliable mobility for all citizens. Motorised traffic is controlled more precisely by intelligent traffic management and parking systems, which saves time for all road users. Offers for multimodal traffic use guarantee a flexible, integrated and individualised mobility chain, including the first and last mile. Electric vehicles for private and public use are supported by an expanded charging infrastructure. Innovative digital solutions make public transport more needs-based, reliable and forward-looking.

Challenges

Cities around the world are facing local and global environmental challenges. Air quality is suffering from traffic-related nitrogen-oxide emissions, and municipal waste disposal is required to keep public spaces clean and recycle scarce resources and materials. From a global perspective, we are required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate protection.

Objectives

In order to protect the local environment and protect the global climate, we want to use resources in line with needs and the environment. To do this, we need environmental data that we integrate directly into our planning and decision-making processes and that we can use to monitor air quality throughout the city in real time. When it comes to waste management, we aim for more efficient recycling and optimised disposal logistics. We play our part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preserving biodiversity.

Challenges

Authorities throughout Germany are working on the introduction of digital processes in administration. These make administrative procedures more time- and resource-efficient, both for citizens and for the relevant authorities. In Darmstadt, 140 administrative procedures were completed digitally in 2017. In order to increase the transparency and traceability of information about the services or responsibilities of the city administration for citizens, the number of digitalised processes will increase in the future.

Objectives

Interfaces between the administration and the population are bundled in the Smart City. Services are offered ‘from a single source’ – unnecessary points of contact are eliminated for citizens. It is possible to submit and follow up requests online, thus improving the clarity and efficiency of handling citizens’ concerns. By 2021, we want to offer at least 25 administrative applications quickly and easily online. In addition, internal processes are being digitalised and business channels are being streamlined. The administration will be approachable, accessible and transparent so that citizens can quickly and easily find a dedicated contact for their concerns. Relevant data about the city is made easily accessible to science and activities of the Smart City are published barrier-free.