Dormagen hits heat waves: sensors for safe climate protection!

Dormagen hits heat waves: sensors for safe climate protection!

Dormagen, Deutschland - The city of Dormagen, located between Cologne and Düsseldorf, has prepared with an innovative project against the effects of climate change. In view of the increasing heat waves, the city has the company DataMatters to install urban areas. These sensors will collect data about temperature, air humidity, CO2 pollution, fine dust, volume as well as the number of pedestrians, cyclists and cars. The special sensor boxes are installed on street lamps and transmit their measured values ​​by radio to an urban data platform, where artificial intelligence (AI) evaluates the information.

The main goal of this project is to develop well -founded suggestions for climate adaptation in order to avoid overheating urban areas and thus protect the population. 54 sensor boxes have already been installed in the first phase of the project, and 46 are to be added by the end of the year. Citizens can access further information via QR codes that are attached to the street lamps, whereby the collection of personal data is excluded.

collaborations and neighboring projects

The project is carried out in cooperation with the city marketing and business development company Dormagen (SWD) and receives support from the neighboring cities Hürth and Grevenbroich. Mayor Erik Lierenfeld is also actively involved in sending space sensors to other city heads in order to sensitize them to the possibilities of smartization. Such approaches to urban climate protection measures are also related to similar projects in cities such as Athens, Singapore, Tokyo, Los Angeles and Melbourne, which serve the population protection before global warming

In Hürth, for example, optimize level sensors in waste containers, which also serves to use resources and energy savings. These approaches are also reflected in the goals of the Smart City concepts to improve the traffic flow and the pollutant emissions through intelligent transport systems. In this approach, data from sensors for real -time evaluation are used, which enable you to dynamically control traffic lights and digital signs.

long -term goals and challenges

The use of AI to improve urban quality of life and environmental data analysis is a central topic. As part of the "Digital European Urban real-time environmental data and Smart Section Traffic Control System (Deus_Smartair)", which is funded by the BMVI, the close evaluation of air quality data in cities is a close attention to. This data is then used to plan targeted air improvement measures, for example through adapted traffic tours.

Environmental scientists and project manager Marc Nodorft explains that real time recording of environmental pollution is carried out by a large number of both stationary and mobile sensors. In the long term, a AI-based forecast system is sought, which can predict the pollution over 24 hours. However, the challenges are also pointed out, since the quality of the results depends on the data set, and artificial intelligence is often regarded as complex "black box", the decision -making processes of which are difficult to understand.

In addition, in another project, which is promoted as part of the Intelligence for cities Climate adjustments illuminated. A co-productive process with city representatives is pursued to analyze opportunities and risks of AI-based planning tools. The use of artificial intelligence requires a thorough consideration of ethical questions, whereby the initial surveys show that the interest of the population is low in the legal and ethical aspects of AI.

Overall, the project in Dormagen and the associated initiatives illustrate the urgent need for cities to adapt sustainably to climate change in order to secure the quality of life of its citizens in the long term.