SMART URBAN AREAS - EXPERT WORKSHOP
Greening buildings, understanding and applying digital twins, augmented and virtual reality - these and other topics were intensively discussed in a full-day expert workshop on July 4, 2023. The workshop was part of the "Smart Urban Areas" (SUA) project, funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUV), where initial results of microclimate analyses and concepts for digital twins were presented. The focus was on exploring how the integrated use of digital twins, VR/AR, and building greening can promote sustainable building management. The urgency of the workshop was emphasized at the beginning by several distinguished guests, including Nilgün Parker (Head of Division at BMUV), Vu Quang Minh (Ambassador of Vietnam), and Prof. Dr. Dietwald Gruehn (Dean of the Faculty of Spatial Planning).
The 80 participants, in general agreement, acknowledged that these three topics can make a significant contribution to the planning and management of buildings and neighborhoods when applied sensibly. However, the question remains as to why the practical implementation for environmentally friendly and climate-resilient cities often lags behind.
In the subsequent expert presentations, significant case studies from Germany and Vietnam were introduced and critically discussed. These experiences sparked valuable knowledge exchange and were further explored in three moderated idea workshops. Through a joint Ishikawa categorization focusing on the environment, machine, material, method, and human aspects, some unexpected bottlenecks in the respective process flow were identified.
The results of the group work have generated an initial understanding of the cause-and-effect relationships within the three thematic areas and have indicated how they should be integrated into the future research process. Moving forward with the project, the focus will be on identifying the interfaces, refining the foundational knowledge, and applying it in conjunction with the practical knowledge specifically in Vinhomes Smart City in Hanoi.
The workshop was characterized by transdisciplinary research and was able to provide added value to industry, academia, and society by bringing together different forms of knowledge. The event was visually documented by Marie Jacobi and accompanied by vibrant exhibitions from companies such as Wilo, Frox, Leonhards, and alta4. There are plans to maintain the developed ideas and continue with regular exchanges.
The SUA team shows their gratitude and says THANK YOU!
