The green transition requires a digitized Öresund region. The possibilities for digitization are vast, with a consistently growing need for innovative digital solutions. However, the absence of established standards for such solutions hampers efficient scaling and smart digitization. The InnoTech – TaskForce project aims to bridge the gap between municipal needs and the technical expertise and solutions that are, or will be, on the market in the foreseeable future. The goal is to facilitate the scaling and adaptation of various digital solutions to reach a wider audience.
Municipalities and regions currently struggle to utilize technologies that can support their work on green transition due to a lack of resources and expertise. To address this issue, a collaborative platform is needed where various stakeholders can work together in broad constellations. As a result, a cross-regional platform concept is being developed across the national borders of Sweden and Denmark – a so-called taskforce – which will provide support and resolve specific technical issues in accordance with national and European frameworks and goals. InnoTech – TaskForce establishes and operationalizes the taskforce, enabling it to add value to multiple municipalities and regions, as well as research, academia, and businesses – regardless whether they are in Denmark or Sweden.
A PLATFORM FOR CROSS-BORDER COLLABORATION
By collaborating across the national borders between Denmark and Sweden, companies can offer their products and services to a broader customer base while simultaneously increasing their competitiveness. Furthermore, the collaboration fosters research synergies and sustainable development in the region. Developing joint solutions also reduces the number of different solutions in the region, saving the municipalities redundant work. This also results in companies being able to adapt their products to multiple markets at the same time, making it easier for municipalities to replicate good examples. In this way, municipalities and regions in both Denmark and Sweden gain access to better processes and a greater variety of sustainable solutions, which in turn promotes sustainable development throughout the region.
REAL CHALLENGES, CONCRETE SOLUTIONS
The taskforce will work with appropriate tools and methods to create robust and scalable solutions within five different thematic areas identified through dialogue with municipalities, regions, research/academia, and businesses. Particular emphasis is placed on methods and processes suited for technology-intensive data projects, which can enrich individual solutions and encourage data sharing. Each thematic area consists of concrete cases addressing various issues that partners develop and test together. All cases have a sustainability focus.
The cases are based on the real challenges and needs of municipalities and regions, and are essential for testing the methods and processes developed by the taskforce. This means that the taskforce receives feedback on its methodology and can improve it based on the results from the cases. At the same time, municipalities and regions also benefit from the technical and green solutions developed in these cases.
FIVE THEMATIC AREAS
Smart Buildings
Cases within this area aim to increase sustainability in public buildings through various optimization methods. For example, this can involve collecting extensive data on the building’s usage, enabling the development of a digital twin. With a digital twin, the building and its energy consumption can be optimized through different simulations.
Climate/Water
Due to climate change, factors such as rainfall amounts are increasing, requiring efficient management to prevent flooding and damage and to enable rainwater reuse in areas such as irrigation. This theme focuses on using sensors, qualitative data, and hydraulic models to explore suitable solutions to address these challenges.
Urban Development in 3D
Municipalities will develop a 3D city model that can be used as a visual baseline for decision-making in urban development projects. The model should highlight the consequences of planned projects and can be used as an assessment tool both internally within the municipality and in dialogue with citizens.
The City’s Condition
Measuring city status involves process optimization, for example, through intelligent road maintenance using technology and digital solutions. Through digitization, the climate and environmental footprint – resulting from city maintenance – can be reduced, and data from cases can be used to develop tools for a better-functioning city.
Urban and Rural Mobility
For well-functioning and efficient mobility in urban and rural areas, it is essential to evaluate and plan with relevant data. The theme aims to strengthen settlement, urban life, and mobility – both in the city and rural areas – through data-driven urban and rural planning.
