Research Project: Smart Cities – Development of an urban development policy framework

Project briefing

• Status Completed
• Project duration September 2015 – July 2017
• Programme ExWoSt

This project investigated the effects of digitalization on future urban development, the opportunities it offers, and the risks involved. On the basis of four scientific expertise on selected topics and the involvement of an interdisciplinary work group consisting of people with a science, business and municipality background, guidelines for the future development of "Smart Cities" were derived.

Project duration: September 2015 – July 2017

Background

Digitization is rapidly changing all areas of public and private life. Smartphones and tablets are an integral part of Germany's households. Online shopping and online banking are widely being used by the broad population.

"Always On" and "Social Media" lead to new forms of communication and entertainment. Big-Data analyzes and "Internet-of-Things" offer unprecedented possibilities for the access and use of data and information. Disruptive business models are threatening and replacing traditional structures, putting high pressure on companies from all sectors and increasingly on municipal policy and administration.

Thus, digitalization also changes the look and feel of cities: the retail trade suffers from online competition; the public transport is supplemented by car and ride sharing models; Airbnb competes with hotels and apartments are not available to the housing market anymore. Digital technologies also create new avenues for civic engagement for cities such as crowdfunding projects or FabLabs.

Many German cities and municipalities have recognized the importance of digitalisation for their future viability. However, the strategic placement in urban development is scarce. Strategic guide lines were lacking as an orientation for cities for their future Smart City urban development.

Objective

The aim of the project was therefore to develop corner points for a "Smart City Charter for Germany". It was meant as a city development policy framework for the future of cities and municipalities and to initiate a qualified and implementation-oriented debate.

A discourse should was initiated beyond the day-to-day business and with close involvement of associations, selected municipal representatives as well as representatives from science and business.

The focus was on the effects of digitalization and the resulting potentials for cities in the areas of urban society, technology and urban economy.

The project was carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers WPG AG (PwC) (Felix Hasse, Michael Jahn) and Fraunhofer Institut für Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation (IAO):
(Damian Wagner)