
Summer may not be officially over yet, but we already know that it was the hottest summer on record worldwide. This means that it continues the series of record-breaking summers. Urban and densely populated areas are particularly affected by the heat. Relaxation and cooling can only be found outdoors, in the countryside and in nature. Solutions are needed to make cities and towns fit for the climate and the future.
In our platform, we looked for innovations and ideas that aim to do just that: provide cool retreats, good water management and sustainability. Using the latest technologies such as AI, VR and new materials, you want to make cities fit for the future. How can this be achieved? Three innovations from the INNO-VERSE show how.
Climate resilience with IoT and AI: improving water supplies, protecting natural resources
Making cities climate resilient is becoming a real challenge. Water management is a key issue as temperatures continue to rise, as is the supply and protection of natural resources such as parks, trees and lakes.
Canadian start-up Novion has developed a water management system based on artificial intelligence (AI). The online platform, called Sibil for short, uses sensors, satellite imagery and other technologies to collect real-time information about water use in a neighbourhood or building complex via the Internet of Things (IoT) and send it to the cloud. The AI imaging technology automatically identifies natural resources, analyses and assesses their condition, and helps to monitor them. It identifies regular and abnormal patterns of water use, visualises environmental changes and predicts outcomes. Sibil is particularly suitable for use in shopping centres, residential buildings and complexes, but also in manufacturing or processing plants, especially for food and beverages. Sibil warns communities and operators before damage occurs and issues urgent alerts when critical thresholds are exceeded, such as flooding or other unexpected environmental changes, allowing operators to respond early and effectively.
This optimises water supplies and reduces shortages, while monitoring and protecting the 'natural capital' of a location to progressively improve climate resilience.
Virtual reality technology for a new era of sustainable building design
Sustainable building design is becoming increasingly important. Using the latest technologies, the advantages and disadvantages of different building measures can now be visualised in real time. Recent research has led to innovative next-generation energy services that help end-users understand and visualise the benefits of new energy-efficient technologies or thermal renovation measures.
The BEYOND project at Graz University of Technology combines virtual reality technology, machine learning, physical simulation and the Internet of Things to create a unique virtual reality environment. This allows the user to change the physical parameters of a building and experience the effects in real time. In addition to its use as a teaching tool for students, the project is also of great benefit to architects, planners and building owners.
The project was funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) as part of the "City of the Future" programme and is based at the Graz Research Centre's Centre for Sustainable Construction and in the "Sustainable Systems" and "Information, Communication & Computing" fields of expertise.
Window film reduces temperatures
Due to climate change, temperatures are rising and more energy is needed to cool rooms. This in turn puts a strain on the environment. Intelligent solutions are needed.
Researchers at the University of Notre Dame have now developed a window film that allows visible light to pass through while blocking heat-producing light (UV and infrared rays). The film works like polarised sunglasses without restricting or darkening vision. The coating is designed to work regardless of the angle of incidence of the light - unlike conventional window coatings, which are designed for a 90-degree angle of incidence. Quantum-based active learning, a type of machine learning, helped the researchers optimise the glass coating of planar multilayer photonic structures so that it is fully effective at any time of day. The temperature can be reduced by between 5.4 and 7.2 degrees.
The applications are many: In addition to commercial and residential buildings, the window coating is also beneficial for cars - both as a sunroof and as a windscreen.
When it comes to adapting to climate change, we need to rely more on high technology. There are many other innovations and solutions in the INNO-VERSE that will improve the climate in cities and densely populated areas and make them fit for the future.
If you would like to know more, or if you would like to work on completely new ideas and approaches, please get in touch with us. We look forward to seeing you at INNO-VERSE!
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