Aalen and Heidenheim together on their way to becoming Smart Cities

“Digitalization is not only one of the central challenges in administration, it also offers numerous opportunities and tools to test new solutions for the challenges of our time in urban development, climate protection, mobility and services of general interest,” says Pia Dudel, Smart City Manager of the city of Heidenheim.

To avoid having to tackle this mammoth project alone, Aalen and Heidenheim have joined forces: “It makes sense to build up, compare and pass on new knowledge together, especially because of the comparable size and structure of the two cities,” says Lukas Weiß, Smart City Manager for the city of Aalen.

Aalen and Heidenheim share a long history as industrial cities, from which pioneering innovations, successful craft businesses, innovative SMEs and international corporations have emerged. In order to remain successful in the future and secure the region's prosperity, Pia Dudel sees the Smart City project as the next logical step that global digitalization brings with it. In autumn 2020, the funding commitment came from the “Smart Cities Model Projects” funding program and with it the financial support to start various pilot projects from the Smart City strategy.

Sensors, smart benches and control systems

A large proportion of the Smart City projects in Heidenheim and Aalen rely on sensors that determine soil moisture and report when watering is required again; traffic sensors in turn record the traffic load at junctions in real time; environmental sensors monitor particulate pollution at the same locations and the level of the River Brenz is also measured so that flood warnings can be issued before heavy rainfall events. All this data comes together in a dashboard that can be accessed both via the web and on a screen on a smart bench in Heidenheim. The bench supplies itself with electricity via a PV system.

Some projects are still in the planning stage, such as the development of a nationwide LoRaWAN network, an urban data platform and a digital twin. This will be linked to an open data portal that will make the data collected in the city available to everyone. A digital parking management system should also help to save CO2 by avoiding the search for a parking space. In future, drivers will be able to see centrally where parking spaces are still available. According to Pia Dudel and Lukas Weiß, another focus is the promotion of environmentally friendly forms of mobility. Real-time information should enable all citizens to see when and where a bus is running, for example. Lukas Weiß is certain that this information transparency will make climate-friendly, needs-based mobility more attractive.

Information on the frequency of visits to public places will also form the basis for the planning of public spaces, squares and events. This increases the quality of stay in city centers and town centers and provides valuable information for managing visitor flows, says Dudel.

Tools on the way to the smart city

The most important tool in the development of the Smart City projects is the participation of

citizens, emphasizes Heidenheim's Lord Mayor Michael Salomo: “Over several months, citizens, experts, politicians and administrators have formulated wishes and goals for the project. Rarely has there been such comprehensive, low-

threshold and future-oriented participation by the citizens of our two cities. Many clever minds have helped to fill the Smart City project with content and thus with life. We in Aalen and Heidenheim have recorded, sorted and structured the wishes and objectives from the participation and incorporated them into our digital urban development concept.”

The participation process shows that many people in Aalen and Heidenheim are open to the Smart City project. People are full of hope and anticipation for the transformation of their city into a modern and innovative “smart city”. But there are also concerns, Pia Dudel and Lukas Weiß emphasize: “Concerns about high dependency on technology, worries about data protection and data security as well as the fear that jobs will be replaced by machines. Some also fear that digitalization will promote stress and 'permanent availability'. We take all of these issues into consideration and can address them decisively through transparent communication and educational work. Regular information and dialog with citizens can build trust, counter fears with facts and increase acceptance of the 'smart city'.”

Aalen and Heidenheim are trying to reach older people through the benefits of smart city solutions: for example, applications for accessibility or sensors that promote self-determined living in old age. Applications and apps that are easy to understand are particularly important for this, says Pia Dudel. It is particularly important to replace previous solutions gradually rather than abruptly. “Processes that are particularly relevant for older people must always be able to be carried out in analog form. People still want personal contact, especially when it comes to traditional administrative services. In addition, we take these population groups on board when developing innovative solutions and incorporate their particular challenges directly into the solutions.”

Transformation process until 2027 - and beyond

Funding from the “Smart Cities Model Projects” funding program in Aalen and Heidenheim will end in December 2027. The aim until then is to fully integrate digital solutions into everyday working life, to consolidate the potential of digital urban development and to start an intensive transformation process, says Aalen's Lord Mayor Frederick Brütting-Weiß: “During this period, the cities will lay the foundations for a smart city and implement a large number of projects that can then be built on. The focus is on ensuring that the digitalization of urban development progresses continuously and is increasingly integrated into day-to-day work. To the outside world, cities are considered “smart” when the results of digitalization can be felt in the everyday lives of citizens and have been integrated into useful and meaningful everyday applications.”