RUGGEDISED – Creating the Resilient City of the Future

From 8 to 10 November 2016, the RUGGEDISED kick off meeting took place in Rotterdam. The aim of the European lighthouse project RUGGEDISED, funded under the Horizon 2020 programme, is to transform selected urban districts in Rotterdam, Glasgow and the Swedish Umeaͦ to low-energy areas with a high quality of life, based on innovative technologies.

In this context, intelligent local energy systems, sustainable mobility concepts and urban data platforms are essential. Among other things, the AIT is responsible for innovation management, monitoring, evaluation of all implemented activities and scientific quality assurance. Klaus Kubeczko from the AIT Innovation Systems Department acts as the Chairman of the Advisory Board. “In order to present innovative solutions, we look carefully at the innovation processes in different urban districts and give advice to local stakeholders, if necessary”, reports Kubeczko. “So we can systematically identify obstacles and key success factors on the way to the Smart City and then use this valuable experience for the replication of such smart solutions.”

“In order to examine and record the effective impact of different measures, we use methods especially developed for this purpose”, Hans-Martin Neumann from the AIT Energy Department explains. “After all, this huge project aims at the actual implementation of theoretical concepts in the fields of Smart Grids, sustainable transport systems, urban information and communication technology infrastructure but also air and water quality.”

RUGGEDISED will become a role model for many cities in Europe and the whole world, enabling them to take action and effectively find smart solutions for a liveable future and simultaneously achieve the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement.