The vision of a “Smart City” represents the future of urban living, characterised by intelligence, connectivity, and resource efficiency. Leveraging digital technologies, cities aim to enhance the quality of life for their residents. For instance, data-driven services can offer alternative route suggestions to improve traffic flow or predict weather extremes by analysing environmental data. However, the challenge lies in generating, meaningfully consolidating, and visualising this wealth of data. In response, krumedia, the City of Pforzheim and Stadtwerke Pforzheim have joined forces with students enrolled in the Master’s program “Engineering and Management” at Pforzheim University. Their mission is to construct a robust and sustainable database and render it transparent and comprehensible through effective visualisations. The students’ research endeavours revolve around monitoring temperature and humidity trends across various locations, employing LoRaWAN sensor technology. This data collection identifies local disparities and standardises parameters for comparison, ultimately enabling actionable insights. This pioneering project underscores the immense potential of the smart city concept, particularly in areas such as traffic management, parking optimisation, and environmental protection. Crucially, this collaborative effort represents the initial step in preparing for a larger-scale pilot project that will actively involve citizens. This ambitious initiative is set to unfold within the overarching Mission CE Climate project, aimed at fortifying climate resilience in the Pforzheim region, showcasing Central Europe’s dedication to forging climate-resilient communities.
