In September 2020, as part of the second phase of the “Modellprojekte Smart Cities programme” of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (BMI), Berlin was selected as one of 32 model projects nationwide for funding. A total of 86 cities, districts and municipalities as well as inter-municipal cooperations from all over Germany submitted applications in response to the BMI's call for proposals. The motto of this funding phase is “Gemeinwohl und Netzwerkstadt/Stadtnetzwerk” (common good and network city / city network). The title of the Berlin proposal is “Berlin lebenswert smart” (Berlin liveable smart).
“By promoting digitisation strategies and projects, the federal government is supporting cities in a key future task. The fact that Berlin has now been awarded the contract in the new funding phase underlines Berlin's leading role in the Smart City sector. With the funds raised, we will strengthen our role in the Smart Cities network and jointly advance Smart Cities made in Germany.”
(Michael Müller, Mayor of Berlin)
“I am proud that we have been able to set up such a forward-looking project in such a short time and in such a constructive way with civil society, business, science and administration. The bar is set high. We will demonstrate that we can reach these ambitious goals.”
(Dr. Frank Nägele, State Secretary for Administration and Infrastructure Modernisation)
Press release of the Senate Office of 8 September 2020
Model project “Berlin lebenswert smart” – 5 pilot projects
As part of the model project “Berlin lebenswert smart”, the city of Berlin is adopting a new Smart City Strategy – and is working on five concrete pilot projects. These projects are funded as part of the model project and are planned to start in January 2020. Participatory formats will play an important role in both the pre-project phase as well as during the implementation phase.
- Smart City Spaces: Hardenbergplatz in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, a typical station forecourt with high usage, is being redesigned smartly and flexibly - i.e. depending on the event, day, weather and season – for all forms of mobility.
- Data Governance & Data-driven Administration: Together with the Einstein Center Digital Future and Siemens AG Data-Governance, the Smart City model project is developing exemplary concepts for pilot areas that integrate municipal and private-sector interests and processes in a way that balances the common good.
- Community Budgeting and Smart Participation: In the context of participatory processes, interests tend to be distorted by low participation. Reallabor StadtManufaktur, BBBlockchain, CityLAB and the mobile CityLAB are supposed to help reach more people with activating, digitally supported participation. Treptow-Köpenick is the pioneering district.
- Smart Water – Modelling and Governance: The impact of extreme weather events are obvious, but difficult for decision-makers and the public to comprehend. The project models the effects of spatial heterogeneity and homogeneity on the water cycle and develops a participatory digital wall panel. Berlin will select representative locations for this purpose.
- Data in everyday life and crisis – Kiezbox 2.0: Local data on climate, air quality, etc. are generally obtained during regular operation. In the event of a crisis (e.g. power failure), solar or battery-powered hotspots for example can form an emergency Wifi network that informs the local population. The effectiveness of such measures is to be tested first in the district of Tempelhof-Schöneberg.
