Model Projects Smart Cities

The Smart City Guideline: The Public Interest of Urban Society

Integrated, networked and aimed towards the common good: This is the focus of all Model Projects Smart Cities with their digitisation ideas. In order to identify local concerns and public interests in the best possible way, a strategic and participatory approach to digitisation is needed. For this reason, we do not promote individual, sectoral digitisation projects, but smart strategies that involve everyone. We rely on the problem-solving capacity of integrated approaches and activities that involve citizens and businesses alike - even those who are not digitally savvy.

Resilience, Digital Sovereignty and Sustainability

The Model Projects Smart Cities also contribute to digital sovereignty and more resilient municipalities. Thanks to the "open source requirement" anchored in the programme, the solutions developed are independent of specific providers and can also be used by other municipalities. Ultimately, the aim is to derive needs-based solutions for all municipalities in Germany and to expand the network of Model Projects Smart Cities into a self-learning system throughout Germany.

Actively Developing Topics and Solutions

The Model Projects Smart Cities also focus on developing sustainable operator models for digital solutions or infrastructures. Various solutions are being explored, such as client models in which one municipality uses the existing service and operating structures of another municipality to operate a digital urban data platform, for example.

In eight working and development communities (AEGs), the Model Projects Smart Cities are further developing topics and solutions across all projects. The eight AEGs (City Apps, Open Source, Smart Regions, Urban Data Platforms, Urban Digital Twins, Climate Adaptation and Resilience, Spatial Impact of Digitalisation and Monitoring and Impact Measurement) form lively networks that support each other and learn from each other - initially within the community of the Model Projects Smart Cities, and in the long term beyond. Ultimately, all 11,000 municipalities in Germany should benefit from the experiences of the Model Projects Smart Cities and their results.

Central knowledge transfer for model projects 

Intensive exchange and cooperation between municipalities: In this way, many people can benefit from the experience of individuals. Good approaches are made feasible, and everyone learns together from successes and failures. To this end, there is a constant exchange of experience both within the model project community and with non-funded municipalities. This exchange not only includes processes, methods and strategies, but also access to promoted open source or free software solutions. The Model Projects Smart Cities promote digitisation at the local level in terms of integrated sustainable urban development. Funded by the federal government, they develop Smart City strategies and implement them together with local stakeholders and networks.

All Municipalities in Germany Should Benefit

The Coordination and Transfer Office Model Projects Smart Cities (KTS) set up by the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB) provides substantial support for the process: it structures the transfer of knowledge between the Model Projects Smart Cities and beyond. The accompanying research coordinated by the KTS also focuses on opportunities, risks and trends in urban development and digitalisation.

The Start Smart format, nationwide regional conferences and appearances at trade fairs and other events, is intended to enable non-funded municipalities to develop and implement their own smart city strategies and measures. The Model Projects Smart Cities are also driving forward the transfer of knowledge on a broad scale on their own initiative. This creates a self-learning innovation system for local authorities that can survive long after the federal funding has ended.