Smart Water City
This project is funded by the Climate and Energy Fund and is part of the "Smart Cities Demo - Living Urban Innovation" programme.
Project partners: G. Bernhardt's Söhne Ges.m.b.H., Sensor Network Services GmbH, Landschaftsarchitekten DI Karl Grimm
Project team: Robert SITZENFREI, Martin OBERASCHER, Carolina KINZEL,
Project duration: 04/2019 – 06/2022
short description:
The success of "Smart Cities" is based on the use of various information and communication technologies (ICT) in interaction with the society. As a result, cities can be made more efficient and sustainable across systems, and municipal benefits can be generated. In addition to the reliable supply of fresh water to the entire community, the urban water infrastructure also guarantees the environmentally tolerable disposal of accumulated wastewater and the safe discharge of rainwater runoff. Although real-time controlling can be found in approaches, water supply and urban drainage systems are considered separately. Additionally, a separation of control options of the whole system exists also between end consumers and infrastructure operators.
The goal of this cooperative F&E – project is not only to examine a “Smart Water City”, but also the effects of a cross-linked water infrastructure on urban population and vice versa. For this purpose, a smart urban water infrastructure is implemented into an extended urban structure including the development of innovative communication technologies for the interaction between population, designers and decision makers. On this basis, intelligent public and private services for an efficient use of resources can be realised to investigate the potentials and effects of the interactions between urban population and technical water infrastructure. Together with the life cycle costs, the municipal added value of the smart urban water infrastructure can be determined.
The project consortium is using a two-stage approach for the implementation and testing of a “Smart Water City”. In the first step, the existing show- and experimental room “Smart Campus” at the Campus Technik of the University of Innsbruck is extended to determine the impacts of integrative and cross-system applications. The “Smart Campus“ functions as idealised experimental and demonstration object to show and to experience actors of the urban water cycle the functions, potentials and applications of a Smart Water City. In the second step, an intelligent water supply system is tested and examined in a less idealized, real urban tested. By using the Eco Plus Park Wiener Neudorf, the potential of an intelligent water supply system is determined under real conditions.
The realization of a smart monitoring and controlling network will increase quality in supply reliability (detection of pipe bursts and leakages as well as contamination) and failure probability (controlling drainage operation in sewer systems). Because of the holistic approach, new intelligent approaches for the operation as well as new operation and maintenance models as multi-actor partnership can be realized. For example, "smart rain barrels" are real-time controllable storage volumes for innovative rainwater management that are installed and operated at the household level. As a result, a decentralized retention of rainwater for irrigation purposes can be used (saving drinking water) and at the same time the discharge volumes into the sewage system can be reduced or shifted to periods with sufficient capacities. Through the interaction of a large number of smart rain barrels in a settlement area, it is also possible, for example, to reduce emissions into waters, but also to reduce the risk of flooding.
additional information:
Articles in journals and conferences
- Oberascher, Martin; Kinzel, Carolina; Rauch Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2019): Demonstration site for Smart Water Cities - Smart Campus Innsbruck. In: Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Urban Water - planning and technologies for sustainable management (Novatech). Lyon: Graie. (Weblink)
- Oberascher, Martin; Zischg, Jonatan; Kastlunger, Ulrich; Schöpf, Martin; Kinzel, Carolina; Zingerle, Christoph; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2019 online): Multifunktionale Regenwasserbewirtschaftung durch smarte Regentonnen. Österreichische Wasser- und Abfallwirtschaft. (Weblink)
- Oberascher, Martin; Zischg, Jonatan; Kastlunger, Ulrich; Schöpf, Martin; Kinzel, Carolina; Zingerle, Christoph; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2019): Erweiterte Regenwasserbewirtschaftung durch smarte Regentonnen. In: Burkhardt, Michael; Graf, Christian: Tagungsband Aqua Urbanica 2019. Regenwasser weiterdenken - Bemessen trifft Gestalten. HSR Hochschule für Technik Rapperswil. (Weblink)
- Sitzenfrei, Robert; Oberascher, Martin; Fuchs-Hanusch, Daniela (2020): "Smart City und der urbane Wasserkreislauf". In: Symposium Wasserversorgung 2020, S. 42 - 43. Österreichische Vereinigung für das Gas- und Wasserfach.
- Li, Jiada; Yang, Xiafei; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2020): Rethinking the Framework of Smart Water Systems: A Review. In: Water 2020, 12, 412. (Weblink)
- Oberascher, Martin; Kinzel, Carolina; Schöpf, Martin; Kastlunger, Ulrich; Zingerle, Christoph; Puschacher, Samuel; Kleidorfer, Manfred; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2020): Towards Smart Water Cities – opportunities arising from Smart Rain Barrels for urban drainage and water supply. In: EGU General Assembly 2020. Göttingen: Copernicus GmbH. (Weblink)
- Sitzenfrei, Robert; Kleidorfer, Manfred; Bach, Peter M.; Bacchin, Taneha K (2020): Green Infrastructures for Urban Water System: Balance between Cities and Nature. In: Water 2020, 12, 1456. (Weblink)
- Li, Jiada; Hassan, Daniyal; Brewer, Simon.; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2020): Is Clustering Time-series Water Depth Useful? An Exploratory Study for Flooding Detection in Urban Drainage Systems. In: Water 2020, 12(9). (Weblink)
- Oberascher, Martin; Kinzel, Carolina; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2020): Einblicke in eine „Smart Water City“.
In: WWT - Wasserwirtschaft Wassertechnik: Das Praxismagazin fuer das Trink- und Altwassermanagement 11/12, S. 13 - 16. - Oberascher, Martin; Möderl, Michael; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2020): Water Loss Management in Small Municipalities: The Situation in Tyrol. In: Water 12/12, No. 3446. (Weblink)
- Oberascher, Martin; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2021): Digitalisation and citizen participation - opportunities for
integrated management of urban water infrastructure. In: vEGU General Assembly 2021. Göttingen: Copernicus GmbH. (Weblink) - Oberascher, Martin; Kinzel, Carolina; Kastlunger, Ulrich; Kleidorfer, Manfred; Zingerle, Christoph; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2021): Integrated urban water management with micro storages developed as an IoT-based solution – the smart rain barrel. In: Environmental Modelling & Software, 105028. (Weblink)
- Oberascher, Martin; Kinzel, Carolina; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2021): Model-Based Upscaling of the IoT-Based Smart Rain Barrel—An Integrated Analysis of the Urban Water Cycle. In: Proceedings of World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2021. Planning a Resilient Future along America's Freshwater. Reston: American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE). (Weblink)
- Oberascher, Martin; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2021): Efficient integration of IoT-based micro storages to improve urban drainage performance through advanced control strategies. In: Water Science & Technology. (Weblink)
- Oberascher, Martin; Kinzel, Carolina; Schöpf, Martin; Kastlunger, Ulrich; Zingerle, Christoph; Puschacher, Samuel; Kleidorfer, Manfred; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2021): Smart Rain Barrel - An IoT solution for green infrastructure.
In: Proceedings of the IWA Digital World Water Congress 2021. London: IWA Publishing. - Oberascher, Martin; Dastgir, Aun; Li, Jiada; Hesarkazzazi, Sina; Hajibabaei, Mohsen; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2021): Revealing the Challenges of Smart Rainwater Harvesting for Integrated and Digital Resilience of Urban Water Infrastructure. In: Water 13/14, Nr. 1902. (Weblink)
- Oberascher, Martin; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2022): Towards a smart water city: A comprehensive review of applications, data requirements, and communication technologies for integrated management. In: Sustainable Cities and Society 76. (DOI)
- Oberascher, Martin; Dastgir, Aun; Li, Jiada; Hesarkazzazi, Sina; Hajibabaei, Mohsen; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert (2022): Evaluating the digital resilience of urban water infrastructure retrofitted with smart rainwater harvesting. In: World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2022. Adaptive Planning and Design in an Age of Risk and Uncertainty. Reston: American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE). (Weblink)
Presentations
- Lecturer: Sitzenfrei, Robert. Co-authors: Oberascher, Martin; Zischg, Jonatan; Kastlunger, Ulrich; Schöpf, Martin; Kinzel, Carolina; Zingerle, Christoph; Rauch, Wolfgang: Advanced Rainwater Harvesting through Smart Rain Barrels.
World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2019: Hydraulics, Waterways, and Water Distribution Systems Analysis. Pittsburgh. Date: 20.05.2019. - Lecturer: Oberascher, Martin. Co-authors: Kinzel, Carolina; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert: Smart Campus: A testbed for smart water systems. 24st European Junior Scientist Workshop on Monitoring urban drainage systems. La Bérarde (Frankreich). Date: 23.05.2019
- Lecturer: Oberascher, Martin. Co-authors: Kinzel, Carolina; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert: Demonstration site for Smart Water Cities - Smart Campus Innsbruck. 10th International Conference on Urban Water - planning and technologies for sustainable management (Novatech 2019). Lyon (France). Date: 04.07.2019
- Lecturer: Oberascher, Martin. Co-authors: Zischg, Jonatan; Kastlunger, Ulrich; Schöpf, Martin; Kinzel, Carolina; Zingerle, Christoph; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert: Erweiterte Regenwasserbewirtschaftung durch smarte Regentonnen. Aqua Urbanica 2019. Rigi-Kaltbad (Switzerland). Date: 09.09.2019.
- Lecturer: Sitzenfrei, Robert. Co-authors: Oberascher, Martin; Fuchs-Hanusch, Daniela: Smart City und der urbane Wasserkreislauf. Symposium Wasserversorgung 2020. Vienna. Date: 30.01.2020.
- Lecturer: Oberascher, Martin. Co-authors: Kinzel, Carolina; Schöpf, Martin; Kastlunger, Ulrich; Zingerle, Christoph; Puschacher, Samuel; Kleidorfer, Manfred; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert: Towards Smart Water Cities – opportunities arising from Smart Rain Barrels for urban drainage and water supply. European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2020. Vienna. Datum: Date. (Weblink)
- Lecturer: Oberascher, Martin. Co-authors: Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert: Digitalisation and citizen participation - opportunities for integrated management of urban water infrastructure. European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2021. Göttingen (online). Date: 27.04.2021.
- Lecturer: Oberascher, Martin. Co-AutorInnen: Kinzel, Carolina; Schöpf, Martin; Kastlunger, Ulrich; Zingerle, Christoph; Puschacher, Samuel; Kleidorfer, Manfred; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert: Smart Rain Barrel - An IoT solution for green infrastructure. International Water Association (IWA). Digital World Water Congress 2021 (online). Date: 01.06.2021. (poster prasentation)
- Lecturer: Oberascher, Martin. Co-authors: Kinzel, Carolina; Rauch, Wolfgang; Sitzenfrei, Robert: Model-based upscaling of the IoT-based smart rain barrel – An integrated analysis of the urban water cycle. World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2021. Milwaukee (online). Date: 10.06.2021.
- Lecturer: Sitzenfrei, Robert. Co-authors: Oberascher, Martin; Dastgir, Aun; Li, Jiada; Hesarkazzazi, Sina; Hajibabaei, Mohsen; Rauch, Wolfgang: Evaluating the digital resilience of urban water infrastructure retrofitted with smart rainwater harvesting. 2022 World Environmental & Water Resources Congress, Atlanta, 07.06.2022.