Beacons zijn the new boom

Learn more about the 15 types of data needed for the digitalization of the mobility sector, and the challenges involved

In 2018, the national government made an agreement to contribute to the digitalization of the mobility sector, thereby supporting the sustainability and the mobility transitions. The target is to have 90% of the public data structurally in order by 2023 and to be able to offer it as open data. In this process, a “Data Top 15” were identified – that is 15 types of data that are needed to further digitize Dutch infrastructure, including parking data, logistics data, and bicycle data.

But collecting and managing these 15 data items is a time-consuming and onerous process which exposes many “data dilemmas”. During this session, we will dive into some of these dilemmas and lessons learned from the development of Data Top 15 in the Amsterdam Region. What barriers have already been overcome, and what is the roadmap for the upcoming years?

Agenda
15:15 – 15:30 Walk-in
15:30 – 15:40 Welcome and introduction by Amsterdam Smart City
15:40 – 16:00 Data Top 15 approach and lessons learned by Tijmen van Heukelingen (municipality of Amsterdam/Regionaal Data Team)
16:00 – 16:10 Reflection by Indranil Bhattacharya (Co-founder and Digital Society Director at Townmaking Institute)
16:10 – 16:30 Feedback and discussion
16:30 – 17:00 Wrap-up and networking drinks

About the Data Dilemma series
Data Dilemmas is a collaboration between Amsterdam Smart City and the City of Amsterdam’s Data Lab. Three times a year we explore the possibilities for using data and new technologies to address urban and societal challenges, with a focus on responsible digitalization. The goal is to use data to make cities more safe, clean and accessible. But what happens to all the data that is collected? Which dilemmas do we encounter when we collect (personal) data to improve the city? These questions are important for everyone: governments, knowledge institutions, companies, and civil society. Amsterdam Smart City would like to explore with you which decisions are needed for responsible use of data.

Location
This Data Dilemma's event will take place at Pakhuis de Zwijger, Amsterdam.

Op dinsdag 16 mei organiseert Amsterdam Smart City een Demodag rondom onze vier transitiethema’s: energie, circulair, mobiliteit en digitaal. Er staan weer veel mooie initiatieven en vraagstukken op het programma die we met ons netwerk gaan verdiepen en verrijken. De Demodag vindt plaats bij A Lab. De thuisbasis voor een community van maatschappelijk betrokken organisaties, waaronder onze partner Cenex.

Demodagen zijn onderdeel van ons innovatieproces en bedoeld om de voortgang van verschillende innovatieprojecten te stimuleren, hulpvragen op tafel te leggen, dilemma's te delen en anderen te betrekken bij projecten of uitdagingen. Dit gebeurt in de vorm van zogenaamde ‘pitches’, met een korte hulpvraag aan de hele groep, en in werksessies waarin we een aantal vragen met een kleine groep wat grondiger behandelen. Meer informatie over wat de demodagen precies zijn en waarom je mee wilt doen, vind je hier.

Klinkt het programma interessant? Je bent welkom om aan te sluiten. Laat het ons weten in de comments of mail naar info@amsterdamsmartcity.com. De Demodag is van 14:00-16:30 met een borrel na afloop.

PITCHES

Samen werken aan een groener en gezonder Nederland – Pientere Tuinen
Pientere Tuinen heeft tot doel een groenere, gezondere leefomgeving te creëren door het bewustzijn en de motivatie bij tuinbezitters te vergroten. Pientere Tuinen is een 3-jarig project waarin 7 partijen samenwerken. De unieke aanpak van Pientere Tuinen draait om drie samenhangende onderdelen: 1) Er wordt data verzameld met een slimme sensor, 2) er wordt kwantitatief en kwalitatief onderzoek gedaan naar strategieën voor een gezonde, groene leefomgeving en blijvende gedragsverandering, en 3) er wordt advies op maat gegeven aan bewoners over de inrichting en het beheer van hun tuin en te komen (obv de data en onderzoeken). Pientere Tuinen combineert technologie/data, participatie en sociale innovatie.

PublicSpaces Conferentie – PublicSpaces
Hoe bouwen we aan een internet dat werkt voor iedereen? Een online ruimte die onze gezondheid, vrijheid en bestaansmiddelen dient en niet in de houdgreep is van Big Tech? Op 27 en 28 juni organiseren PublicSpaces en Waag Futurelab de PublicSpaces conferentie met als thema: een collectief internet. In deze pitch vertellen ze meer over het inspirerende programma vol panels, keynotes, kunst, geestverruimende cultuur en meer!

Innovatie Paviljoen Marineterrein – Gemeente Amsterdam
In het toekomstige Innovatie Paviljoen op het Marineterrein gaan verschillende pilots voor duurzame innovaties plaatsvinden. Zo worden pionierende MKB’ers ondersteund en onderzoekt de gemeente welke verandering in werkwijzen en culturen er nodig is om deze innovaties op grotere schaal door te kunnen voeren. Marlies Veld neemt jullie in haar pitch mee in de plannen voor het paviljoen.

Worden alle tankstations straks laadstations? – Over Morgen
Over Morgen ontwikkelt momenteel een ‘Tankstation Transitie Plan’. In een korte maar prikkelende pitch vertellen ze meer over dit project en de vraag; worden alle tankstations straks laadstations? Want zijn traditionele stations nog wel relevant als we in de toekomst op elke hoek van de straat kunnen laden? Hoe kan de locatie de transitie naar duurzaam transport versnellen? En hoe ziet het laadstation van de toekomst er precies uit?

WERKSESSIES

Digitaal | ChatGPT en de overheid: mogelijkheden en impact op ons werk – Jeroen Silvis en Martijn Veerman, Provincie Noord-Holland
Zorgt de techniek van ChatGPT voor een revolutie in de manier waarop we werken en samenleven? Hoe zouden overheden, zoals de provincie Noord-Holland, hiermee om moeten gaan? Wat is de impact als de techniek achter ChatGPT zich doorontwikkeld en steeds prominenter wordt gebruikt, buiten en binnen de eigen organisatie? Is het een efficiënte manier om met burgers te communiceren, beleidstukken te schrijven, of statenvragen te beantwoorden? Of zouden we onze vingers er helemaal niet aan moeten branden? Tijdens deze Demodag zullen we dieper ingaan op de mogelijkheden en potentiële impact van ChatGPT op het werk van overheden. We bespreken niet alleen de technologie zelf, maar met name ook de ethische aspecten die hierbij komen kijken. Hoe kunnen ambtenaren meegenomen in het verantwoord gebruik van deze technologie?

Energie | (English session) Local smart energy systems and P2P trading governed by citizen’s energy communities; moving from research and innovation projects to replication and upscaling – Danijela Šijačić en Mark van Wees, HvA
To mitigate climate changes and reduce CO2 emissions and in accordance with different European initiatives like renewable energy directive (RED), Clean Energy Package, and climate-neutral and smart cities mission, transition of energy system to a more sustainable and decentralized one is needed. In Amsterdam, the Buiksloterham demonstration project from ATELIER is paving the way for this transition. It is an innovation R&D project where local smart energy system and P2P trading governed by citizen’s energy coop is implemented. The ambition from ATELIER/HvA is to research how to upscale and replicate that Positive Energy District (PED). HvA invites the Amsterdam Smart City network to help prepare this upscaling (in Amsterdam) by discussing the technical, economic and social perspectives

Mobiliteit | (English session) Urban Air Mobility: order in the airspace & opportunities for an inclusive mobility system – Kerry Rohrmeier (San Jose University) in collaboration with Amsterdam Smart City partners
For this worksession, our international guest Kerry Rohrmeier will discuss the future of Urban Air Mobility with the Amsterdam Smart City network. Together with some of our partners Kerry will discuss this futuristic concept and its considerations. The group will dive into matters like maintaining order in the airspace among times of areal innovations, and how urban air mobility could contribute to a more inclusive mobility system.

Circulair | Plastic: We’re loving it! Van plasticverslaving naar trendbreuk – Marten Boels, MRA
De wereldwijde hoeveelheid plastic is sinds 2000 verdubbeld. We are loving it! Het is tegelijk ook echt een probleem van onze generatie. Daarvoor kunnen we niemand de schuld geven, maar onszelf. En steeds meer bewijs wijst op de gevaren van microplastics: in het milieu, in dieren en ook in onszelf. Het is kortom hoog tijd voor een trendbreuk in het plasticgebruik. Doel van de sessie is om kennis uit te wisselen en over oplossingsrichtingen te sparren. De partners in de Metropoolregio Amsterdam (MRA) komen graag te spreken over oplossingsrichtingen.

In Today’s Changemakers, we talk with pioneers in our network who are all, in their own way, shaping the city and region of the future. Our first interviewee is Romy Dekker, senior researcher at the Rathenau Instituut. She studied Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology at Leiden University, where she quickly learned that our societal drive for growth comes at the expense of our planet, and that development does not always mean improvement for all. This insight motivated Romy to combine her interest in science with sustainability. Currently, she works as a senior researcher on topics at the intersection of sustainability, digitalisation and democracy. Her latest work caught our attention. She just started a study on how new technologies, such as Digital Twins, can contribute to tackle societal challenges in the built environment. The following paragraphs describe our insightful conversation about the complexities when using digital technology, her first learnings, and personal ambitions.

In Romy's work, she looks at the role of data and digitalisation in the energy transition in two ways. The first is data as an enabler for a just energy transition.
“The convergence of sustainability transitions and the digitisation of society represents two of the most defining trends of our era. The intersection of these trends has a significant impact on society. The Rathenau Instituut wants to provide tools for a broad discussion about what is needed to use digital technology and data for just sustainability transitions.”

“In our report Stroom van Data, we investigated how data can be used for a just energy transition. It's becoming increasingly clear that data are indispensable for the energy transition. Data can help with keeping the energy system affordable, reliable and clean, for example by better aligning the demand for and supply of energy and by providing citizens insights into their energy behaviour. However, there are also genuine concerns about citizens' control over their data, the cybersecurity of the energy supply, the environmental impact of digital technologies and the distribution of benefits and burdens of a digitalized energy-market. Addressing these issues is necessary to achieve a socially responsible energy transition.”

The second approach concerns how digital technologies, specifically Digital Twins* (definition can be found at the end of this page), can contribute to decision-making regarding spatial planning for sustainability challenges, such as the energy transition. Are Digital Twins merely a hype or a hope?
“Urgent societal challenges are often interdependent, meaning that an intervention in one area can have an impact on another; a decision to build a house somewhere, for example, has an impact on achieving other urgent energy, water, and climate goals. To tackle this complexity and improve the information available to stakeholders, public and private parties turn to data and digital technologies, and more specifically to Digital Twins.”

“However, as digital technologies and data are neither neutral nor apolitical, it is important to remain critical on how Digital Twins can contribute to tackling societal problems. The use of Digital Twins in decision-making and governance may influence our definition and understanding of problems. Consequently, it may determine what is governed, who has the ability to exercise power and be involved, and how we act. Ultimately, this can determine if social challenges are genuinely and fairly addressed. When simulating an urban region, there are also many ecological, social and political-economic aspects. How do you take these factors, which cannot easily be measured, into account?”

“Because the Digital Twin is gaining popularity as a tool for decision-making, the Rathenau Instituut will investigate how such technologies can contribute to tackling societal challenges in the built environment. Can Digital Twins help to make more integral decisions and engage citizens and other relevant stakeholders in decision-making? And if so, how? What are risks associated with using these technologies and how can they be mitigated?”

Romy’s considerations for the Amsterdam Smart City community
“A bit of an open door, but nonetheless very important; technology is a means and not an end in itself. It is important that its use takes place in a responsible manner, with an eye on public values such as equality, fairness, and democratic governance and that it is carefully considered how its use contributes to the urgent societal challenges we face. Finally, public involvement in sustainability transitions is important, but only if it takes place in a meaningful way. Otherwise, it can do more harm than good. This requires a clear answer to questions such as: is it clear what the purpose and process of public participation are and what will be done with the input?”

Using science to tackle societal challenges
“I used to doubt whether I wanted to work as a scientist or not. Because although scientists do very important work, they can sometimes be a bit disconnected from concrete societal issues, causing their work to lose relevance. I like how at the Rathenau Instituut, we really stand between science, politics and society. We want to make scientific insights accessible to a wider audience, and also actively involve citizens through participatory methods. It motivates me that in my work, I’m increasingly looking at how science, technology and innovation can contribute to tackling major societal challenges in a just way.”

“My dream for the urban region of the future? A liveable city for both humans and non-humans that operates within planetary boundaries and ensures an equitable distribution of both burdens and benefits.”

Romy and her colleagues recently started their research on using digital technologies, including Digital Twins, to address societal challenges that come together in a specific (urban or regional) area. Are you currently working on a Digital Twin project, or as a policymaker interested in the use of Digital Twins but facing certain challenges? And would you like to contribute to Romy’s research? Shoot our community manager Sophie (sophie@amsterdamsmartcity.com) a message and she will connect you with Romy!

*A digital twin (DT) can be seen as a virtual representation of a physical product, process or (eco)system. They can be used to simulate how a physical object or system will perform under different conditions and scenarios, allowing for a better understanding and optimization of processes.