Using data to address climate change is a key priority for modern cities. UTA hosted a panel at Smart City Expo (SCEWC25) to explore this topic. Experts from Grenoble, Jena, and Japan shared real-world case studies. Each presenter demonstrated how cities use data to tackle social and environmental challenges. Visit our news section for more updates.
Grenoble faces serious urban heat island challenges. Laurent Deslattes explained the city’s approach. Some areas reach 4–5°C higher than nearby zones in summer. This affects public health significantly. Kentyou, Latitudo40, and RealSim combined their tools to build a decision-support platform. City planners use it to test mitigation strategies. Green spaces, building adaptations, and traffic changes are all explored. The tool gives cities actionable, data-driven insights.
Soko Aoki of Kadinche Corporation presented three Japanese projects. Each used 3D modelling to help cities plan for climate events. One project modelled crowd heat stress in a theme park. Another simulated lava flows from Mount Fuji. A third modelled glacial flooding in Nepal. These tools help local governments prepare effectively. Digital twins make disaster planning faster and more precise.
Jürgen Albert shared Jena’s data governance journey. The city evolved from basic data collection to advanced compliance tracking. GDPR has added complexity for municipal data teams. DIM built a tool to analyse and highlight compliance issues. Meanwhile, Takuro Yonezawa from Nagoya University addressed urban loneliness. Research shows loneliness affects all age groups equally. The Community Compass project helps residents find local support networks. Point-of-sale terminals now display information about community groups nearby. Learn more about the SCEWC panel discussion at Smart City Expo World Congress.