Smart Cities

Smart cities help the environment and improve quality of life. New digital applications form a central part of a smart city and help make the city cleaner, safer and more sustainable. Tauw has designed a number of innovations in this field. With serious games, riothermia, TRIMS and the energy transition, Tauw helps make both cities and villages smarter and more sustainable.

Climate stress tests combined with serious gaming

Tauw brings the effect of climate adaptation closer to home in a fun way. Using the new Tygron software, it is possible to combine climate stress tests with serious gaming. During the game, players learn how the climate changes. They have to achieve climate goals and take into account a range of stakeholders. The virtual city in which the player is located changes in the image of the future city, which makes the impact of climate change immediately visible.

Augmented reality in energy transition

How do you become CO2 neutral? A Dutch municipality asked the very same question. To create sufficient support among residents, Tauw developed an augmented reality app. Residents can use the app to see which choices they can make for alternatives to natural gas. Over the course of an information evening, they enter into discussions with one another and with the municipality regarding their preferences for an alternative. The local residents were very pleased with both the evening and the app.

Gassless heating with Riothermia

Riothermia is used to sustainably heat and cool swimming pools, houses and offices. The technology recovers thermal energy from waste water thanks to a heat exchanger around the sewer. This has already been applied for a city in the Netherlands. The CêlaVíta potato factory discharges a high volume of heat into the sewer system. Tauw uses this to heat up the local swimming pool without the use of gas. This is an annual saving of 230,000 m3 of gas, resulting in 410 tonnes reduced CO2emissions. This is equal to the CO2 emissions of as many as 58 households.

TRIMS – Managementsystem RBO

As an administrator, you have clear goals in sight: safety, sustainable management and maintenance, and above all, no unnecessary costs. This is why Tauw has launched TRIMS. The information management system supports administrators in setting up risk-driven management and maintenance plans. The system organises and structures all relevant project data and makes links between this data in a comprehensive way, TRIMS has since been used in projects for a range of water boards and Rijkswaterstaat, for example in navigation channels, floodplains and banks.

 

Measuring Tools

Measuring tools help to create more circular construction, making water management future-proof, mapping nature values and managing objects safely. Tauw has developed a range of tools and also uses existing tools for new applications, such as machine learning to save energy.

XRF Scanner – Sensors and drones

XRF provides a quick indication of the quality of raw materials and building materials. The device can be used for research into heavy metals in land and waterbed research. A pilot study carried out by environmental service DCMR showed that the measurement results of these metals with the XRF were equivalent to laboratory results. This means that the XRF provides a clear indication of the quality of raw materials and building materials. DCMR is delighted with the speed at which insights can be obtained into the quality.

TRIMS - Managementsystem asbestos

The updated TRIMS is an information management system that detects the presence of asbestos in objects. The owner of the building with asbestos can use this measurement tool to quickly ascertain which measures they must take and when in order to safely use the property.

TRIMS Asbestos has already been applied in practice; for example, Rijkswaterstaat has used it to manage structures such as locks, bridges and tunnels.|

RECONECT – Knowledge exchange river monitoring

RECONECT stands for ‘Regenerating ECOsystems with Nature based solutions for hydro-meteorolical risk reduction’. As part of this European project, 37 international partners work together to exchange the ‘best management practices’ for monitoring rivers. Tauw is responsible for exchanging knowledge on nature-based solutions that have been demonstrated in EU countries and by case studies from Thailand, Taiwan, Australia and Brazil. The objectives include limiting the risk of flooding and improving the water quality.

 

Datavisualisation

It can sometimes be difficult to see data in front of you. For this reason, Tauw uses a range of methods to interactively display data. This means that stakeholders can see what will change and how. We use augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to bring models to life.

Design and advice with AR & VR

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) open up whole new worlds for you. Both VR and AR also provide plenty of advantages when it comes to the world of engineering, as they provide an insight into the soil. This 3D model allows underground cables, pipes, various soil layers and soil pollution to be displayed, providing an integral picture of the soil: stakeholders become participants in the process, meaning everyone can make a contribution
 

3D Conceptual Site Modelling

A Conceptual Site Model is a schematic representation of the underground situation. Interpreting boring results and the environmental context (such as groundwater flow), for example, is a complex process. The 3D Conceptual Site Model can be used by soil advisors to view basic information from all sides. The model provides an improved insight into the knowledge gaps present, on the basis of which Tauw carries out additional research. The result is a full, clear image of what's going on in the soil.
 

Soil Contamination

Soil can sometimes be contaminated. For example, all kinds of hazardous substances can disappear into the soil around a petrol station. Tauw uses virtual reality (VR) to provide a clear idea of exactly where these substances are, the layers that make up the soil, and the extent of the contamination. This means that each party involved can see the level of contamination in the area concerned, making it easier to have conversations on the contamination concerned and the required technology.

Other sustainable innovations

 

Shoreliner – the most sustainable port project

Litter and plastic in our seas and oceans endanger ourselves, animals and the environment, and for this reason, Tauw worked with partners to develop the Shoreliner.  The Shoreliner collects floating waste in port before it reaches the sea. The catching system naturally floats macroplastics and floating waste together. The Shoreliner is still being developed to reduce the amount of floating debris, to recycle the collected floating debris as much as possible, and to offer people and animals a healthier living environment.

 

More information about our innovations?

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