Smart City & Utilities
Empowering Sustainable Urban Systems in an Age of Digital Transformation
In an increasingly urbanized and interconnected world, cities face mounting challenges—from resource scarcity and environmental pressures to growing demands for efficient infrastructure and citizen-centric services. While advances in information and communication technologies (ICT) enable new forms of urban innovation, they also introduce significant complexity in governance, coordination, and system integration.
At our chair, we investigate Smart Cities as large-scale socio-technical systems at the intersection of technology, organization, and society. Our research focuses on how digital infrastructures, data ecosystems, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain can be designed and governed to enable sustainable, resilient, and efficient urban environments. We place particular emphasis on organizational structures, governance models, and architectural principles that support collaboration across diverse stakeholders and ensure that technological innovation translates into real societal value.
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Research Projects
Smart City Foundations
Coordinating Complexity in Smart City Governance
Smart City initiatives bring together diverse stakeholders—from public authorities to private organizations—each with different goals, capabilities, and constraints. This heterogeneity, combined with fragmented decision-making structures, often leads to inefficiencies, stalled projects, and unclear accountability.
Designing Governance for Urban Transformation
Our research investigates how governance structures, decision-making processes, and organizational designs can be configured to manage this complexity. We aim to develop frameworks that enable effective coordination, align stakeholder interests, and support the long-term success of Smart City transformations.
Data Ecosystems
Unlocking Value in Data Ecosystems
Data ecosystems promise new forms of collaboration and innovation, yet organizations face significant barriers to participation. Concerns around data sharing, lack of trust, and insufficient data quality often prevent ecosystems from reaching their full potential.
Building Trustworthy and Viable Data Networks
We explore the factors that drive successful participation in data ecosystems, with a focus on governance mechanisms, data quality, and technological enablers. Our goal is to design systems that foster trust, lower entry barriers, and enable sustainable value creation through data-driven collaboration.
Artificial Intelligence & Blockchain
From Technological Potential to Practical Impact
Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain offer transformative opportunities for urban systems. However, their adoption is often hindered by unclear use cases, integration challenges, and a gap between technological capabilities and organizational needs.
Integrating Emerging Technologies into Urban Systems
Our research examines how AI and blockchain can be effectively combined and applied within Smart City contexts. We focus on identifying meaningful use cases, understanding their interplay, and developing approaches that translate technological innovation into scalable, real-world solutions.