Smart water campus - a testbed for smart water applications

The Internet of Things concept includes low cost sensors in combination with innovative wireless communication technology, supporting a large-scale implementation of measurement equipment in the field of urban water infrastructure (UWI). At present, the potentials of such smart solutions are often unclear, making it difficult for decision makers to justify investments. To address this short-coming, the Smart Campus is represented as an innovative testbed for smart and data-driven applications in the field of network-based UWI. During the last years, the campus area of the University of Innsbruck has been comprehensively equipped with a variety of low-cost sensors for monitoring and controlling the UWI in high resolution (1-15 min). The experiences showed that the quality of service is influenced by the choice of communication technology and the installation location, thereby effecting the desired applications. Additionally, water distribution and urban drainage network including nature-based solutions have been integrated into an overall monitored system extended by measures to involve the urban population. This integrative approach allows the usage of synergies for the implementation and supports cross-system improvements (e.g., smart rainwater harvesting). However, an integration of different participants also implies in new requirements for the project team (e.g., including social science).

Automated summary

The concept of the Internet of Things allows for the implementation of measurement equipment in urban water infrastructure on a large scale, but its potentials are often unclear, making it difficult to justify investments. To address this issue, the Smart Campus serves as an innovative testbed for smart and data-driven applications, providing insights into the impact of communication technology and sensor placement on service quality. Additionally, the integration of water distribution and urban drainage networks, along with nature-based solutions and measures to involve the urban population, allows for synergistic implementation and cross-system improvements.