IoT Sustainability Lab

As part of a cross-border and practice-oriented research cooperation in the Lake Constance region, the IoT Sustainability Lab is investigating the effects of the Internet of Things on sustainability in order to develop technical solutions and innovative business models for Internet-of-Things services - using the building sector as an application example.

New digital technologies are bringing about far-reaching social change, which can be summarized under the term digitalization. Corresponding technologies can lead to more sustainable social development or counteract it. Scientific research can contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between digitalization and sustainability and lead to the development of digital technologies that promote sustainability. In the Lake Constance region, numerous research and development activities are being carried out with a view to shaping digitalization in a sustainable way, e.g. in the form of the cross-border IoT Sustainability Lab, which focuses on the application area of Internet of Things systems in the building sector.

The lab aims to promote sustainable digitalization in the Lake Constance region and wants to contribute to making IoT systems more sustainable and the Lake Constance region more sustainable through IoT systems. Specifically, the lab offers innovation potential on a technological, economic and social level, for example through the development of tools for the life cycle assessment of IoT systems, the development of sustainable business models and the provision of recommendations for action for political actors. Developed tools and technologies are to be transferred into practice ready for application.

The long-term potential of the IoT Sustainability Lab is to contribute to the creation of a common understanding of IoT and sustainability within and between the countries of the Lake Constance region. This promotes the sensible use of IoT products and further learning about their production and use in terms of sustainability.

 

Digital Twin of buildings 

RhySearch has developed a digital twin for graphics-based building modeling using the Ecolar Haus as an example. The Ecolar House in Constance is an innovative and sustainable building that is considered a showcase project for ecological construction. It was developed by a team from the University of Applied Sciences Constance - Technology, Business and Design (HTWG) for the Solar Decathlon Europe 2012. The modular house was developed with the aim of achieving maximum energy efficiency and sustainability. The building is made of environmentally friendly and recyclable materials and uses state-of-the-art technologies to optimize energy requirements.

As an educational and research object, it offers students and researchers the opportunity to explore and further develop sustainable building and energy concepts in practice.

The digital twin of the building developed by Long Cheng from RhySearch can provide support here by digitally simulating the architecture and effect of IoT systems, making their effect visually comprehensible and controllable.