What if cities could make smarter climate decisions together?

“Rising energy costs, extreme weather, and fragmented data systems-these are not isolated challenges.” 

Across Europe, cities are often facing similar pressureswhile working with data that remains scattered and difficult to use. This shared reality is what brought together the cities of Tulln and Wiener Neustadt in Austria, and Ingolstadt in Germany, under the DS4LoReMa pilot.

Data Space for Local Resource Management (DS4LoReMa), a pilot project of the European Data Spaces for Smart Communities, explores how cities can improve decisions on energy use, water management, and climate adaptation by sharing data in a secure and controlled way. 

“We realised that we were all working on similar problems, but often in isolation,” the team explains. Tulln, for example, wanted to optimise irrigation and water use, while Wiener Neustadt focused on improving energy monitoring and forecasting. Ingolstadt, on the other hand, was looking for better ways to understand heat stress and urban climate risks. Despite these different entry points, all three cities faced the same underlying challenge: valuable data existed, but it was fragmented, stored in separate systems, and not easily reusable.

This is where the concept of a data space comes in. In a data space, organisations can exchange data without losing control over it. Instead of centralising everything, each partner keeps ownership of its data while sharing it under common rules and standards. “It’s about creating trust and interoperability, so that systems can communicate and data can be reused for new services.”

The journey from idea to implementation required careful groundwork. The first step was defining concrete use cases and understanding what problems needed to be solved. From there, the cities mapped their existing data sources, clarified ownership, and brought together experts from IT, legal, and urban planning. Within around six months, the concept had developed into a full project proposal and the pilot began.

“Each city started from a different level of digital maturity,” the team reflects. While some already had established data platforms, others were working with digital twins or standalone systems. Aligning these approaches and building a shared foundation was a key part of the process. 

Before DS4LoReMa, data exchange often relied on manual processes. “In many cases, it was still spreadsheets being sent back and forth,” the team recalls. Even where platforms existed, they were rarely connected which made it difficult to combine datasets, automate insights, or develop new digital services. By introducing shared standards and interfaces, the pilot is now helping to break down these silos and make data more accessible and usable.

At the same time, the project is already delivering practical tools tailored to local needs, and are closely linked to the cities’ long-term strategies. In Tulln, work is underway on smarter irrigation systems that use weather and soil data to optimise water use. Wiener Neustadt is enhancing its energy monitoring capabilities with new sensors and forecasting tools, allowing for more efficient management of electricity, heating, and photovoltaic production. In Ingolstadt, the focus is on climate adaptation, with a public-facing dashboard integrated into the city’s digital twin, providing information on heat risks, cooler areas, weather warnings, and solar energy forecasts.

Although the pilot is still ongoing, the first results are already visible. “We see stronger collaboration within the cities themselves,” the team explains. Stakeholders now have a clearer understanding of the data they hold and how it can be used. Just as importantly, there is a growing awareness of data sharing practices, legal considerations, and the potential for more efficient processes.

Looking ahead, the team expects data spaces to play an increasingly central role in how cities operate: “In the long run, this means fewer manual processes, better planning tools, and more informed decisions”. 

If there is one overarching lesson from DS4LoReMa so far, it is that success depends on cooperation where building a data space is not just about technology. It is about aligning people, processes, and expectations.

Curious to learn more about the Pilot? Read here

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