SinOptiKom: cross-sectorial process optimisation in the transformation of municipal infrastructure in rural areas

Especially in rural regions, de-population, climate change and the energy revolution will lead in the future to extensive adjustments in municipal supply and disposal infrastructures. This will require a dynamically implemented system change in municipal infrastructure, funded over the long-term. This necessary, long-term system transformation demands the development of innovative and above all optimised strategies. Therefore, future-proofed adaptation and transformation strategies for municipal infrastructures must be developed. This goal can only be reached through an interlinking of the different organisational, economic, planning and scientific disciplines across system boundaries.

igr is sponsored as a partner by the BMBF (The Federal Ministry of Education and Research) as part of an interdisciplinary project team for the “SinOptiKom - cross-sectorial process optimisation in the transformation of rural municipal infrastructures” research project. igr works together with research, practice and municipal partners on the BMBF joint project, which will run from May 2013 to April 2016.

The overarching objective of the research project is the development of an innovative software-supported optimising and decision-making system, designed to address and implement a long-term transformation in current infrastructure supply and disposal systems (for water, waste water and energy) in rural areas. Possible future intelligent system structures will be analysed and developed. Through this, optimisation strategies for the adaptation of different sectors will be developed in their specific chronological order.

The research project will make an essential contribution to the value and further development of the municipal supply and disposal infrastructure. This will allow the municipalities to offer the provision of energy, water supply and waste water disposal services in a long-term, integrated and transparent manner. igr, as a partner in the inter-disciplinary project team, will make a significant contribution.