The Social Entrepreneurship Akademie held a hackathon to explore tech solutions to create resilient cities prepared for climate change. The results included exciting ideas ranging from chatbots to a roof avalanche warning system.
What happens when 50 students from a wide range of disciplines develop innovative concepts to adapt cities to the effects of climate change using artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D printing? The results include exciting ideas such as chatbots for greening buildings, 3D-printed road surfaces, and a warning system for roof avalanches.
Smart City solutions for resilient cities
The Social Entrepreneurship Akademie hosted a weekend-long hackathon in which technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and 3D printing were applied to solutions related to the impacts of climate change. Extreme weather conditions, water shortages, and health problems such as smog are also challenges in urban areas that we urgently need to address due to climate change. The project sought exciting ideas for greater urban sustainability and for future-proof, resilient cities, which were evaluated by a jury.
The winning team developed a project called 'Cool Streets.' The road surface, made of recycled, permeable plastic, can absorb more water than asphalt roads during heavy rainfall. A layer of moss beneath the 3D-printed road surface also provides cooling during hot summer months. Second place went to the team working on 'Plant your City.' They developed an AI-driven chatbot system to advise people on greening buildings.
