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00:00Hello everyone, my name is Alex Moreau, and I'm delighted to guide you through this session about the EU Local Digital Twin Toolbox.
00:10Today, we'll explore the concept of local digital twins, understand what the EU LDT Toolbox is, and discuss its benefits for cities across Europe.
00:20By the end of this session, I hope you'll have a clear picture of how this Toolbox can help your city plan smarter and build a more sustainable future.
00:30The goal of this session is simple, to highlight the role of the EU LDT Toolbox as a suite of tools that enable cities to create interoperable local digital twins for better decision making.
00:42We'll also emphasize how this Toolbox differs from operational tools you might already be familiar with.
00:48Let's start by defining a local digital twin. As described by the livingin.eu initiative, a local digital twin is a virtual representation of a city's physical assets.
00:59It uses data, analytics, and sometimes machine learning to create simulation models that reflect real-world conditions and changes.
01:08However, it's important to note that a local digital twin, by itself, is just a representation. It's like a map without the tools to act on the insights it provides.
01:18This is where the EU LDT Toolbox comes in, and we'll discuss that shortly.
01:24A local digital twin is crucial for cities, because it lays the foundation for simulating scenarios and planning for a more sustainable future.
01:33Now, let's focus on the EU LDT Toolbox. This Toolbox is not a local digital twin itself, but rather a set of tools designed to help cities create, enhance, and use local digital twins effectively.
01:48The EU LDT Toolbox enables cities to
01:51Manage and acquire data, ensuring all relevant city data is organized and accessible
01:57Simulate and model scenarios, testing ideas like traffic plans or emission zones before implementing them
02:04Connect city systems, integrating with existing platforms to provide a comprehensive view of urban dynamics
02:11Visualize outcomes, helping city officials and citizens understand the impact of decisions through clear, actionable visuals
02:19In essence, the Toolbox is a simulation platform, not an operational tool. It's designed to help you plan smarter, not to control systems in real time.
02:29To clarify further, the EU LDT Toolbox is a resource for planning and decision making. It's built to be user-centric, interoperable, and compliant with EU standards.
02:40However, it's not an operational tool, a ready-made product, or a replacement for your city's existing systems.
02:46Think of it as a planning assistant rather than an operational manager.
02:51When designing the EU LDT Toolbox, we focused on three main principles to make sure it truly works for cities across Europe.
02:58One, user-centricity. The Toolbox is built with cities in mind. It's designed to adapt to the specific needs of urban managers, planners, and decision makers,
03:09whether your city is just starting its digital journey or already advanced.
03:13Two, standards, compliance, and interoperability. Everything in the Toolbox aligns with EU regulations, such as data protection and AI ethics.
03:24It also uses minimum interoperability mechanisms, or MEMs, to ensure it works seamlessly with your city's existing systems and promotes collaboration across borders.
03:35Three, open source technology. The Toolbox is built on open source foundations, making it transparent, flexible, and easy to adapt.
03:45While open source is prioritized, it's also compatible with proprietary solutions, giving cities the freedom to choose what works best for them.
03:54These principles are all about making the Toolbox practical, accessible, and ready to support your city's digital transformation.
04:00Its benefits are clear. You can simulate scenarios to test policies and avoid costly mistakes.
04:07It provides a common framework, ensuring compatibility and collaboration across cities.
04:14And it adapts to the unique needs of each city, regardless of its digital maturity.
04:19The Toolbox addresses several urban challenges, including
04:23mobility planning, optimizing traffic flow and public transport.
04:28Energy efficiency, reducing waste and designing low emission zones.
04:33Urban health, monitoring pollution for healthier environments.
04:38Meeting emissions targets through effective strategies.
04:42As we approach the end of the project in June 2026, let's take a look at what the first version of the EU LDT Toolbox will deliver.
04:50You can expect a fully developed Toolbox with 10 modular tools.
04:54An EU LDT Toolbox website, serving as the central hub for resources and access.
05:00A marketplace, where cities can find additional tools, algorithms, and resources to enhance their digital twin capabilities.
05:09An EU-wide database, specifically the European Building Database, for sharing and accessing city data.
05:166 AI models, tailored to help cities simulate and predict scenarios effectively.
05:22A use case focused on low emission zones, providing a practical example of the Toolbox in action.
05:286 pilots, currently being defined, that will test and validate the Toolbox in real-world settings.
05:35And finally, once the project concludes, the EU LDT Toolbox will be transferred to the European Digital Infrastructure Consortium, EDIC.
05:45The Cityverse EDIC will ensure the continued development, maintenance and long-term sustainability of the Toolbox,
05:52supporting cities across Europe as they adopt and implement local digital twins.
05:57This slide gives an overview of how the different tools fit into the EU LDT Toolbox and what each one is responsible for.
06:05Each tool plays a specific role in supporting cities to create and use local digital twins effectively.
06:11We won't go into detail just yet, but later in the presentation, we'll explore each tool in depth and see how they contribute to the overall functionality of the Toolbox.
06:21Implementing a local digital twin might sound like a big task, but it can be broken down into three simple steps.
06:281. Get the right infrastructure. Start by ensuring your city has the basic infrastructure needed to support a local digital twin.
06:36This could mean setting up data systems or upgrading existing ones to handle the data needed.
06:432. Build your team and define goals.
06:47Assemble a team of experts to install the Toolbox and identify the key challenges your city wants to address.
06:53If you are still defining your goals, this is the perfect time to create a transformation plan,
06:59to prioritize actions and figure out where simulations can make the biggest impact.
07:043. Create or customize simulators.
07:08Finally, use the marketplace to find algorithms or tools that fit your needs,
07:13or develop your own simulators using the EU LDT guidelines.
07:17This step ensures the Toolbox is tailored to your city's specific challenges and opportunities.
07:23By following these steps, your city will be well on its way to creating a local digital twin
07:28that supports smarter, more informed decision making.
07:32Let me illustrate this with a specific example. Implementing a low emission zone.
07:38Now, let's bring this to life with a real example, one that many cities across Europe are already working on.
07:45Low emission zones, or LEZs.
07:48The challenge is clear. How do we reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality?
07:53Cities need solutions that are not just effective but also practical and adaptable.
07:58But making big changes to traffic flow and regulations without knowing the impact can be risky.
08:04This is where the EU LDT Toolbox makes a difference.
08:08Solution design.
08:10First, the Toolbox allows cities to simulate and test different LEZ setups.
08:15Should we restrict certain vehicles? Change traffic patterns?
08:19The Toolbox helps visualize the effects before any changes are made.
08:23Feasibility analysis.
08:25Once different options are tested, cities can compare the results to find the most effective approach,
08:31ensuring that decisions are backed by data, not just assumptions.
08:35Continuous monitoring, but it doesn't stop there.
08:38The Toolbox also helps track pollution levels over time, allowing cities to refine and adjust their strategies as needed.
08:46Documentation and reporting.
08:48Finally, the entire process is recorded and structured, ensuring compliance with regulations and providing valuable insights for future urban planning.
08:57So, instead of trial and error, the EU LDT Toolbox empowers cities to plan smarter, reduce emissions effectively, and create a healthier environment for everyone.
09:08Now let's go step by step through how a city can use the EU LDT Toolbox to implement a low emission zone, LEZ,
09:16from gathering data to making informed, impactful decisions.
09:20The city starts by defining the goal.
09:23A city aims to pilot a low emission zone, integrating environmental and socio-demographic analyses to make data-driven urban planning decisions.
09:32The first step is collecting historical and real-time data on air quality, traffic, and other urban factors.
09:39However, cities often face gaps in critical data, like missing traffic sensor information.
09:45When essential data is unavailable, like real-time traffic flow, the Toolbox's synthetic data generator steps in.
09:53This tool creates realistic, AI-generated data to ensure that missing information doesn't limit decision-making.
10:00Once the data is processed, the city can create, train, and run AI models to predict how different changes might affect traffic and pollution.
10:10The Toolbox provides ready-to-use AI models, which can be customized to match the city's unique characteristics.
10:17These models help predict air quality, traffic flow, and even the best locations for implementing a low emission zone.
10:25Running scenario simulations
10:27With the AI model set up, the city can now simulate different scenarios to assess their impact.
10:33For example, restricting passenger vehicles in certain areas.
10:37Limiting delivery trucks during peak hours.
10:40Closing main roads to reduce emissions.
10:42The Toolbox evaluates how each of these decisions would affect both air quality and traffic flow.
10:48Once the simulations run, the results are visualized in a dynamic way within the Toolbox.
10:53This allows city officials to immediately assess the impact of each decision,
10:58helping them understand how different restrictions will affect both mobility and pollution.
11:03Implementing a low emission zone affects daily life, so it's important to involve citizens in the process.
11:10The Toolbox enables community participation, allowing residents to provide feedback and suggest improvements before final decisions are made.
11:19With all this information, the city can now create a comprehensive transformation plan,
11:24outlining the best strategies to improve air quality, reduce congestion, and enhance the overall quality of life.
11:31If the results don't match expectations, the city doesn't have to start from scratch.
11:36They can simply go back, adjust parameters, and test alternative scenarios until they find the best approach.
11:43By using the EU-LDT Toolbox, cities gain not just a clear plan, but also the flexibility to refine and adapt their strategies.
11:52If an initial solution doesn't work as expected, the process allows them to retest, optimize, and fine-tune decisions,
11:59ensuring that policies are truly effective before being implemented in the real world.
12:04This approach empowers cities to make informed, data-driven decisions that lead to real improvements in urban life,
12:11while always keeping sustainability and community needs at the centre.
12:15As we've seen today, the EU-LDT Toolbox is more than just a set of tools.
12:20It's an opportunity for cities to rethink how they plan, test, and implement solutions for a better future.
12:27With the power to simulate scenarios, anticipate challenges, and make data-driven decisions, cities can take bold steps towards sustainability, efficiency, and improved urban life.
12:39And the best part? This toolbox is designed to be accessible, adaptable, and built for collaboration.
12:46But innovation doesn't happen in isolation. It happens when cities, experts, and communities come together.
12:53That's why we're excited to keep growing this ecosystem and working alongside you to shape the cities of tomorrow.
13:01Thank you for joining us today.
13:03If you'd like to stay updated, learn more, or connect with others working on smart city solutions,
13:09scan the QR codes on the screen to follow us on LinkedIn and X, formerly Twitter.
13:15Let's keep the conversation going and work together to build a smarter, more sustainable future.
13:23Here we go.
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