Challenges and prospects for the sharing of geospatial information: A Case Study in Flood Risk Management

The effective sharing of geospatial data is critical for modern governance, urban planning, and disaster resilience, particularly in the era of smart cities, AI, and IoT. However, systemic barriers like fragmented regulations, institutional silos, and incompatible data standards continue to hinder seamless data exchange. While technological advancements like digital twins and real-time sensor networks offer transformative potential, their benefits remain constrained by a lack of interoperability. This study examines these challenges through a literature review, a case study of flood risk management (FRM) in Regensburg, Germany, as well as a prototype for analysing data flow interoperability. The study reveals how disjointed governance and outdated data practices impede effective decision-making. Despite decades of available technical solutions, flood response efforts remain hampered by proprietary systems, inconsistent data formats, and short-term fixes. The root cause is not a lack of technology, but rather a failure in governance. To address this, the paper presents an integrated FRM framework comprising five interlocking pillars and open standards

Linguistics to LLMs: Teaching with and about Chatbots

LLM-based methods supersede many approaches in NLP at high velocity, making it necessary to adapt curricula. We argue that this effort also presents a chance to integrate LLM chatbots as learning support. We demonstrate (a) how we re-conceptualized an existing class segment on digital assistance systems to discuss LLM-based chatbots, (b) how we created a specialized instructional chatbot as a demonstrator that students could directly use for learning and revision and (c) how students’ initial perception of LLM-based AI changed due to instruction

Modular timber structure pavilion made of single-material joints with re-use-material membrane roof : An innovative research and teaching project

Based on an internal student competition, the Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences is building a modular wooden pavilion with a membrane roof. The building (2 perimeter and 10 standard bays, each approx. 2.2 m × 5.5 m) houses the student association pavilion ‘Block 4’ and will be a place for meetings, research, transfer and teaching. It will replace the previous experimental building, which will be selectively dismantled. The plan is to reuse as many materials as possible from the old building for the new pavilion or other university projects. The project meets the highest sustainability standards, e.g. no use of coatings or glues, no nail plates, but single-material, detachable wood joints. The modular primary timber construction is made of calamity wood and is equipped with interchangeable rigid and movable filling elements, which are to be used for research into renewable raw materials in teaching and research projects. The supporting structure was planned and manufactured by students in collaboration with a regional carpentry company. The membrane roof uses only recycled/reused materials and will also be realized with a maximum of student input. We produce as many connections and fi ttings as possible in our workshops. The membrane material should also be processed as completely as possible by students at the university. All planning processes, construction details and assembly steps have therefore been coordinated accordingly. The already constructed primary building is currently (6/2025) standing with a temporary roof, the membrane roof will be installed in summer 2025. Reusable material for this has already been identifi ed and initial suitability tests have been positive. The interior fi ttings, which are still outstanding, are also planned according to the same circular principles and do not use adhesives, but instead rely on the intelligent use of materials. The entire building is due to be completed by the end of the year

Schlussbericht zum Vorhaben Space4iCity - FH-lmpuls 2016 Intensivierungsphase: Nutzung von Erdbeobachtungsdaten zur Verbesserung der Datenbasis für Stadtklimasimulationen

Ziel des Vorhabens Space4iCity ist es, eine grundsätzliche Machbarkeit der Nutzung von Erdbeobachtungsdaten zur urbanen Simulation zu evaluieren. Dazu wurden zeitliche Daten zu Oberflächentemperatur und Vegetation für drei Fallstudien in Stuttgart aus frei verfügbaren Daten der Sentinel-Satelliten extrahiert und in den urbanen digitalen Zwilling integriert. Damit wurde die Qualität der Datenbasis für die Stadtklimasimulation durch eine genauere Erfassung des Stadtgrüns verbessert werden. Gleichzeitig wurden die extrahierten Daten zum Monitoring von urbanen Hitzeinseln (Urban Heat Islands, UHI) und Stadtgrün genutzt

AI-Based Enrichment of Building Data for Urban Planning through Demographic Predictions

Accurate demographic predictions at fine spatial resolution play a critical role in helping urban planners allocate resources efficiently for diverse populations. Traditional demographic data collection methods, such as censuses and surveys, suffer from limitations in frequency, spatial resolution, and cost, which make it difficult to capture dynamic demographic changes in urban areas. This research proposes a solution to address this gap by leveraging machine learning (ML) models to enrich building data with predicted demographic characteristics at the building level. The study uses Random Forest (RF) and EXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) as machine learning models for training the model in Stuttgart, Germany and testing in Dresden, Germany to examine the generalizability of the models across cities with different urban structures. The indicators for the training models were provided through feature engineering of various datasets, primarily using twodimensional building data derived from 3D CityGML data, 100-meter grid census data, and OpenStreetMap points of interest (POI). The results show Random Forest (RF) outperformed XGBoost, being less affected by errors despite slightly different R² values. The population model performed very good (R² ≈ 0.75), while residents' age predictions were weaker due to disaggregating demographic data from grids to buildings without building-level reference data. The POI data shows a minor effect on age pattern predictions and not the population itself. This research highlights potential of integrating ML with urban data as an alternative to traditional demographic data collection but enhancing building data quality and feature engineering could improve accuracy and better assess of POI impact

Interpreting ENVI-met Simulated Microclimate Data with Measured Observations in HFT Stuttgart

This study investigates the impact of green surface areas on urban microclimates using ENVI-met simulation software, focusing on Hochschule für Technik Stuttgart (HFT Stuttgart). The study validates ENVI-met's accuracy in predicting microclimatic conditions and recommends urban design strategies to mitigate the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. Findings show significant temperature reductions in areas converted from paved to green surfaces, with decreases of up to 1.15°C in Block 1, 0.70°C in Block 2, and 1.00°C in Block 3. Statistical analysis reveals strong correlations between measured and simulated data, with maximum R² values of 0.81 for temperature and 0.93 for humidity, confirming the model's reliability. The study emphasizes the importance of integrating green surfaces into urban planning to enhance thermal comfort and sustainability, validating ENVI-met as a robust tool for micro-climate analysis

A Second Life for PVC/PES Membrane Material: Re-Use-Membrane Roof for a Modular Timber Structure Pavillon

Based on an internal student competition, Stuttgart Technical University of Applied Sciences is realising a modular wooden pavilion with a membrane roof [cp. Fig. 1]. The building (2 perimeter and 10 standard bays, each approx. 2.2 m x 5.5 m) houses the student association ‘Block4’ and will be a place for meetings, research, transfer and teaching. The project fulfils the highest standards of sustainability, e.g. no coatings or glue, no nail plates, but instead single-material, detachable timber connections, use of calamity wood and a maximum of re-use-material1. The modular primary timber construction will be equipped with interchangeable rigid and movable filling elements, which will be used to investigate renewable raw materials in teaching and research projects. The membrane roof uses only recycled/re-use material and has been realised with a maximum input from students. We have produced as many of joints and fittings as possible in our workshops. The membrane material from a local construction site was processed, cut and cleaned by students at the university and put together with the help of a specialized company. All planning processes, design details and installation steps were harmonised with this. The primary structure was installed in early spring with a temporary roof, and the final membrane roof had been installed this summer semester and was complete in August 2025

Mitigating indoor overheating caused by commercial refrigerators: an experimental and simulation-based evaluation of a passive heat management dissipation approach

The increasing demand for space cooling poses a major challenge to energy systems and buildings, both residential and commercial applications. Cost-effective and easily deployable solutions are widely needed to tackle this challenge. Heat emitted to the indoor from equipment is critical, particularly cooling units such as refrigerators and freezers. The impact of heat rejected from refrigerators on the indoor climate of small shops and supermarkets have been widely overlooked. This study presents and investigates an innovative and low-tech solution to control the heat dissipation of indoor cooling units, leading to increased comfort and reduced cooling demand. The solution, designed to be installed as a retrofit measure, controls the exhaust air ducting. Thus, it does not provide cooling, but manages the waste heat from refrigerators. This study includes the monitoring of an actual kiosk in Stuttgart, Germany, to meter refrigerators’ power consumption, a lab-scale prototype testing to prove the methodology of the solution and additionally dynamic thermal simulations via TRNSYS18 for different climates to analyze the performance and impact of the novel solution. The prototype showed the effectiveness of the control strategy during the lab-testing. The simulation results for Stuttgart show that controlled heat dissipation can reduce overheating degree hours by up to 97%, resulting in a potential cooling demand reduction of up to 83%. Overall, the findings reveal an underutilized potential in existing appliances to contribute to energy-efficient building operation and lay the groundwork for future research into optimization, control strategies, and broader application of such hybrid concepts

Dezentrale Energieversorgung durch Solar Mini-Grids in abgelegenen Regionen in Subsahara-Afrika – Einflussfaktoren für eine langfristige Wirksamkeit

Ein verlässlicher Zugang zu Elektrizität gilt als zentrale Voraussetzung für soziale und wirtschaftliche Entwicklung. In Subsahara-Afrika ist diese Voraussetzung jedoch nur eingeschränkt erfüllt, da der Elektrizitätszugang, insbesondere in abgelegenen Regionen, weiterhin stark begrenzt ist. In diesen Gebieten ist der Ausbau zentraler Netzinfrastrukturen häufig technisch anspruchsvoll sowie wirtschaftlich und logistisch kaum realisierbar. Solar Mini-Grids gelten als vielversprechende dezentrale Lösung, weisen jedoch in der Praxis häufig Defizite hinsichtlich ihrer langfristigen Funktionsfähigkeit auf. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, die wesentlichen Projekteigenschaften und Rahmenbedingungen, welche die langfristige Wirksamkeit von Solar Mini-Grids in abgelegenen Regionen Subsahara-Afrikas bestimmen, zu identifizieren und nach ihrer Relevanz zu bewerten. Die Untersuchung verfolgt einen Mixed-Methods-Ansatz mit Schwerpunkt auf der qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse nach Mayring. Sie kombiniert demnach eine qualitative Analyse von Projektberichten und leitfadengestützten Experteninterviews mit quantitativen Elementen für eine fundierte Bewertung der Projekteigenschaften und Rahmenbedingungen. Die Analyse erfolgt dimensionsübergreifend und umfasst technische, wirtschaftliche, soziale, regulatorisch-politische und organisatorische Einflussfaktoren. Zur Bewertung ihrer Relevanz wird ein mehrstufiger Ansatz angewandt, der Wirkungszusammenhänge, Nennungshäufigkeiten sowie eine Priorisierung durch die Experten kombiniert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die langfristige Wirksamkeit von Solar Mini-Grids weniger von einzelnen Faktoren als vielmehr vom Zusammenspiel aller Dimensionen abhängt. Dabei erweist sich insbesondere die wirtschaftliche Tragfähigkeit als zentraler Erfolgsfaktor. Ein belastbares Geschäftsmodell, das Skaleneffekte nutzt und eine wirtschaftlich sinnvolle Nutzung der erzeugten Energie ermöglicht, schafft die finanzielle Grundlage für eine bedarfsgerechte Dimensionierung, den Einsatz hochwertiger Technik sowie die kontinuierliche Wartung der Anlagen. Gleichzeitig wird deutlich, dass wirtschaftliche Stabilität eng mit der aktiven Einbindung der Nutzer verknüpft ist und durch soziale, organisatorische und betriebliche Strukturen unterstützt werden muss, um die langfristige Funktionsfähigkeit der Systeme sicherzustellen. Aufbauend auf diesen Erkenntnissen werden praxisorientierte Handlungsempfehlungen für politische Entscheidungsträger, Investoren, Projektentwickler und Betreiber sowie für lokale Akteure abgeleitet, um die Nachhaltigkeit zukünftiger Solar Mini-Grid Projekte gezielt zu verbessern. Die Arbeit liefert damit praxisrelevante Erkenntnisse für die Planung, Umsetzung und nachhaltige Wirkung von Solar Mini-Grids in abgelegenen Regionen Subsahara-Afrikas und trägt zur Stärkung der ländlichen Energieversorgung bei

Turning CAT into MOUSE: Adaptive Testing Mechanisms in Student Exercise Selection

Computerised Adaptive Testing (CAT), traditionally employed in high-stakes summative testing, can also offer significant potential for enhancing formative self-assessment: In this paper, we use it to adapt exercise question difficulty based on student responses, ensuring questions are appropriately challenging and thereby supporting students’ progression from lower ability levels to greater competency. We present a software tool and extensive usage recommendations in order to facilitate the use of adaptive self-assessments and exercises for educators and students, with the overall goal of creating inclusive and effective learning experiences in diverse student populations in Higher Education. This article presents the modification of an existing Moodle plugin for formative CAT, emphasising informative feedback for iterative learning and pragmatic solutions for integrating existing question pools—thus turning CAT into MOUSE (Module Optimised for Usability in Student Exercises)