04.02.2025

Sustainable mobility: the role of apps and data analysis for green transportation

Building design

According to an IEA study, digital mobility solutions can reduce CO₂ emissions in transportation worldwide by up to 20% by 2050. @ Jakub Zerdzicki | Pexels

With increasing urbanization and rising emissions from the transport sector, sustainable mobility is becoming one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Transportation is responsible for around 25% of CO₂ emissions worldwide and contributes significantly to air pollution. Digital tools, especially mobility apps and data-driven analytics, offer innovative solutions to make transportation more efficient, environmentally friendly and user-centric. They promote the integration of different modes of transport, optimize routes and facilitate the transition to zero-emission alternatives.

Fun fact: According to a study by the International Energy Agency (IEA), digital technologies could help reduce CO₂ emissions in transportation by up to 20% by 2050.

With increasing urbanization and rising emissions from the transport sector, sustainable mobility is becoming one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Transportation is responsible for around 25% of CO₂ emissions worldwide and contributes significantly to air pollution. Digital tools, especially mobility apps and data-driven analytics, offer innovative solutions to make transportation more efficient, environmentally friendly and user-centric. They promote the integration of different modes of transport, optimize routes and facilitate the transition to zero-emission alternatives.

Fun fact: According to a study by the International Energy Agency (IEA), digital technologies could help reduce CO₂ emissions in transportation by up to 20% by 2050.

Digitalization plays a central role in the transformation towards sustainable mobility.

Mobility apps

Mobility apps combine various modes of transport, including public transport, sharing services and bicycles, on one platform. They offer users real-time information, booking options and payment integration.

Big data

Data from transport systems, IoT devices and user interactions are collected and analyzed to optimize traffic flows, avoid congestion and promote environmentally friendly alternatives.

Internet of Things (IoT)

IoT sensors in vehicles, transportation infrastructure and cities collect data such as traffic volume, air quality and energy consumption. This data is used to make sustainable transportation decisions.

Practical example: In Copenhagen, mobility apps use IoT data to recommend the safest and fastest route to cyclists, which has increased bicycle use by 10%.

Digital tools open up numerous opportunities to make mobility more sustainable.

Route optimization

Apps use real-time data and predictive analyses to recommend the fastest and most environmentally friendly routes for users. They take into account traffic volumes, weather conditions and the availability of means of transport.

Sharing systems

Apps promote the use of car sharing, bike sharing and e-scooters. These services reduce individual traffic and cut emissions by facilitating the shared use of vehicles.

Integrated transportation services (MaaS)

Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platforms combine different modes of transportation in one app. Users can seamlessly connect public transport, bicycles, cabs and car sharing.

Monitoring and controlling the flow of traffic

Data analysis helps cities to monitor traffic flows and take measures to reduce congestion and emissions.

Practical example: In Amsterdam, a mobility platform uses data from public transport and sharing services to offer users seamless connections between trains, buses and bicycles.

The use of apps and data analysis offers significant benefits for cities, users and the environment.

Increased efficiency

Apps help users to switch quickly and flexibly between modes of transportation and reduce unnecessary waiting times.

Environmentally friendly

By promoting shared mobility and zero-emission modes of transport such as bicycles and e-scooters, digital tools help to reduce CO₂ emissions.

User-friendliness

Mobility apps offer intuitive interfaces, real-time information and integrated payment options that make it easier to use sustainable modes of transport.

Cost savings

Sharing means of transport and optimizing routes reduces mobility costs for users and cities alike.

Expert opinion: According to a study by McKinsey, digital mobility solutions increase the use of sustainable transportation by up to 15%.

Despite their benefits, there are also challenges that need to be considered when introducing digital tools for green mobility.

Data protection and data security

The collection and processing of movement and user data raises questions about data protection. Apps must ensure that they are GDPR-compliant and protect their users’ data.

Infrastructure costs

Setting up IoT sensors and integrating different modes of transportation into one platform requires significant investment.

User acceptance

Not all users are ready to use new technologies or sustainable means of transportation. Cities need to raise awareness to increase acceptance.

Digital barriers

Not all citizens have access to smartphones or the internet, which can limit inclusion.

Expert opinion: According to a survey by PwC, 40% of cities consider user acceptance to be the biggest challenge when introducing digital mobility solutions.

Copenhagen: Green routes for cyclists

A mobility app in Copenhagen uses real-time data to recommend the best routes for cyclists. The app has significantly increased the use of bicycles in the city and helped to reduce emissions.

Amsterdam: MaaS platform

In Amsterdam, a Mobility-as-a-Service platform bundles various modes of transportation, including buses, trains, bicycles and car sharing. Users can seamlessly switch between modes of transport and pay for everything via an app.

Singapore: Smart mobility

Singapore uses big data and AI to monitor traffic flows in real time and make public transport more efficient. An app offers users personalized recommendations for environmentally friendly routes.

The integration of new technologies will drive sustainable mobility even further in the future.

Artificial intelligence (AI): AI algorithms can predict traffic flows and recommend sustainable alternatives in real time.
Predictive analysis: data analysis could anticipate future traffic problems and enable preventative measures.
Integration with autonomous vehicles: Apps could integrate autonomous vehicles into their platforms to promote zero-emission mobility solutions.
Gamification: Game elements in apps could create incentives to use sustainable means of transportation, e.g. through reward systems for emission-free journeys.

Future outlook: In a pilot project in Helsinki, an AI-supported app is being developed that suggests the lowest-emission route to users and displays CO₂ savings in real time.

Digital tools such as mobility apps and data-based analyses are indispensable for the transformation towards sustainable mobility. They promote environmentally friendly modes of transport, optimize routes and increase the efficiency of urban mobility systems. Despite challenges such as data protection and infrastructure costs, these technologies offer enormous potential to make cities more sustainable and liveable.

Concluding thought: The future of mobility is digital, sustainable and user-oriented. With the right technology, cities can drive forward the transport revolution and make a decisive contribution to climate protection.

20.12.2024

Cultural heritage

Piero della Francesca in London: “The Nativity” is once again open to the public

Building design

Now open to the public again: The newly restored painting of the "Nativity" by Piero Della Francesca in the National Gallery London. Photo: © The National Gallery — Now open to the public again: the newly restored painting of the "Nativity" by Piero Della Francesca in the National Gallery London. Photo: © The National Gallery

After three years of restoration, “The Nativity” by Piero Della Francesca is now open to the public again at the National Gallery London

The National Gallery in London recently completed the three-year restoration of Piero della Francesca’s “The Nativity”. At the beginning of December, the National Gallery presented the freshly restored and newly hung and framed painting as its Christmas present to the British.

Christmas present to the British: The newly restored “The Nativity” by Piero della Francesca

The 124.4 x 122.6 centimeter painting, created between 1460 and 1475, is considered to be one of the last that Piero della Francesca painted before he went blind. It was once owned by the family (the Marini Franceschi family from Borgo San Sepolcro, a descendant of Piero della Francesca’s brother Marco). In 1861, it was bought by the Briton Alexander Barker. It was acquired by the National Gallery in 1874. However, the painting was in such poor condition that even the British Parliament inquired whether the work was original or complete. The painting was badly damaged – the faces of the shepherds were as if erased and the colors appeared dull – and the panel support was cracked. The first restoration work was carried out in 1884, followed by further work in the 1950s to repair the loss of colour and stabilize the fragile poplar panel.

The painting has now undergone another 36 months of extensive restoration with the support of the Rothschild Foundation and the London Old Master dealer Fabrizio Moretti. To coincide with the rehanging and reframing of the painting at the beginning of December 2022, the National Gallery published a video about the work, which was led by Jill Dunkerton. The lead conservator kept the interventions to a minimum, but retouched the depiction of the shepherds in part using Piero della Francesco’s precise underdrawings to enhance the overall impression.

You can find out more about the restoration work in the video here:

“Spending the last three years with this beloved painting has been a real privilege, but also a huge responsibility,” explained Jill Dunkerton, the lead conservator, on the occasion of the new presentation. “Every decision, every tiny brushstroke of retouching, affects our perception of the painting’s appearance and meaning, potentially for many generations to come. I hope that visitors can now experience the quiet magic of the painting without the distraction of past damage.”

New framing, new hanging in its own room

The restoration was eagerly discussed in the British press and on Twitter: Art Newspaper / ARTnews). The art critic Jonathan Jones, known for his polemical tone, complained in his column in the Guardian, among other things, that the painting had now been prettied up as if for sale at the London art fair “Frieze. But it’s best to see for yourself: since December 1, “The Nativity” by Piero Della Francesca has been hanging in its own room at the National Gallery, inviting visitors to contemplate it in silence.

We wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a relaxing holiday season!

29.11.2024

Industry news, Profession

Sharing and discussing digitization experiences

Building design

The annual conference of the German Museums Association is the largest museum conference in Germany. From May 2 to 5, 2021, it will take place online on the topic of “Digital Collection Work: The Changing Museum” It has become a nice habit that the individual working groups also meet during the annual conference of the Museumsbund. Even in this year of the digitally networked […]

The annual conference of the German Museums Association is the largest museum conference in Germany. From May 2 to 5, 2021, it will take place online on the topic of “Digital Collection Work: The Museum in Transition”

It has become a nice habit that the individual working groups also meet during the Museum Association’s annual conference. Even in this year of digitally networked working at home, this has not changed. Only the word “digital” appears more frequently than ever before and the opportunities offered by digitization are being used and discussed particularly intensively. It is therefore hardly surprising that the spring conference of the German Museums Association is being held under the extremely timely heading: “Digital Collection Work: The Museum in Transition” and will be held entirely digitally.

From 2 May 2021, digital experts and museum employees from all over Germany will present their thoughts on museum work in the age of digitalization. Legal issues will be addressed as well as questions of networked research and opportunities to earn money with digital museum offerings. A questioning look at the topic of “Digitality as the ultima ratio in culture?” will conclude the three-day exchange of ideas, which will be followed by the working group meetings on the fourth day of the conference.

The speakers describe the topic of the conservation/restoration working group as follows: “We would like to discuss the benefits and limitations of the digital in conservation and look at the tools currently relevant to our fields of activity.”

In a compact, digital two-hour meeting, four areas in which digital work is possible will be presented. One lecture will deal with the mediation of restoration work using the example of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s “Bathers in Space” in an exhibition at the Saarland Museum. The following lectures will present “Digital tools for conservators in the museum”, “Digital courier support” and a “Handreichung Leihverkehr”. The organizing team does not claim to cover all areas that can work with digital possibilities in these two hours. The aim is to deal with topics “that the pandemic has brought to the fore”, according to the invitation.

Nobody has to miss out on meetings with speakers, networking, discussions and break-time talks during this conference from home. The Museumsbund promises digital services for all these conference-specific options.

Registration for the annual conference of the German Museums Association is possible at https://www.museumsbund.de/aktuelles/jahrestagung/. To take part “only” in the working group conference, you also need to register with the Museumsbund. An invitation to the free TEAMs meeting of the working group will then be sent out.