Street-level sensor network (of networks)

Presentation material for the contribution 'Street-level sensor network (of networks)' at the 12th International Conference on Urban Climate.

Abstract

The integration of street-level sensor networks is crucial for improving urban resilience and sustainability, especially in response to the challenges of climate change and urbanisation. This paper presents the results of the urbisphere/ASSURE projects, which includes co-developing a stakeholder-centred approach to environmental monitoring. The projects have established networks of temperature and relative humidity (T/RH) sensors, with initial deployments in the Freiburg and Bristol areas. These sensor networks aim to capture real-time environmental data and provide actionable insights for meteorological agencies, urban planners, policy makers, local communities and researchers.

Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of this network in providing real-time environmental data through a Creative Commons publication model, ensuring the data are freely available and reusable. The ERC and UKRI required open data approach empowers stakeholders to have informed discussions based on transparent, up-to-date information. We also discuss the technical components that underpin the network, including real-time data delivery protocols and APIs that enable seamless integration with existing systems. These technologies support the continuous flow of data to stakeholders and help the efficient operation of multiple networks of deployed components.

We showcase the development of network management and diagnostic tools that incorporate quality control (QC) procedures to ensure data accuracy and reliability. These tools support both the routine maintenance of the network and the production of ready-to-use data products, using machine learning techniques. Using case studies from Freiburg and Bristol, we demonstrate the potential of these street-level sensor networks to provide valuable insights into urban microclimates and contribute to building more sustainable cities.

Notes

Animated images (.gif) were included for air tempareture (HeatBeat) and cumulative precipitation (RainPulse) with different layouts compared to slides 12 and 16, respectively.

Reference

Zeeman, M., Barlow, J., Feigel, G., Grimmond, S., Ludwig, S., Matthews, J., Plein, M., Podzis, R., and Christen, A.: Street-level sensor network (of networks), 12th International Conference on Urban Climate, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 7–11 Jul 2025, ICUC12-899, https://doi.org/10.5194/icuc12-899, 2025.