Cities and municipalities have a wealth of data and technologies to collect it. However, they often lack the linkages and context that would enable effective use of this data for territorial development. The EnCLOD project comes up with a solution in the form of microzonation – a concept that brings order to the tangle of urban data.
What is microzonation and why is it important?
Microzonation is an innovative approach to data collection and processing for urban planning developed by the EnCLOD project. At its core is the division of a territory into smaller, logical units – microzones. This makes it possible to efficiently link disparate data and answer key questions.
The microzones serve as a basis for comprehensive planning of Internet of Things (IoT) sensor deployment and further data collection. They allow characterizing and comparing individual zones with each other and aggregating data, especially sensitive ones such as water or energy consumption. This provides cities with valuable information for investment planning and the development of green solutions.Design principles of microzones
When creating microzones, it is important to follow a few key rules:
- Respect for urban and statistical units: micro-zones must respect existing urban and statistical census units so that there is no overlap between them.
- Microzone boundaries should be based on natural boundaries such as rivers, railways, main roads or boundaries of neighbouring municipalities, mobility and functional use of the microzone,
- Comprehensive placement of sensors: IoT sensors should be designed to be representative of the specific agenda being addressed and to provide comprehensive monitoring of the area (e.g., from a traffic perspective, sensors can be placed at the entrance and exit of zones to ensure accurate traffic monitoring, or if the purpose is traffic safety, they can be deployed at selected critical locations – typically pedestrian crossings).
- Holistic approach: based on a comprehensive design of data collection and identification of existing technologies relevant to the agenda and the territory addressed, with a focus on making these data available and developing a strategy for their deployment, management, including funding and use for practical municipal policy.
Microzonation in practice: the example of Žilina
The city of Žilina, as the administrative, economic and cultural centre of north-western Slovakia, faces challenges related to transport and territorial development. In the framework of the EnCLOD project, Žilina has been divided into approximately 60 microzones that respect natural boundaries, and statistical units and functional land use. This division allows for the systematic collection of data on traffic, climate and other factors that are important for the planning and development of the city.
Mapping of data sources
An important part of the EnCLOD project is the mapping of existing data sources in the city, such as traffic sensors, traffic counters and weather stations. The aim is to map the coverage of these technologies and identify where sensors need to be added for comprehensive coverage of the area.
Existing technologies in Žilina
Several technologies already exist in Žilina that collect valuable data for the city’s needs. The deployment of sensors in Žilina is continuously building a Living Urban Laboratory, which started with the Clevernet project and continues to be expanded thanks to the NXTLVL Parking and EnCLOD projects. In Žilina, a comprehensive network of traffic sensors has thus been built, as shown in the figure below.
Traffic sensor network in Žilina (X CLEVERNET + X NXTLVL Parking + X EnCLOD)
The traffic sensors monitor vehicle passages, their category and speed.
Other sources of traffic data include:
1. Traffic counters: traffic counters are placed at the main entrances to Žilina to monitor traffic volume and provide information on the number, speed and category of vehicles.
2. Speed cameras: speed cameras (radars) are placed in the city to not only check compliance with regulations, but also to collect data on the intensity and speed of vehicles.
3. Bicycle counters: To promote green transport, bicycle counters are placed at selected locations to record the number, speed and direction of cyclists.
Microzonation is an important step towards efficient and meaningful data collection for urban planning purposes. It enables cities to better understand their needs and make informed decisions about their development.
The EnCLOD project in Žilina is an example of how microzonation can be successfully implemented and the benefits it brings to a city and its inhabitants.