Vejle Municipality’s Do Data – for a Greener Future pilot is aimed at tackling climate challenges through innovative, data-driven solutions. The pilot is focused on developing a digital infrastructure and visualization tool to monitor and reduce carbon footprints. Starting as a prototype, the solution is being co-designed with local businesses and stakeholders to address the complexities of sustainability in a collaborative, innovative, and scalable manner.
The project envisions transforming this prototype into a fully functional tool, fostering transparency and collaboration while advancing Vejle’s Climate Plan goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
What is the challenge?
The Do Data pilot tackles challenges such as limited open data awareness, fostering cross-sector collaboration, integrating diverse datasets securely, and developing systems for actionable insights and real-time climate action monitoring.
Limited Awareness of Open Data and Its Potential
Despite the promise of open data for sustainability, challenges persist in:
- Understanding how to access, use, and benefit from open data.
- Identifying relevant datasets to support climate action and business sustainability.
- Building confidence in the security and ethical use of data.
Collaborative Barriers Across Sectors
The traditional separation of public, private, and community sectors limits opportunities for joint innovation. To address climate challenges effectively, cross-sector collaboration is essential:
- Businesses need clear incentives and tools to participate in shared climate goals.
- Municipalities must foster partnerships that transcend individual sectoral interests.
Technical and Development Hurdles
The development of the Do Data solution hinges on:
- Integrating diverse datasets from businesses and municipal sources while maintaining quality and privacy.
- Navigating technical complexities, such as scalable data infrastructure and interactive dashboards.
- Securing expertise and resources for iterative development, from prototype to operational solution.
Uncertainty in Monitoring Progress
Tracking the impact of climate actions requires a system that can consolidate and interpret large volumes of data:
- There is a need for real-time monitoring and scenario planning to support decision-making.
How does Data for All help?
The Do Data – for a Greener Future pilot is addressing these challenges through a phased approach, starting with the creation of a prototype and working towards a fully operational climate monitoring tool.
Developing the Prototype
The project’s initial focus is on building a prototype visualization tool. This early version will:
- Integrate data from municipal operations and participating businesses.
- Offer basic analysis of energy use, carbon footprints, and potential areas for improvement.
- Serve as a foundation for gathering feedback from stakeholders, ensuring its functionality aligns with real-world needs.
Fostering Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing
- The pilot seeks to bring together businesses, public authorities, and local organizations to co-develop the tool, eliminating silos and encouraging innovative approaches.
- Workshops and stakeholder events are central to refining the solution and building a shared vision for sustainability.
Moving Toward a Fully Functional Tool
With the prototype as a starting point, the project aims to:
- Deliver an intuitive, user-friendly platform that drives actionable insights for businesses and the municipality.
Driving Broader Impact
The pilot is designed to inspire adoption beyond Vejle. By tackling technical, organizational, and regulatory challenges through an open and collaborative framework, the project aims to encourage municipalities across the North Sea Region to embrace data-driven climate solutions.
Participating partners
Vejle Municipality is a local public authority in Denmark with high interest in digital development and innovative solutions. Vejle already offers a range of digital services to both citizens and businesses, among them apps and web-forms to ensure efficiency
and accessibility. It has also developed digital solutions for infrastructure and urban space, and keeps expanding its use of technology and data.
