About smart cities
The City of Cottbus/Chóśebuz is focusing on a digital future as a smart city. This vision promises sustainability, innovation and new jobs.
What is a smart city?
The term smart city refers to the advantages of a digitalized city. For example, public administration can work more efficiently and in a more citizen-friendly way. Likewise, energy supply, healthcare and other important areas of public services can be optimized thanks to digital technology. The digital city of the future is to be modern, climate-neutral and resource-efficient, competitive and thriving.
Why is Cottbus setting out to become a smart city?
Lusatia and therefore also the City of Cottbus/Chóśebuz have to overcome major challenges. Structural change in the region is not the only factor. Changing demographics and the energy transition likewise demand convincing concepts for solutions.
Cottbus/Chóśebuz wants to be
- a safe and attractive home,
- a well-connected city,
- an innovative and future-oriented business location and
- an ecologically sustainable and resource-conserving city.
The city has successfully mastered the first projects. Cottbus/Chóśebuz has chosen the right way
to offer all citizens a future worth living.
What are the benefits for citizens?
The Smart City Cottbus wants to offer tangible benefits to all citizens.
- Optimal conditions for teaching and learning: creating good qualification opportunities for all.
- Modern, secure energy supply: saving costs and living in a climate-friendly manner.
- Reliable healthcare: being well cared for at any age.
- Comfortable public transport services: environmentally friendly mobility in town and country.
- Transparent, citizen-oriented urban development: participating directly in important decisions as a citizen.
- Service-oriented city administration: completing administrative transactions online, conveniently and independently of time and place.
- Strong regional economy: having a secure job now and in the future.
Some of these benefits are already noticeable in everyday life, others will become visible in the future. The successfully completed sub-projects are groundbreaking and confirm: the Smart City Cottbus is gaining in profile, to the benefit of all citizens.
Who is behind the Smart Cities concept?
A diversified alliance supports the creation of smart cities in Germany. Various organizations and associations are involved in addition to the Federal Government, the federal states and the municipalities.
Together they form the 'Smart Cities National Dialogue Platform'. This platform is hosted by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV).
Around 70 experts from cities, districts and municipalities, the municipal central associations, the Länder and various federal ministries, from scientific organizations, business, professional and social associations and civil society work together in the dialogue platform. With the 'Smart City Charter', they have developed a common understanding of values and goals, have evaluated their opportunities and risks, and have devised guidance and recommendations for action. They are now supporting the implementation.