Profound scientific climate solutions in application on the ground

Provision of operational services to support climate change adaptation in municipal practice

Publicly funded R&D projects always aim to deliver solutions to socially relevant issues. The major challenge here is usually that the solutions are developed, tested and evaluated in specific contexts but should also be applicable in other contexts after the end of the projects.

The Climate Service Center Germany now provides services for adaptation planning in urban areas co-developed in a six-year project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Over the past six years, the Climate Service Center Germany (GERICS) has worked with project partners to improve the practicality of the prototype urban climate model PALM-4U and, in this context, to prepare the ground for its permanent use in municipal adaptation practice. Municipal users can use the model to simulate adaptation measures and their effects on the urban climate. The model can be used for the different topics of thermal comfort, wind and pollutant dispersion. For example, it can be used to simulate how large-scale greening affects heat stress, as shown in the following figures.

In an intensive transdisciplinary process over the duration of six years, the core elements for operational use were tested with 13 practice partners and adapted to their needs. The three most important building blocks for permanent use beyond the project duration are (a) the permanent provision of the needed technical infrastructure, (b) capacity building in the user community, and (c) the provision of services and support offers.

Innovative cloud computing and user interface

The execution of simulations requires corresponding computing capacities. In most cases, these cannot be built up by municipal users. Thus, an innovative cloud computing solution was developed during the project. This allows users to access the necessary computing resources on demand without having to build the computing infrastructure themselves.

This cloud computing service is now being made permanently available to users by the Climate Service Center Germany. The second important component of the infrastructure is an innovative user interface that allows simple control of the complex numerical model. This is also implemented in the cloud environment. 

Capacity building and community of practice

Despite the easy-to-use user interface, which simplifies many process steps, especially related to input data preparation, using the model requires a certain level of user competencies and capacities. To empower users, various training formats and content have been tested in recent years. This includes classroom training, online formats, video tutorials, and user manuals on all relevant topics, from input data preparation and running simulations to producing and visualization of simulation results.

In addition, capacity building is supported by building a community of practice. This is done through thematic networking meetings and an online forum. In this way, a user network for mutual learning and sharing experiences will be established.

Services and support

For those users who want to work with the model themselves, a support system was also tested in addition to the training courses. When questions and problems arise, users can contact a ticketing system. This primarily serves to record possible problems systematically; problem-solving then takes place in dialogue. This also makes it possible to track inquiries and the corresponding solutions.

There is a great deal of interest in the independent use of PALM-4U. However, the effort to learn how to use it is usually only worthwhile for those users who work on many urban climatological issues. The effort is usually too high for users who want to examine individual projects. For these users, the Climate Service Center Germany offers the preparation of urban climate assessments. In this process, the Climate Service Centre Germany jointly elaborates and simulates the problem and the various planning scenarios. The results are summarized and evaluated in an urban climate report.

In the future, interested parties can obtain information about the individual components and the portfolio of the Climate Service Center Germany on a central platform – the PALM-4U Hub. This platform is currently under construction and will be available from November 2023.