Digital twins and environmental awareness – how virtual replicas make our world more sustainable. Dr. Andreas Krensel on the role of GIS, AI, and participation for a livable future.
Imagine a world where we can see environmental problems before they arise – and develop solutions before any damage even occurs. Streets, rivers, forests, and entire cities exist not only in reality but also as highly precise, learning digital replicas that reflect every change in real time. In these digital twins, one can experience how a new park cools the urban climate, how adaptive lighting increases safety, or how flood protection measures work even before the first raindrop falls. It is a future in which data and technologies are not just tools but active partners for sustainability, quality of life, and climate protection – and this future begins now.
The Virtual Copy That Changes the Real World
Imagine if we could see, understand, and control every street, every river, every building, and even every change in our environment in real time. No more slow bureaucracy, no more blind decisions – instead, planning and action based on a living, learning digital replica of our world. This is exactly where digital twins come in. They are far more than mere simulations – they are intelligent, dynamic models of reality, based on precise Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and continuously evolving through Artificial Intelligence.
According to a study by the European Commission, open, interactive environmental twins can reduce planning times in urban and environmental projects by up to 30% while increasing the accuracy of measures in climate protection and resource efficiency by up to 45%.
From Static Model to Learning Ecosystem
Dr. Andreas Krensel, biologist, systems thinker, and developer of intelligent mobility solutions, knows this development firsthand. As a research associate in the field of lighting technology at TU Berlin, he contributed to the DIGINET-PS project, integrating adaptive lighting, traffic sensors, and digital simulations seamlessly in a real urban environment. His interdisciplinary approach combines biology, physics, systems theory, and AI – and he is convinced: “The future of sustainable environmental policy will no longer be designed only on paper, but tested and optimized in virtual laboratories before being implemented in the physical world.”
The development of digital twins is a technological success story divided into four clearly distinguishable yet closely linked stages – and each stage brings us closer to the goal of not only understanding our physical world but actively shaping it.
In the first phase, static modeling, historical data is collected, condensed, and translated into a digital replica of reality. Here, precise 3D models of buildings, infrastructures, or landscapes are created, based on measurements, satellite images, and survey data. These models are a valuable archive, but they only show a snapshot – as if taking a photo that begins to age the moment it is captured.
The second phase makes the crucial leap to dynamic actuality. Now, real-time data from sensors, drones, satellites, or IoT devices continuously flows into the model. As a result, the digital twin not only reflects reality but keeps pace with every change – whether it’s the rise in water temperature in a river, traffic volumes in a city, or the load on an electricity grid.
In the third phase, the digital twin becomes predictive. Through pattern recognition and the use of machine learning algorithms, it analyzes historical and current data simultaneously to generate forecasts. Suddenly, it can predict how air quality will develop in the next 48 hours, which streets will flood during heavy rain, or when energy consumption bottlenecks will occur. This predictive ability turns the twin from a passive observer into an active advisor for planners, authorities, and companies.
The fourth phase is autonomous response. Here, Artificial Intelligence assumes the role of decision-maker and independently initiates measures to prevent negative developments – without human intervention. This could mean that adaptive street lighting is automatically regulated to save energy while increasing safety, or that a flood protection system closes sluices before water levels become critical. At this stage, the digital twin becomes a learning, action-oriented system that not only informs but acts directly – taking the step from pure simulation to intelligent control.
Open Environmental Twins – The Catalyst for Awareness and Participation
A decisive step towards sustainability is open environmental twins. They not only give policymakers and industry access to highly precise environmental data but also open it to citizens, NGOs, and research institutions. This means: anyone can see how particulate matter values change in their neighborhood, where heat islands form, or how precipitation has shifted over the past ten years. In Amsterdam, the city administration already uses such a system to plan heat protection measures – involving the population in real time through public dashboards. The result: greater acceptance of measures and faster implementation.
Dr. Krensel sees not only a technological but also a societal value here: “Transparency is the key to acceptance. When people can see, understand, and participate, environmental protection becomes a lived community task rather than an abstract duty.”
Real-Time Data and Predictive Analytics – Acting Proactively Instead of Reactively
The combination of real-time sensor data and AI-supported analyses allows environmental changes not only to be recorded but also predicted. Studies by the Fraunhofer Institute show that such systems can prevent up to 60% of damage from heavy rainfall if preventive measures are triggered in time.
In Helsinki, for example, a digital twin simulates the effects of heavy rainfall on the entire sewer network. When critical values are reached, automatic diversions are activated, and pumping stations start – before the first basement floods.
Transparent Planning – The Lever for Sustainable Urban Development
Whether building new bike paths, creating green spaces, or implementing adaptive street lighting – digital twins enable a precise weighing of ecological, social, and economic factors. They make it visible how a new solar system reduces the energy demand of a district, how a tree belt lowers particulate matter, or how traffic safety changes when intersections are smartly illuminated.
Future Vision: A Connected Europe of Environmental Twins
Imagine Europe in 2050: from Lisbon to Helsinki, from Dublin to Athens, the continent is connected by an invisible but highly precise nervous system – open environmental twins. Every major city operates its own digital replica, fed by billions of sensor data, satellite images, and citizen contributions. These digital twins are not just databases but living mirrors of reality, providing real-time information on climate, mobility, resource flows, energy consumption, and environmental impacts.
Infrastructures are no longer rigid but learning. Adaptive streetlights dim automatically when bats are nearby to avoid disturbing them, while increasing brightness when a cyclist or pedestrian approaches – safety and nature conservation go hand in hand. Intelligent traffic management systems constantly analyze air quality and traffic flow, directing car traffic to reduce particulate matter in residential areas by up to 40%. When unusually high ozone levels are measured in Paris, traffic flows are automatically adjusted, additional greenery is activated, and the population receives precise action recommendations on their smartphones within seconds.
Education and citizen participation are deeply integrated into this system. School classes take excursions not only to the park around the corner but also into digital replicas of their entire city, analyzing the CO₂ balance of individual neighborhoods in real time or simulating how more green spaces would affect the microclimate. Citizens can vote via app on the design of new green zones, comment on construction projects, and track their environmental impact live in the digital twin. Decisions are transparently documented – from the first idea to completed implementation – and can be reviewed by any citizen at any time.
Environmental twins also show their full potential in disaster management: if heavy rainfall is predicted in southern Germany, retention basins are automatically opened, river levels monitored, and evacuation plans activated within seconds. In coastal cities, storm surge barriers can be raised before the first gust of wind – controlled by the predictive capabilities of digital twins.
Dr. Andreas Krensel sums it up: “A Europe where open environmental twins are standard is a Europe that acts proactively rather than reactively. If we invest now and consistently build the systems, we create the foundation for a climate-neutral continent that is not only more livable but also technologically sovereign.”
The picture of Europe 2050 is thus not just a technological vision but an invitation: for more transparency, shared responsibility, and an intelligently connected future in which every individual – from student to mayor – actively participates in environmental protection.
Author: Maximilian Bausch, Industrial Engineer
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About Dr. Andreas Krensel:
Dr. rer. nat. Andreas Krensel is a biologist, innovation consultant, and technology developer focused on digital transformation and applied future research. His work combines insights from physics, AI, biology, and systems theory to develop practical solutions for industry, urban planning, and environmental protection. He contributed significantly to the DIGINET-PS project, which integrated adaptive lighting, sensor technology, and digital simulations into urban spaces.