Spatial Planning on Electricity – What smart meter data can tell us about spatial structures

Engelke, Dirk and Biskup, André (2025) Spatial Planning on Electricity – What smart meter data can tell us about spatial structures. URBAN INNOVATION: TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO CITIES HAVE GONE BEFORE. Medium sized cities and towns as a major arena of global urbanisation. Proceedings of REAL CORP 2025, 30th Intl. Conference on Urban Development, Regional Planning and Information Society. pp. 821-830. ISSN 2521-3938

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Abstract

Spatial planning approaches such as densification, the 15-minute city, or net-zero initiatives increasingly promote and necessitate mixed-use land allocations. Traditionally, land use was segmented into distinct categories such as residential, industrial, commercial, or transportation. This zoning-based approach provided clear guidance on expected spatial functions and human activities within designated areas. However, as mixed-use developments become more prevalent, the conventional distinction between living, working, and other activities becomes increasingly blurred. Consequently, traditional zoning regulations use more and more mixed-use zoning to regulate spatial impacts. But the knowledge of spatial impact does not fit the need for coordination and regulation. The dynamics of urban life require planning instruments that go beyond static land-use maps and embrace real-time and usage-based data to inform spatial policies. To address this challenge, planning authorities require an empirical foundation that captures real-world spatial usage and interactions. Conventional spatial data from federal or state topographic offices primarily describe physical land features but lack insights into actual usage patterns. This gap is increasingly critical as mixed-use developments grow in scale and complexity. The key challenge is no longer defining land use but understanding how space is utilized in real-time to inform better regulatory measures. Additionally, understanding peak hours of electricity consumption can provide indirect yet valuable insights into mobility patterns, working behaviors, and residential activity shifts. Smart meter data offers a novel and dynamic source of information to bridge this gap. As Engelke (2017) states, "Not only more accurate and up-to-date geodata is available for planning, but also unprecedented knowledge about the actual use of space." By capturing detailed electricity consumption at the household level, smart meters provide indirect but valuable insights into human presence, activity patterns, and the intensity of land use. The mandatory rollout of smart meters presents an unprecedented opportunity to integrate high-resolution temporal data into spatial planning. The EU has decided in 2009 to implement smart meter in all member states, and e.g. Germany decided obligatory smart meters in all households by 2023. Switzerland intends to cover 80% of Swiss households by 2027. Aggregated smart meter data at neighborhood or district levels allows planners to assess deviations between planned and actual land use, thus informing evidence-based policy adjustments and regulatory interventions. This integration has the potential to refine urban planning strategies, providing a data-driven approach to analyze urban vitality, the success of mixed-use developments, and urban energy efficiency. Moreover, leveraging smart meter data can help policymakers refine zoning laws and introduce dynamic zoning approaches that adapt to real-time conditions. Instead of relying solely on traditional land-use maps, urban planners can create policies based on actual demand, energy efficiency, and mobility behaviors. For example, if a neighborhood exhibits a sharp increase in electricity consumption during typical work hours, it may indicate the presence of informal office spaces or remote work trends that challenge conventional zoning assumptions. By using smart meter data to validate and adjust planning regulations, cities can enhance the efficiency of land use, reduce urban sprawl, and support more sustainable forms of development. This paper explores the potential of smart meter data for spatial planning, identifying its strengths, limitations, and future research needs. Using open data from the Swiss Lucerne region as a case study, the paper investigates how temporal spatial structures can be derived from electricity consumption data. The objective is not merely to analyze a specific case but to examine the broader applicability of such data in addressing spatial planning challenges. Furthermore, this research contributes to the debate on how digitalization and real-time data streams can enhance planning effectiveness, ensuring that cities remain adaptable and resilient in the face of growing urbanization and climate challenges.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	data science, smart city, spatial planning, smart meter data, energy
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HA Statistics H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering
Depositing User:	REAL CORP Administrator
Date Deposited:	20 May 2025 09:51
Last Modified:	20 May 2025 09:51
URI:	http://repository.corp.at/id/eprint/1196

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