Municipal infrastructures are the basis for supplying the population with goods. Urban commerce in the form of retail, production and services creates prosperity through local employment. At the same time, it ensures stable municipal finances, which is a central requirement for the political creative power and municipal self-administration. Infrastructure, economy and finance are the key fields of our research area. Furthermore, we address in detail matters of urban transformation and sustainability, such as the future viability of cities and towns. In doing so, our special interest lies in the chances and impact of digital change, the innovation ability of policy and administration, and also new sustainable forms for the provision of public utilities and services.
The Research Department Infrastructure, Economy and Finance researches and develops action approaches for municipalities to successfully adapt to the changed framework conditions. The spectrum covered by our work is broad: it ranges from the provision of essential transformation concepts and consultation on sustainable finance and investment planning to specific design and conversion options for the energy and water infrastructure and also to new digital services.
Our research focuses are:
Urban future and transformation
Infrastructure and urban development
Intelligent system solutions and linked infrastructures
Digitalisation and smart city
Urban security and resilience
Financial and budget policy
Investment policy and infrastructure financing
Financial federalism and financial systems
Economic development and location development
Innovation and technology policy
Provision of public utilities and services, and economic activity
Support for research and evaluation
Empirical urban research and municipal statistics
The Research Department Infrastructure, Economy and Finance has two teams:
