On 19 February, the most innovative projects in Lower Austria were honoured at the House of Digitalisation – and we were right in the thick of it! Our system for the early detection of small-scale flooding, which we developed together with WSI System GmbH, was selected as one of the top 3 in the ‘Special Award: Digital Innovation’ category. This special recognition from the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce and the State of Lower Austria is a great acknowledgement of the relevance and potential of our technology.
Why heavy rain is a growing problem
Climate change is leading to more frequent and intense heavy rainfall events. This particularly affects small catchment areas that can be inundated by suddenly occurring hillslope runoff. Conventional flood protection systems are usually designed for large rivers and react too slowly to such localised events.
This is where our innovative early warning system comes in. Using a network of IoT sensors and artificial intelligence (AI), it analyses rainfall and water levels in real time to detect impending flooding within seconds. The twist: Affected communities and emergency services can be warned up to 3 hours in advance, giving them crucial time to minimise damage and take protective measures.
Live on stage: Our solution in the spotlight
The award ceremony was not only an honour for us, but also a great opportunity to showcase our technology to a wide audience. Stefan Pfeffer was able to present our project on stage and show how our system helps local authorities and emergency services to better prepare for extreme weather events.
Already in use – and looking to the future
Our system is not a theoretical concept, but is already being used successfully in several pilot projects:
- Ruprechtshofen, St. Leonhard and Zauchenbach are already using the technology.
- Other communities are in the planning stages and are showing great interest.
- The market potential is huge – flood damage in Europe could reach up to €40 billion by 2050.
The top 3 ranking in the Lower Austrian Innovation Award confirms that we are on the right track. Digital innovations such as our early detection of heavy rainfall are key to adapting to the challenges of climate change and protecting people, buildings and infrastructure in the best possible way.
We look forward to developing this technology and helping more communities protect themselves from the dangers of heavy rainfall!
