How Cities Can Act Like Sponges

Heat, drought, and heavy rainfall are putting increasing pressure on urban environments. The solution? Sponge cities — urban areas designed to absorb, store, and slowly release rainwater. The Sponge City information platform offers a wide collection of real-world examples showing how this concept can be implemented — from permeable pavements to large-scale green developments.

In some of these projects, Decentlab sensors are used to collect environmental data. One example is a project in Bern, where different tree species are tested for their resilience under urban conditions. Decentlab's DL-SMTP | Soil Moisture and Temperature Profile for LoRaWAN® are used to collect precise data on soil moisture, helping to optimize irrigation and improve tree health.

The SRF science program also explores how well the sponge city concept works in practice, with insights from Zurich’s urban water cycle — from green infrastructure to challenges of water quality.