Tag: Sustainability

Aclaro: How L1VE Uses Visual Process Mapping to Identify Responsibilities and Reduce Coordination Time

CIL projects

L1VE, a Berlin-based startup specializing in immersive virtual reality streaming, faced a common growth challenge: unclear responsibilities and undocumented processes slowed down operations. To solve this, an international student team developed “Aclaro”: a visual process mapping tool that shows every process step, assigns responsibilities to departments, and connects users directly to the right contact person. The project was conducted during the winter semester 2025 as part of the Co-Innovation Lab, a collaboration between HM Business School and Tampere University of Applied Sciences.

The Challenge of Growing Without Losing Sight

As L1VE expanded its team, processes that once existed informally in people’s heads no longer worked. Without a documented overview, team members spent valuable time figuring out who was responsible for what, leading to redundancies and delays.

Aclaro Prototype: Process overview with tasks and responsible departments.

Aclaro: More Than a Modeling Tool

Unlike traditional process modeling tools such as BPMN editors, Aclaro is not designed for detailed workflow optimization. Instead, it focuses on one core need: providing a clear, visual overview that answers the question “Who is responsible for this?” The platform allows users to:

  • Map processes visually by defining process steps in an intuitive interface
  • Assign responsibilities by linking each step to a department and tagging required skills
  • Find the right person through an integrated employee database that shows who works in each department
Picctured (l. to r.): Dr. Holger Günzel (lecturer), Joseph v. Spee (Student team), Edo Alexander (Student team), Julian Merkel (CTO & Board Member at L1VE), Lukas Scherzer (Student team), Prof. Dr. Jessica Slamka (lecturer), Tim Möbius (Student team), Le ToungVi (Student team), Michael Pröbstel (Student team), Claudia Hänsel (Student team), Prof. Dr. Lars Brehm  (lecturer), Hans-Jürgen Haak (lecturer) during the final presentation on the 16th of January 2026.

This structure enables leadership to quickly understand the organization’s process landscape and make informed decisions about resource allocation and bottlenecks. For employees and freelancers, it eliminates guesswork. Instead of sending emails to find the right contact, they can look up responsibilities in seconds.

“When we started L1VE, everyone knew everything. But as we grew, that stopped being true. Aclaro gives us back that clarity. Now, instead of asking ‘who handles this?’ five times a day, our team can focus on building amazing VR experiences for our customers.”, says Julian Merkel, CTO & Board Member at L1VE.

About the Co-Innovation Lab

This solution was designed in a project of the Co-Innovation Lab of Hochschule München guided by the lecturers Prof. Jessica Slamka, Prof. Dr. Holger Günzel, Prof. Dr. Lars Brehm, and Mr. Hans-Jürgen Haak together with Anne-Mari Stenbacka and Jere Käpyaho (TAMK). The Co-Innovation Lab offers students a virtual platform for learning how to work as a consulting team by creating temporary partnerships between companies, students, and lecturers.

For more information about the Co-Innovation Lab, contact holger.guenzel@hm.edu or lars.brehm@hm.edu.

Project Team: Möbius Tim, Tuong Vi Le, Pröbstel Michael, Scherzer Lukas, Henri Nieminen, Spee Joseph, Spira Nitai, Marttila Tuuli, Edo Alexander, Sillanaukee Santeri, Nevalainen Noora, Hänsel Claudia

  • Project results: follows soon

Green Gear: Unlocking Sustainability Results in Gearbox Design

CIL projects

German business students and Finnish IT students collaborated with sustainability consultant Prof. Dr. Markus Klein at the Co-Innovation Lab in Munich in 2025. Together, they addressed the challenge of inefficient sustainability calculations in gearbox development for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The result is Green Gear, a web-based tool that replaces manual Excel workflows with automated sustainability analysis.

Sustainability Calculation in Gearbox Development

In mechanical engineering and gearbox manufacturing, sustainability calculations are increasingly required throughout the product development process. These calculations typically assess technical components across the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, and social performance. Environmental aspects include CO₂ emissions and material sourcing, economic aspects focus on cost efficiency and lifecycle considerations, while social factors address issues such as labor conditions and supplier responsibility.

A glimpse into the website, showing input fields and results.

As sustainability consultant Prof. Dr. Markus Klein explains: “The decision on where and how to produce a gearbox is mainly driven by economic aspects like material and production costs. Due to EU regulations and public interest, ecological and social sustainability aspects will play a bigger role in future. Therefore, the holistic evaluation of these aspects is key for the decision of long-term investments.”

In practice, Prof. Dr. Markus Klein, sustainability consultant for SMEs, often conducts manual sustainability assessments using extensive Excel spreadsheets. This process requires significant manual data entry and consolidation of data from multiple sources, including gearbox components’ countries of origin, material composition, manufacturing processes, and emission factors. As a result, sustainability calculations are time-consuming, difficult to scale, and prone to inconsistencies.

A typical use case involves evaluating a gearbox during the early design or configuration phase in order to compare design alternatives and identify sustainability trade-offs before production decisions are finalized.

Challenges in Current Sustainability Assessments

By relying solely on manual processes to document and calculate gearbox sustainability, Prof. Dr. Klein faces several challenges. These include the significant time required for manual data entry, limitations in capturing all three pillars of sustainability, and outcomes that lack sufficient depth and consistency. Together, these issues reduce the reliability of the results delivered to clients.

Our Solution: Green Gear – Where Gearbox Manufacturing Meets Clear Sustainability

Green Gear is a web application designed to simplify the analysis and documentation of gearbox sustainability metrics. The tool automates the calculation of environmental (CO₂ emissions), economic, and social sustainability efforts as well as economic and social sustainability indicators, significantly reducing manual effort.

Green Gear draws on structured input data provided by users, such as component materials, supplier locations, manufacturing processes, and usage assumptions. These inputs are combined with predefined emission factors, cost parameters, and social risk indicators derived from publicly available databases and industry standards. Users can select and adjust parameters depending on the project context, enhancing both transparency and credibility.

Pictured above is the group of business and IT students including Markus Klein, the client, during weekly Friday meetings. Photo credit: Elizabeth Howell

About the Co-Innovation Lab

This solution was designed in a project of the Co-Innovation Lab of Hochschule München guided by the lecturers Prof. Jessica Slamka, Prof. Dr. Holger Günzel, Prof. Dr. Lars Brehm, and Mr. Hans-Jürgen Haak together with Anne-Mari Stenbacka and Jere Käpyaho (TAMK). The Co-Innovation Lab offers students a virtual platform for learning how to work as a consulting team by creating temporary partnerships between companies, students, and lecturers.

For more information about the Co-Innovation Lab, contact holger.guenzel@hm.edu or lars.brehm@hm.edu.

  • Project results: follows soon

Varala Insight: Smarter Facility Management Through Data

CIL projects

“Varala Insight”, a facility management solution developed by the Co-Innovation Lab team, helps Varala Sports Institute optimize occupancy, reduce energy costs, and improve operational efficiency.

The Challenge: Managing a Busy Campus Without Clear Data Visibility

Varala Sports Institute in Tampere is one of Finland’s leading sports education and training centers, welcoming athletes, students, companies, and visitors year-round. While the institute had access to extensive occupancy and booking data through its CRM/ERP systems, this information was mainly available in reports, tables, and non-visual formats, leaving staff without a clear, intuitive, and visual overview of building occupancy, seasonal demand, or underused facilities.

The lack of visual clarity made analysis time-consuming and pattern recognition difficult. This increased energy and cleaning costs and limited opportunities for targeted sales campaigns or renovations. What was missing was not data itself, but a clear and visual way to turn existing CRM/ERP data into actionable insights.

The Solution: Varala Insight — A Data-Driven Dashboard

To address these challenges, a student team from the Co-Innovation Lab developed Varala Insight, a web-based dashboard that brings together Varala’s booking and occupancy data into a single view. Valara operational staff can see real-time occupancy across buildings and corridors and switch between daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly views. Sauna usage insights help identify recurring low-usage time slots, supporting targeted campaign planning. Management can export reports with just one click, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual data compilation. Together, these features give Varala a clear, data-driven understanding of how its facilities are used and where efficiency improvements can be made.

Impact: Smarter Operations, Lower Costs, and Greater Sustainability

Varala Insight helps the institute reduce unnecessary heating, optimize cleaning and maintenance, and plan marketing campaigns based on real usage patterns. The result is improved sustainability and lower operational costs. “What impressed us most was how quickly the students translated a real operational challenge into a concrete and visual draft solution.  The demo application provided a clear starting point for developing a solution that suits our operations and builds on our existing CRM/ERP data.” – Petteri Luukkainen (Director of HR, Administration & Development at Varala Sports Institute)

Varala Insight

Collaboration: An International Team Effort

The project was delivered by an international student team from Finland and Germany as part of the Co-Innovation Lab, with six master’s students from Munich University of Applied Science, and five bachelor’s students from Tampere University. The team collaborated closely with Varala’s facility manager throughout the process, ensuring the solution directly supports Varala’s real operational needs.

“Working with an international student team brought new perspectives that we would not necessarily have reached on our own. This collaboration demonstrated how student projects can create genuine value for organizations, not just academic outcomes.” – Petteri Luukkainen

Team Valara with students from Germany and Finland

About the Co-Innovation Lab

This solution was designed in a project of the Co-Innovation Lab of Hochschule München guided by the lecturers Prof. Jessica Slamka, Prof. Dr. Holger Günzel, Prof. Dr. Lars Brehm, and Mr. Hans-Jürgen Haak together with Anne-Mari Stenbacka and Jere Käpyaho (TAMK). The Co-Innovation Lab offers students a virtual platform for learning how to work as a consulting team by creating temporary partnerships between companies, students, and lecturers.

For more information about the Co-Innovation Lab, contact holger.guenzel@hm.edu or lars.brehm@hm.edu.

Author: Van Huong Dang

  • Project results: follows soon

Making Climate Impact Measurable

CIL projects

During the Winter Semester 2025/26, business and IT students developed a digital emissions calculator for industrial wastewater projects as part of the Co-Innovation Lab, in collaboration with EPSE Oy. The project focused on transforming complex, manual CO₂ calculations into a structured and scalable digital solution that supports faster decision-making and reliable climate impact reporting.

A Cleantech Company Addressing Industrial Wastewater Challenges

EPSE Oy is a privately owned cleantech company based in Finland that treats industrial wastewater containing soluble heavy metals. Its patented EPSE™ Method removes a wide range of dissolved metals in a single treatment step, producing clean water and an insoluble multi-metal precipitate that can be reused or safely disposed of.

View of the EPSE Calculator Tool: Data Entry Page. Source: epse-calculator

The Challenge: Making Climate Benefits Verifiable

As sustainability requirements increase, EPSE customers request verified CO₂ emissions benefit calculations for wastewater treatment projects during piloting phases. Today, these calculations are not consistently available. In many cases, they are not produced at all, and when they are, technical workers create them manually or with limited support from Excel-based spreadsheets. As a result, calculations are time-consuming, prone to error, and difficult to verify consistently.

Students: Sai Uttej Surampalli, Maria Necochea, Andre Bickley, Mariia Cherniatina. Photographer: Ali Buyukgoze. Munich, 30 December 2026. Source: Personal Photo. 

The Solution: A Practical Emissions Calculator

To address these challenges, the student team developed a practical emissions calculator tailored to EPSE’s project needs. The tool enables the structured and transparent calculation of CO₂ emission benefits by using pre-given formulas for calculating environmental impacts across pilot projects. EPSE technical team can now select predefined emission sources and enter project-specific quantities. Based on these inputs, the calculator generates a standardized emissions report that can be exported for documentation and customer communication. The underlying database remains adaptable, allowing emission variables, factors, and units to be updated as requirements evolve. By standardizing assumptions, data inputs, and calculation logic, the tool enables EPSE to communicate climate impact consistently across projects. This improves comparability, increases credibility toward customers, and reduces internal coordination effort.  Therefore, the prototype creates a competitive advantage, reduces manual effort, and supports easier communication of climate benefits. This is an improvement EPSE identified as essential when reviewing the solution: “Compared to our previous Excel-based tool, the prototype looks significantly easier to manage and aligns well with our key requirement for a clearer and more structured approach.”- Mikko Rautiainen, EPSE Oy. 

About the Co-Innovation Lab

This solution was designed in a project of the Co-Innovation Lab of Hochschule München guided by the lecturers Prof. Jessica Slamka, Prof. Dr. Holger Günzel, Prof. Dr. Lars Brehm, and Mr. Hans-Jürgen Haak together with Anne-Mari Stenbacka and Jere Käpyaho (TAMK). The Co-Innovation Lab offers students a virtual platform for learning how to work as a consulting team by creating temporary partnerships between companies, students, and lecturers.

For more information about the Co-Innovation Lab, contact holger.guenzel@hm.edu or lars.brehm@hm.edu.

  • Project results:
    • coming soon

LuzVista: Illuminating the Path for Rural Electrification in Bolivia

CIL projects

An interdisciplinary student team from the Munich University of Applied Sciences’ Co-Innovation Lab developed “LuzVista,” a data visualization platform, during the summer semester of 2025. In partnership with the NGO “Luces Nuevas Internacional”, the team created the solution to simplify solar energy data analysis to help authorities and decision-makers make smarter and faster decisions for sustainable energy projects in rural communities in Bolivia.

The Challenge of Turning Data into Light

Developing nations like Bolivia face a major challenge in strategically planning rural electrification. Government authorities and funding bodies depend on clear and compelling data to make sound investment decisions, but this data is often difficult to obtain. This information gap creates a major bottleneck that slows the deployment of sustainable energy and impacts community well-being. This means that many families still rely on candlelight after sunset, making daily activities like schoolwork and household chores as well as life as a whole incredibly difficult.

This reality drives NGOs like Luces Nuevas Internacional, who partner with technology provider Zimpertec to deploy solar home generators in rural areas. While these systems provide valuable operational data for strategic planning, the data itself presented a significant challenge. It was complex and required time-consuming manual transcription into spreadsheets. The fundamental problem was that this static data was not persuasive enough to build a compelling case for action. It was difficult for Luces Nuevas to clearly demonstrate community needs or prove the impact of existing systems to local authorities and decision-makers, which hindered strategic investment.

LuzVista Prototype Screenshots

LuzVista: A Clearer View for a Brighter Future

To tackle this challenge, our student Co-Innovation Lab team developed LuzVista, a user-friendly data platform designed to turn raw data into clear and actionable insights. The platform features a central hub for generator management, data uploads, and an interactive map that links geographical locations directly to performance and usage dashboards.

The solution directly addresses the core pain points of the “As-Is” process by allowing a Luces Nuevas representative to simply upload the raw data files collected from the field. The LuzVista system, powered by a Metabase dashboard, then automatically processes and visualizes the information with easy to interpret graphs and metrics.

“This platform is a valuable tool for us. Its ability to create a clear visual presentation and highlight key diagnostics helps us analyze and present our results much faster. By improving our tools this way, we increase the value of the strategic discussion about achieving Universal Access to Energy in Bolivia.” said Roberto Ayala of Luces Nuevas Internacional.

(Mr. Ayala’s responses were consolidated and edited for clarity and length.)

By automating data analytics, LuzVista gives Luces Nuevas the power to build a compelling, data-driven case for rural electrification. The platform provides the clear, visual evidence needed to gain support from decision-makers, accelerate strategic decisions, and secure the funding to bring sustainable energy to the families who need it most.

LuzVista Prototype Screenshots
The Co-Innovation Lab Project Team meets with two Luces Nuevas representatives in front of the University of Applied Sciences Lothstraße Campus. Pictured (l. to r.): Jason White, Konul Baghirova, Yalnaz Baig, Alexander Kluge, Illia Spasonov, Magnus Potter, Ronald Cavero (Luces Nuevas), Roberto Ayala (Luces Nuevas). Not pictured: Jan Funk (Co-Innovation Lab Project Team). – Source: Personal photo

About the Co-Innovation Lab

This solution was designed in a project of the Co-Innovation Lab of Hochschule München guided by the lecturers Prof. Dr. Holger Günzel, Prof. Dr. Lars Brehm, Prof. Dr. Markus Thimmel, Prof. Dr. Johannes Ebke and Mr. Hans-Jürgen Haak. The Co-Innovation Lab offers students a virtual platform for learning how to work as a consulting team by creating temporary partnerships between companies, students, and lecturers.

For more information about the Co-Innovation Lab, contact holger.guenzel@hm.edu or lars.brehm@hm.edu.

  • Project results:
  • Project Team: LuzVista

OBSTPLAN: Empowering Landowners to Create Orchard Meadows and Boost Biodiversity

CIL projects

Meadow orchards, traditional ecosystems rich in biodiversity, are biodiverse landscapes, where widely spaced fruit trees are combined with natural grasses and wildflowers, creating a habitat that supports wildlife while producing food. These traditional ecosystems are rich in biodiversity and preserve the cultural and ecological heritage of regions like Bavaria. Yet, these orchards have been in significant decline due to urbanization and economic pressures. OBSTPLAN addresses this pressing challenge by offering a simple, user-friendly solution to help landowners and communities restore these valuable landscapes.

Bavaria has lost approximately 60% of its meadow orchards in recent decades. These natural habitats, vital for countless insects, birds, and other wildlife, have been replaced by industrial agriculture and urban development. As meadow orchards vanish, so too does the biodiversity they support. Despite available land and resources, many potential orchard developers lack the knowledge or tools needed to plan and maintain these ecosystems effectively. Furthermore, relevant information is often scattered across numerous websites and, in some cases, remains insufficiently digitized.

OBSTPLAN is here to bridge that gap. Designed as an centralized and intuitive digital platform, it empowers users to:

  • Plan and manage meadow orchards tailored to their specific land conditions.
  • Access localized recommendations for fruit tree varieties.
  • Learn about subsidies and funding opportunities to support their efforts.
Color-coded map and recommended apple tree varieties

As one early user noted, “OBSTPLAN makes it easy to transform unused land into vibrant ecosystems that benefit both the environment and the community.”

Traditional meadow orchards, once common in Bavaria, are more than just agricultural spaces. The loss of these orchards, driven by economic and urban pressures, has reduced biodiversity and led to the extinction of many native fruit varieties.

To combat this, OBSTPLAN integrates technology and ecological expertise, providing actionable guidance for restoring these vital landscapes. With its interactive features, OBSTPLAN simplifies decision-making, allowing users to:

  • Evaluate their land’s potential for orchard development.
  • Select optimal tree varieties based on soil quality and other factors.
  • Navigate the often-complicated funding landscape.

Users can view color-coded maps that recommend suitable apple tree varieties based on soil conditions and regional factors. Green indicates that the soil is excellent for the apple variety, yellow indicates a mixed soil type where the apple could also be planted, and red suggests avoiding planting the variety in that soil. These insights ensure that users can optimize their efforts for both productivity and biodiversity.

OBSTPLAN is designed for beginners and experts alike. It plans to expand its offerings with educational workshops and community initiatives, fostering a culture of environmental stewardship.

In collaboration with the Rotary Club Neuburg an der Donau, OBSTPLAN promotes sustainable agriculture and biodiversity. The platform’s user-friendly interface and practical features save time and reduce barriers for farmers, landowners, and community groups, enabling them to contribute to a greener Bavaria.

Team and client Holger Pilgenröther (Rotary Neuburg)

OBSTPLAN’s initial focus is on Bavarian landscapes, particularly around Neuburg an der Donau. By providing localized solutions, it addresses specific regional needs while setting the stage for broader applications. Supported by the Rotary Club, OBSTPLAN aims to expand its reach, empowering communities across Germany to restore biodiversity and cultivate sustainable landscapes.
The success of OBSTPLAN demonstrates the power of collaboration between academia, industry, and community organizations. Developed by students from the University of Applied Sciences Munich (HM) and Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK), OBSTPLAN is a shining example of innovation in action.
With OBSTPLAN, the future of Bavaria’s meadow orchards is in your hands. Transform underused land into thriving ecosystems and play a role in preserving biodiversity for generations to come. Together, we can cultivate a greener, more sustainable future.

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About the Co-Innovation Lab

This solution was designed in a project of the Co-Innovation Lab of Hochschule München guided by the lecturers Prof. Dr. Holger Günzel, Prof. Dr. Lars Brehm, Prof. Dr. Jessica Slamka, Mr. Hans-Jürgen Haak, Ms. Anne Mari Stenbacka and Mr. Jere Käpyaho. The Co-Innovation Lab offers students a virtual platform for learning how to work as a consulting team by creating temporary partnerships between companies, students, and lecturers.

For more information about the Co-Innovation Lab, contact holger.guenzel@hm.edu or lars.brehm@hm.edu.

  • Project results:

EnerWeave: Finding the perfect system for you to optimize energy consumption

CIL projects

Students develop a new application to match a unique set of energy devices with the perfect system to combine them, centralizing energy management and optimizing consumption.

As more homeowners transition to smart homes, the demand for effective Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) has grown significantly. HEMS combine all energy devices, providing a unified energy overview and enabling centralized optimization of energy consumption. However, finding the perfect HEMS that connects individual devices can be complex and time consuming often accompanied by an overwhelming influx of information.

To tackle this challenge, the Co-Innovation Lab, which brings together students from Munich University of Applied Sciences and Tampere University of Applied Sciences, has developed EnerWeave together with SPINE GmbH, a Munich-based clean energy technology start-up. EnerWeave is a user-friendly application that recommends the optimal HEMS based on a household’s individual energy setup.

The application could be launched by SPiNE GmbH. Keep an eye out and give it a try!

The idea was to make it easy for the user to transition to sustainable and cost-effective energy management. By simply selecting the hardware from the list of devices provided, EnerWeave creates a customized overview of the home’s energy setup. It then analyzes this setup and provides real-time recommendations for the most suitable HEMS, highlighting key features and offering a direct link to the recommended system. EnerWeave ensures that the recommended HEMS is compatible with the devices the user already owns, while also helping them plan future hardware purchases based on the supported HEMS ecosystem.

By simply selecting devices from the list, the individual setup can be created for analysis.

“EnerWeave is a great tool for closing the information-gap between HEMS providers and customers / installers in search of a suitable HEMS. The Co-innovation lab has helped us to rapidly design and develop the application. SPiNE is definitely planning to launch and extend this as a product in the near future.” – Cooperation Partner, Dr. Martin Stötzel

EnearWeave was developed in collaboration with 11 students from different countries including Germany, Finland, Czech Republic, India and Mexico. With different academic backgrounds including Business Administration, Digital Technology Management and Computer Science, the students managed to create a high-quality software that matches the vision of SPiNE.

The team (names from left to right and top to bottom): Lilian Gnann, Angelica Bravo, Pranav Deep, Krutika Konwar, Terezie Rajtarova, Anna Kulovuori, Jonna Kyllönen, Sebastian Stumpf, Mikko Pasanen, Aleksi Väätäinen, Otto Melentjeff

The students worked closely with SPiNE’s founders and partners. Direct and regular feedback ensured that the project was adapted to the needs and requirements of the start-up.

About the Co-Innovation Lab

This solution was designed in a project of the Co-Innovation Lab of Hochschule München guided by the lecturers Prof. Dr. Holger Günzel, Prof. Dr. Lars Brehm, Prof. Dr. Jessica Slamka, Mr. Hans-Jürgen Haak, Ms. Anne Mari Stenbacka and Mr. Jere Käpyaho. The Co-Innovation Lab offers students a virtual platform for learning how to work as a consulting team by creating temporary partnerships between companies, students, and lecturers.

For more information about the Co-Innovation Lab, contact holger.guenzel@hm.edu or lars.brehm@hm.edu.

  • Project results:

Launching the intuitive “HM InsightHub” dashboard, enabling access to real-time sensor data at Hochschule München

CIL projects, DTLab_Coop

How can professors and lecturers at Hochschule München (HM) make their teaching more practical? As part of the Co-Innovation Lab (CIL), the project team has transformed the complexity of sensor data collected in the buildings of HM into an intuitive, user-friendly dashboard. By providing quick and effortless access, the team has changed the way lecturers and students interact with real-time data.

Project Kick-Off at Tampere University in Tampere, Finland; f.l.t.r.. Syed Shah Noor Hussain, Josephine Brand, Jesse Schemeikka, Sohaib Raja, Shivani Singh, Sabrina Strughold, Masi Soranummi, Jari Pimiä, Ville Lindgren (Fotograf: Sohaib Raja & Unknown)

Addressing the challenge involves eliminating time-consuming obstacles and bottlenecks faced by HM lecturers and students when retrieving HM’s sensor data. The opportunity lies in enabling educators to autonomously establish an optimal learning environment and allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings, facilitated by the newly introduced HM InsightHub.

As a university of applied sciences, HM offers practice-based programs for global careers. HM InsightHub enables lecturers to easily access and retrieve authentic real-time data for their students to practically learn data science through real projects working with sensor data. Based on the existing infrastructure of sensors, networks and gateways, the team streamlined the various sources into one central dashboard that allows the user to customize and download a dataset based on their needs. In collaboration with the client Prof. Dr. Johannes Ebke of the faculty for Computer Science and potential end users, the team identified the most pressing need. As said by Prof. Dr. Ebke: “By picking this use case, the team has enhanced the software product that I had in mind and made it more useful for everyone.”

During the development phase, the project team ensured that the solution is scalable. In future, the dashboard will be able to be equipped with additional data sources and expanded as required. Furthermore, the data will not only be made available to Munich University of Applied Sciences, but also to other universities to encourage research. Additionally, the team also provided Prof. Dr. Ebke with a mobile webpage that enables him to track sensor health and improves the day-to-day maintenance of the sensors installed at HM.

The cross-cultural team is composed of a group of Master’s students from the Digital Technology Management program at HM as well as Finnish Computer Science students from Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK). The cooperation was not without challenges, because everyone needed some time to warm towards each other, but near the end the team came together as one and leveraged the capabilities of modern technology to enable close communication across the two programs. The team was supported by the course instructors Prof. Dr. Holger Günzel, Prof. Dr. Lars Brehm and Prof. Dr. Slamka, as well as Hans-Jürgen Haak, coach for agile working, as well as Jere Käpyaho and Annemari Stensbacka to ensure the project was a complete success.

About the Digital Innovation Lab and the Co-Innovation Lab

This solution was designed in a joint project between the Digital Transformation Lab and the Co-Innovation Lab of Hochschule München guided by the lecturers Prof. Dr. Holger Günzel, Prof. Dr. Lars Brehm, Prof. Dr. Jessica Slamka, Hans-Jürgen Haak, Jere Käpyhao and Anne Mari Stenbacka (TAMK). The Co-Innovation Lab offers students a virtual platform for learning how to work as a consulting team by creating temporary partnerships between companies, students, and lecturers.

For more information about the Co-Innovation Lab, contact holger.guenzel@hm.edu or lars.brehm@hm.edu.

This Co-Innovation Lab project was carried out in cooperation with the Digital Transformation Lab (DT.Lab) at Munich University of Applied Sciences:

“The Digital Transformation Lab (DT.Lab) at Munich University of Applied Sciences is dedicated to the major social challenges of our time. Together with stakeholders in the private sector, students develop future-oriented solutions. We live digital transformation.”

More information about the Co-Innovation Lab and the Digital Transformation Lab (DT.Lab) at Munich University of Applied Sciences:

Authors: Project team

GreenTect: Securing sustainable construction for education buildings 

CIL projects, DTLab_Coop

In an era marked by environmental consciousness and the pressing need for sustainable solutions, educational institutions are grappling with the challenge of managing their ecological footprint with sustainable construction. Recognizing this imperative, students from Hochschule München and Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) have collaboratively developed a web-based project management solution for sustainable buildings tailored for Solidar Planungswerkstatt to unveil GreenTect—an innovative solution poised to revolutionise how we monitor and enhance sustainability in educational classroom building.

Team members at TAMK campus (from left to right and top to bottom): Matias Karmanto, Niklas Sallinen, Liu Ray Yang, Phu Tran Huynh, Zuhro Begmatova, Antti Hokkinen, Henri Pykäläinen, Thi Nhu Ngoc Pham, Mostafa Elnabarawy, Raghav Mudgil

Time-consuming process and lack of collaborative workflow

The educational project building landscape grapples with three key challenges. Firstly, the task of template selection consumes valuable time, posing a hurdle to efficient project initiation. Second, the fragmentation of project information hampers seamless collaboration among team members, leading to inefficiencies and communication gaps. Third, the search for reliable sustainability criteria resembles a treasure hunt, scattered across various resources. Addressing these challenges requires a strategic solution which simplifies template selection, enhances team collaboration, and consolidates sustainability criteria for educational projects. This integrated approach aims to streamline processes, foster teamwork, and empower decision-makers in the realm of educational project management.

Bridging the Gap with GreenTect 

“Solidar Planungswerkstatt has been at the forefront of sustainable construction, and GreenTect is a testament to their commitment” – Dr. Günter Löhnert, Founder of Solidar Planungswerkstatt

Enter GreenTect—an intelligent, user-friendly platform designed to cultivate sustainability in every aspect of construction projects. Navigating the complexities of educational project management, our web application introduces a transformative solution for sustainability coordinators. 

  • The template builder offers access to a diverse array of pre-designed templates tailored for various sustainability projects. 
  • Robust customization tools empower coordinators to edit templates, ensuring precise alignment with project requirements. 
  • Collaborative document space acts as a shared workspace, facilitating real-time contributions, reviews, and feedback from team members. 

Hence, this trifecta of features creates a centralised hub for streamlining template selection, customization as well as team collaboration for a more efficient and successful journey through the complexities of sustainable educational building projects.“The collaborative effort from the team has yielded a solution with immense potential to transform how we approach sustainability in building projects. I am confident in the positive impact it will bring to the industry.” Dr. Günter Löhnert.

About the Digital Innovation Lab and the Co-Innovation Lab

This solution was designed in a joint project between the Digital Transformation Lab and the Co-Innovation Lab of Hochschule München guided by the lecturers Prof. Dr. Holger Günzel, Prof. Dr. Lars Brehm, Prof. Dr. Jessica Slamka, Hans-Jürgen Haak, Jere Käpyhao and Anne Mari Stenbacka (TAMK). The Co-Innovation Lab offers students a virtual platform for learning how to work as a consulting team by creating temporary partnerships between companies, students, and lecturers.

For more information about the Co-Innovation Lab, contact holger.guenzel@hm.edu or lars.brehm@hm.edu.

This Co-Innovation Lab project was carried out in cooperation with the Digital Transformation Lab (DT.Lab) at Munich University of Applied Sciences:

“The Digital Transformation Lab (DT.Lab) at Munich University of Applied Sciences is dedicated to the major social challenges of our time. Together with stakeholders in the private sector, students develop future-oriented solutions. We live digital transformation.”

More information about the Co-Innovation Lab and the Digital Transformation Lab (DT.Lab) at Munich University of Applied Sciences:

Authors: Project team

Introducing “Ask Binny”: Improving student engagement to ensure waste separation on campus

CIL projects, DTLab_Coop

To ensure the fulfillment of sustainability goals, Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) aims to improve the waste separation of students on campus. Within the context of a Co-Innovation Lab and DTLab project, students from TAMK collaborated with students from Hochschule München (HM) to launch a web application “Ask Binny” aiming to increase student engagement in waste separation.

Screenshot “Ask Binny” (Video created by Yesim Kerim Kaya)

Sustainability in focus

In order to uphold sustainability goals and decrease the cost caused by unsorted waste, a functioning waste management is required at TAMK. Additionally, TAMK is a holder of the Ekokompassi certificate which requires that a certain percentage of all waste on campus is recycled. While the interest in sustainability topics among students is high, unclear instructions contribute to a lack of engagement in waste sorting. This results in incorrect sorting, detracting from TAMKs sustainability efforts.

A simple solution for a complex issue

With the support of facility management in the persons of Silja Kostia and Saana Raatikainen from TAMK, the project team is now introducing “Ask Binny”. The web application offers guidance for students by identifying waste types and offering information on the location of the right bins on campus.  It thereby focuses on eliminating the complexities and unclear instructions that contribute to inefficient waste sorting. The mascot Binny the Bin is designed to simplify the often-complex task of waste sorting for students and improve engagement. With the “Ask Binny” web application, students now have access to centralized information, clarification of where and how to sort, and the confidence to determine the appropriate disposal method for their waste.

Fostering a movement throughout TAMK

“Ask Binny” is already available in building C and targets the most common waste items found on campus. Additionally, the integrated map feature enables students to effortlessly locate the most suitable disposal bins. As the client confirmed, “Ask Binny” is informative in a simple and positive way. It enables TAMK to foster a widespread movement towards sustainable waste management practices as the facility management at TAMK will take over the web application to further develop it.

Introducing Binny the Bin and the “Ask Binny” web application (Picture taken by Chiara Dietz)

One of the main challenges that became initially evident in the context of the project was the necessity of managing the diversity of the team through the usage of clear communication. Because of this, communication channels as well as teamwork schedules were agreed understanding and listening to each of the members involved. This was of utter importance since given the fact that the project was primarily conducted in an online setting most of the job was done on an asynchronous manner. The project demonstrated the vital importance of incorporating diverse cultural insights and varied professional expertise, which collectively contributed to a robust exchange of ideas and substantially enriched the collaborative process. Coordination of team skills toward a common goal in the context of an international IT project proved to be not only the key challenge of the project but also an invaluable learning output for the whole team.

Online Meeting with TAMK clients (Picture taken by Chiara Dietz)

The web application was developed by an international project team consisting of Maria Victoria Bachmann, Ignacio Barraza, Yesim Kerim Kaya, Chiara Dietz (Master students from the DTM-programme) and Moritz Ulsess Bachelor student in Business Administration at HM) and Terhi Järvinen, Ella Kataja, Niko Lähteinen, Jussi Rinta-Kiikka (Bachelor in Computer Science from TAMK).  at HM) and Terhi Järvinen, Ella Kataja, Niko Lähteinen, Jussi Rinta-Kiikka (Bachelor in Computer Science from TAMK). “Ask Binny” was developed in the context of modules of HM and TAMK under Hans-Jürgen Haak, Prof. Dr. Lars Brehm, Prof. Dr. Holger Günzel, Prof.  Dr. Jessica Slamka, Anne-Mari Stenbacka and  Jere Käpyaho.

Get to know more about “Ask Binny” in the following video.

About the Digital Innovation Lab and the Co-Innovation Lab

This solution was designed in a joint project between the Digital Transformation Lab and the Co-Innovation Lab of Hochschule München guided by the lecturers Prof. Dr. Holger Günzel, Prof. Dr. Lars Brehm, Prof. Dr. Jessica Slamka, Hans-Jürgen Haak, Jere Käpyhao and Anne Mari Stenbacka (TAMK). The Co-Innovation Lab offers students a virtual platform for learning how to work as a consulting team by creating temporary partnerships between companies, students, and lecturers.

For more information about the Co-Innovation Lab, contact holger.guenzel@hm.edu or lars.brehm@hm.edu.

This Co-Innovation Lab project was carried out in cooperation with the Digital Transformation Lab (DT.Lab) at Munich University of Applied Sciences:

“The Digital Transformation Lab (DT.Lab) at Munich University of Applied Sciences is dedicated to the major social challenges of our time. Together with stakeholders in the private sector, students develop future-oriented solutions. We live digital transformation.”

More information about the Co-Innovation Lab and the Digital Transformation Lab (DT.Lab) at Munich University of Applied Sciences:

Authors: Chiara Dietz