Digital innovation for people, place and planet is crucial for navigating the challenges of our time. At Calvium, we’re committed to leveraging the power of technology to develop tailored solutions that improve health and wellbeing, environmental sustainability and business resilience.
In this article, I’ll summarise how digital technologies are enhancing these three areas and draw upon some of our digital innovation projects to illustrate real world delivery.
Health and wellbeing in public spaces
Digital placemaking is a positive force for enhancing health and wellbeing in public spaces because it fosters connections, meaningful engagement with places and enhanced accessibility.
From mobile applications on personal devices to interactive displays and smart infrastructure, place-based digital technology facilitates communication, information dissemination and community interaction, thereby enriching place experiences. For instance, digital information on smartphones or street kiosks can provide real-time updates on public transportation schedules or emergency alerts, improving safety and convenience for travellers. They can also tell people about the events and activities going on locally, which creates a deeper connection between people and place, as is the case in Wiltshire, UK.
Digital platforms enable citizens to provide feedback, voice concerns and participate in local decision-making processes, thus fostering a sense of belonging and agency within communities. Accessible digital wayfinding technologies enable an improved experience of transportation systems, making commuting safer and more convenient for all – ultimately enabling social relationships to happen which are so important for people’s health and wellbeing. These few examples illustrate that by leveraging digital innovation, public spaces can become more vibrant, inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs of citizens, ultimately promoting social cohesion and enhancing public health and wellbeing.
Health and wellbeing case studies
NHS: Digital Placemaking Scoping Project
This exploratory research study was undertaken by Calvium on behalf of the NHS North East London. The research explored how digital placemaking can enhance the physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing of North East London’s stakeholder communities. In particular, it revealed how digital placemaking can be incorporated into the strategic planning of future healthcare facilities and their neighbouring public realm.
Through the integration of digital infrastructure such as real-time data analytics and interactive displays, public spaces can be transformed into dynamic environments that cater to the diverse needs of all citizens. Visit Ely uses the latest Place Experience Platform technology, combined with meaningful community engagement, to enhance and expand every person’s experience of the historic city, supporting active travel and pedestrian exploration.
Environmental sustainability
Across the world, digital technology is regarded as a powerful catalyst for advancing environmental sustainability due to its multifaceted capabilities. Firstly, digital tools enable efficient monitoring and management of environmental resources, allowing for real-time data collection and analysis to identify areas of improvement and inform decision-making processes. Secondly, digital technologies enable the development of smart systems and applications that optimise resource utilisation, reduce waste and minimise environmental impact across various sectors, e.g. energy, transportation and agriculture.
Digital platforms also facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing among multidisciplinary stakeholders, which is vital for fostering innovative solutions to complex environmental challenges. As a final example, digital technologies provide powerful tools for data collection, analysis, visualisation and decision support – enabling more informed, transparent and collaborative decision-making processes related to land use. So, all in all, it’s easy to see how digital technology empowers individuals, organisations and governments to implement more effective and sustainable practices, ultimately contributing to a healthier planet for future generations.
Environmental sustainability case studies
Envirocrops.com is a comprehensive online web app enabling users to compare estimated financial and environmental benefits of growing biomass crops. Land stewards can easily explore the suitability of growing various biomass crops via a calculator, a game and connecting to others in the industry through a supplier directory.
The Environment Agency’s new innovative digital spatial planning product is a ‘scenario generation’ tool that supports decisions about suitable locations for new habitat or woodland creation on agricultural land. Calvium were commissioned to conduct a market exploration of the tool, to support the next phase of development.
Business resilience
Digital technology has long been recognised as a vital factor for advancing business resilience, primarily due to its ability to support organisational adaptability, agility and continuity in the face of disruption. By leveraging digital tools and platforms, businesses can streamline operations, optimise their supply chains and automate processes, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing vulnerability to external shocks. In addition, with most organisations operating in uncertain business environments, digital technologies enable predictive analytics and scenario planning functionality, which allows businesses to anticipate and mitigate potential risks more effectively. Finally, as we discovered during the pandemic, digital solutions enable remote work capabilities, facilitating communication and collaboration regardless of physical location; this is now a key part of everyday working for many, including Team Calvium.
By embracing digital transformation, organisations can design and build systems to withstand and recover from various challenges, thus ensuring long-term resilience and success in an increasingly dynamic and uncertain world.
Business resilience case studies
Doc2Data enables PDFs and scans to be added to an existing digital filing system, to be stored alongside other secure data, and made searchable – e.g. by title, date and signatories. It works by taking a scan or PDF and identifying part of the document, which specified users can then confirm (in a highly secure industry like aerospace and defence, being able to confirm accuracy is essential). The key advantage of Doc2Data is that it can be integrated with existing systems to maintain existing security restrictions, process requirements and data storage security. Read more on how bespoke solutions can support businesses evolve.
reyda is an enhanced asset management tool, enabling the tracking, locating and tracing of components. In addition to real-time monitoring of stock levels and locations, it aids regulation compliance through supporting attachment of additional specifications and documentation to individual assets. The cloud-based platform enables full asset lifecycle tracking, from asset configuration, purchasing and warehouse management, through production, to aftermarket sales and services. This life-long component traceability supports adherence to compliance and statutory requirements.
Conclusion
Clearly, digital innovation plays a crucial role in addressing the pressing challenges of our time. This article has showcased real-world examples of just some of the digital innovation projects we deliver for clients and summarised: digital placemaking to enhance health and wellbeing in public spaces; advancing environmental sustainability through smart systems and applications, and bolstering business resilience through streamlined operations and responsive systems.
By embracing digital innovation, organisations can not only thrive amidst uncertainty but also contribute to building a brighter and more sustainable future for all!
