Skip to main content
Brussels Capital-Region - Homepage

From data to decision-making: how Brussels is shaping the city of tomorrow

Faced with the growing complexity of urban challenges (increasing traffic density, infrastructure safety, the climate emergency), the challenge for public authorities is to move from ‘reactive’ management to data-driven management. The aim is no longer simply to repair the consequences of incidents, but to understand their causes in order to better anticipate them.

Published on

However, a region cannot cover every square metre with sensors to measure everything. To succeed, it must broaden its scope and collaborate with strategic partners (insurers, network managers, mobility operators) who hold valuable sector-specific data.

By transforming these streams of raw figures into clear indicators, data becomes the compass for policy decisions, enabling resources to be allocated where they have a real and measurable impact on the quality of life of Brussels residents.

Urban Data: insurance as a lever for prevention

The Urban Data initiative, developed by Ethias, perfectly embodies this shift. Traditionally, the insurer’s role begins after a claim. Now, it moves upstream to become a partner in prevention. By compiling and anonymizing thousands of data points (in accordance with the GDPR), the platform offers decision-makers a unique cartographic overview to:

  • Target priority areas: identify at a glance the streets with the highest accident rates, areas prone to theft or neighbourhoods vulnerable to fires;
  • Demonstrate the effectiveness of infrastructure improvements: in Liège, for example, the figures validated the construction of a new roundabout by showing a dramatic drop in collisions on a historically problematic road;
  • Assess return on investment (ROI): by cross-referencing this data with that from the “SPW Agriculture”, Natural Resources and the Environment, it is possible to measure whether drainage works actually reduce flood-related costs, thereby justifying the use of public funds.

An ecosystem supporting resilience

Urban Data forms part of a wider ecosystem where other platforms are already helping public authorities to anticipate crises.

  • Climate: solutions such as AXA Climate or Copernicus model urban heat islands;
  • Mobility: TomTom City and HERE Technologies analyze traffic flows to identify mobility hotspots;
  • Street usage: systems such as Telraam or Flowbird provide a granular view of parking and active transport modes.

The challenge is to break down silos to provide city managers with a panoramic view.

In Brussels, concrete examples are already in operation

The Brussels Region is already actively using data to transform the day-to-day management of public spaces:

  • Predictive mobility: via the DataHub, the Region identifies travel patterns and, using intelligent models, distinguishes between a simple sensor failure and a genuine traffic jam;
  • Energy transition: partnerships with Sibelga and Brussels Environment enable the deployment of electric charging points to be managed according to the actual needs of local authorities;
  • Cleanliness and maintenance: analyzing reports on the FixMyStreet app helps optimize field patrols and prioritize monitoring of fly-tipping hotspots.

A smoother, more sustainable Region

In Brussels, the foundations have been laid to move from isolated projects to an integrated vision where every piece of information contributes to a more efficient, safer and more protective city.

We invite regional administrations and partners to contact Paradigm via their account manager to explore these opportunities with our teams. 

Our mission is to transform your data into concrete levers for action for the benefit of all Brussels residents.

Back to top