Byappen a democracy issue in Veberöd
Smart Villages Veberöd is testing various digital solutions with sensors, platforms and other new technologies at a rapid pace. The tests are carried out in collaboration with interested villagers and in return residents get the opportunity to see statistics, for example about speeds and the number of road users.
Veberöd is now working on three collaborative projects. Recently, the project was started Living Labs Smart Communities there Lund Municipality, Region Skåne, Iot Sweden and Future by Lund are working together to make Veberöd an opportunity for municipalities to benefit from their own and others' sensor tests. At the same time, the Byproject is also being implemented, in which Lund Municipality will use Veberöd for the co-creation of local, digital and physical meeting places at the district and village level, for increased participation, engagement and trust. In May, the Dyna city project will start, which will create a collaborative and data-driven process that gives citizens more opportunity to participate in urban planning. All this contributes to the fact that Smarta Byar is now launching a byapp called Veberod.nu.
- The aim is to explore how smart solutions can be used to benefit residents, says Henrietta Sjöberg, strategist in green and digital transformation at Smart Villages. We want to both start a citizen dialogue and share data. We see this as an opportunity to make a big difference and hope that villagers will see the app as a platform that suits them.
Since March 2026, the app is available to download for free for iPhone, and for those who have Android, it is available through a web application. The app already has a number of features, such as the ability to take note of news, company offers and to look in an event calendar and on an association bulletin board. Through a loan shed it is possible to borrow or lend gadgets and in the future the associations will have more space. For those who want to be healthy, there is the opportunity to participate in tip walks or to call for walking company.
- We are a testing platform that shares the process and releases bit by bit as we get done, continues Henrietta Sjöberg. A number of ideas are now waiting for us in the spring, where we together with different groups will work out what is important to bring. It will be my role to explore ideas, interests and needs.
Already, you can load personal sensor data into the app and choose who you want to share the data with. This means that, for example, one can share data about where the cat with the sensor in the collar is with the neighbor but can choose to share the location data of a missing bike with the entire village. In addition, the data created by Smart Villages on traffic, noise and air quality are available.
- There is also a dialogue with a strategist in the communications department at Lund Municipality in order for the municipality to become an active sender of community information.
In the future, push notifications with socially important information will also be sent directly in the app. The app has the ability to be a communication channel even in various crisis situations and can show where there are shelters and defibrillators. Already today they are testing sending VMAs through the app.
There is also a thought to make Veberöd a test site for digital building permit management. With the help of AR, the person holding their mobile phone against certain surfaces will be able to see building plans for the area or choose to examine where plot boundaries go.
An important feature of the app will be a citizen dialogue. It is not yet clear how the dialogue will take place, but the idea is that it should be something other than social media. One possibility is to use polls dealing with the local environment to find out what the villagers think and want.
Now Henrietta Sjöberg and the others at Smarta Villages hope that they will bring many of the residents to the village.
- People have heard of us but don't really know what we do. I would like to say to them that we create benefits for residents through smart sustainable technologies to create utility in everyday life, but also the issue of democracy is important so that residents actually feel that they can make their voice heard.
Date of meetings about byapp:
April 16: Seniors, 17-6:30 p.m.
April 23: Parents children 0-10 years, 17-18.30
May 6: Open Ideas Evening at 18-20
May 13: Open Ideas Evening at 18-20
More about Smart Villages
It all started in 2008 with a website, veberod.nu, which Tim Malmgren was the initiator of when he was in middle school. The website linked the town's businesses and the villagers into a village community. Then Tim's dad Jan Malmgren took it further by connecting the website with work with IoT technology in Smart Villages. In Veberöd, the connection of the cows water shed, the village stream, bicycles and the preschool gate have been examples of how a village can benefit from sensors in ways other than a city.
Now Smarta Villages has a room in central Veberöd with space to receive groups in the recycling chairs from a district court and a coffee machine that is prepared.