Water analytics and management with real-time linked dataspaces

Abstract

Due to predictions of water scarcity in the future, governments and public administrations are increasingly looking for innovative solutions to improve water governance and conservation. The problem is exasperated due to low levels of awareness about water consumption among the general public. This calls for a holistic approach to effectively manage resources during all stages of water usage. Implementation of such an approach heavily relies on advanced analytics technologies that combine data from different sources to enable decision support and public engagement. The next-generation of water information management systems must overcome significant technical challenges including integration of heterogeneous and real-time data, creation of analytical models for diverse users, and exploitation of ubiquitous devices to disseminate actionable information. This chapter presents a new approach for water analytics in public spaces that is built upon the fundamental concepts of Linked Data technologies. The chapter also presents a concrete realization of the Linked Data approach through the development of water analytics applications for buildings in public educational institutions.