EdgePoint Partners with Pessl Instruments for City Climate Monitoring

Penang, Malaysia – September 19, 2022 – EdgePoint Infrastructure (“EdgePoint”), a leading ASEAN-based independent telecommunications infrastructure company is partnering with Pessl Instruments GmbH (Pessl Instruments) to roll out a climate monitoring network, beginning with a pilot project in Penang. EdgePoint – via EdgePoint Towers Sdn Bhd, its operating entity in Malaysia, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Austria-based Pessl Instruments to deploy a network of proprietary meteorological devices for city climate monitoring, supported by EdgePoint’s on-ground presence for site acquisition and management.

The pilot rollout – introduced via a Data-as-a-Service model, will be centred in Georgetown involving a minimum of six strategically located sites, serving as proof of concept ahead of potential expansion across multiple cities. Starting with a six-month evaluation period, the project aims to determine the optimal equipment rollout to precisely measure, forecast, and model city climate in real time and for future scenarios, to create a reliable information basis for potential use by city planners, decision makers, and residents.

“At EdgePoint, we are firm believers in the value of optimising telecommunications infrastructure to support next generation technology such as IoT-based systems that can improve data collection and decision making. Thus, we are very pleased to collaborate with Pessl Instruments to trial their climate monitoring network in a tropical country for the first time. In this era of ever-increasing pressures from climate change, it is crucial for everyone to act proactively in strategically bringing together their resources, to contribute towards mitigating climate impact. With our network of telecom structures, especially in dense urban locations, we are well-placed to support the placement of Pessl Instruments’ monitoring devices in the most effective locations. By commencing a proof-of-concept study, we hope to get the buy-in from the authorities to implement the climate monitoring system across cities,” commented Muniff Kamaruddin, Chief Executive Officer of EdgePoint Towers Sdn Bhd.

Bringing effective climate monitoring to the tropics

Pessl Instruments offers a complete range of wireless, solar powered monitoring systems applicable in all climate zones, for a variety of industries and purposes – from agriculture to research, hydrology, meteorology, flood warnings, and more. The pilot project in Penang will see the application of its new method of monitoring and managing city climate risks in an equatorial climate. The method was developed in partnership with Meteoblue from Switzerland and previously trialled in Europe in Zurich, Basel, and Tallinn.

Pessl Instruments’ city climate monitoring system enables governments to address a range of pressing urban challenges, such as heat wave management, flood warnings, and air pollution assessment, allowing for real-time climate monitoring and the modelling of climate change and city planning scenarios. In turn, the urban authorities can more effectively modify city infrastructure to mitigate climate challenges, disseminate accurate and effective forecasts and warnings on weather impact to keep residents safe and protect infrastructure and resources, while longer term data collection and scenario modelling can inform decision-making by city planners.

Vishnu Nair, Regional Director for Asia Pacific, Pessl Instruments added, “IoT solutions such as the meteorological monitoring system we are rolling out in Penang in partnership with EdgePoint are gamechangers for towns and urban areas. With urbanisation rising globally and the impact of climate change hitting harder than ever, especially in densely populated urban environments, having the right data to support sustainable development practices and efficient management in all aspects of city living is essential. When applied optimally, IoT systems can help cities improve distribution of resources and services, activate emergency responses at critical junctures, and even improve environmental quality.”