CHALLENGE
Senior citizens are vulnerable to the harmful effects of extreme heat during the summertime.
Urbanage is a European project focusing on improving the life quality of senior citizens, based on smart city data. One of the Urbanage initiatives is to detect comfortable, shadow rich places inside the city.
It was challenging to find the suitable data layers and software to make these simulations. But the main challenge will be to customise this information and make it relevant and easily understandable for the senior citizens community.
STATUS : started
LOCATION : Belgium, Ghent
TARGET AUDIENCE : citizens of Ghent
APPROACH
Based on the terrain data and the spread of trees and buildings, the shadow impact can be simulated perfectly at different time intervals during the day and for each day of the year by using our map viewer. Check out the “how to use” section and try it yourself.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
Starting from today, senior citizens of the city of Ghent can see where they can find refreshing, shadow-rich areas inside the city on extremely hot summer days. They can investigate easily at what time their favourite bench will be covered by the shadows of nearby trees and buildings.
We warmly invite all citizens of Ghent to locate and comment on their favourite public spot in the city to rest during hot summer days.
Click the green button at the bottom of this box to see the 3D map of Ghent with buildings and trees. Use the navigation wheel to find your location in the city and look for your favourite spot.
At the right side of to the navigation wheel, you find a slider with a small wrench icon underneath, as indicated by the blue arrow in the image below. Click this icon.
An extra window appears. Here you can select the moment of the day and the day of the year for which you want to see a shadow impact simulation by moving the sliders shown in following image.
Please share your favourite location by leaving a comment. Click the “comments” button of the main menu and fill out your e-mail address for security reasons. After you can explore comments of other citizens and you can spot & comment your own favourite summertime location.
We used the terrain data, the LOD-2 buildings (with standard roof structures) and information about tree implantation inside the city.
No models were used for this case.
Video
Hi SmartFlanders peeps!
Hi Gert.
hi