Panel II: Case Studies on Dynamic Data Collection and Mapping Projects for Urban Developing Communities
Kellie Stokes, Yale University; Dr. Reinhard Goethart, MIT; Gabriel Moreno, Harvard University; Kirstin Miller, Ecocity Builders; moderated by Dr. Faith Sternlieb, Colorado State University
Kellie Stokes, Yale University - In the last 50 years, global urban populations have increased by 3 billion, and an additional 2.5 billion urban residents are expected by 2050. Critical to predicting the impact of urbanization on environmental and development outcomes, is to understand how urban areas are changing. Land use science has significantly added to our knowledge of urban expansion and its impact on non-urban landscapes, such as agriculture and forests. However, to understand how urbanization will effect emissions and vulnerability, change within urban areas must be monitored. In this talk, we discuss the potential of new spatio-temporal remote-sensing data to describe the dynamics of the built environments, energy infrastructure, and activities within urban areas. Applying novel satellite sensors and techniques such as SeaWinds, DMSP-OLS, and Suomi-NPP VIIRS, we present two recent analyses that characterize long-term and short-term patterns of urban change in developing countries. We discuss how these analyses add to our knowledge of the social, political, and cultural activities that shape energy consumption and vulnerability.
Dr. Reinhard Goethart, MIT - Satellite and drone images provide the framework for detailed community surveys in rapidly developing contexts. Examples will be shown from Tsunami rebuilding in Banda Aceh, Egyptian self-built housing projects, recent Louisiana coast line experimentation, and ongoing work in Quito.
Gabriel Moreno, Harvard University
Kirstin Miller, Ecocity Builders - This presentation will introduce an interdisciplinary, educational and participatory approach to neighborhood and city-level data collection, management and visualization that supports community-led strategies for urban sustainability and resilience. Highlighted will be processes that integrate environmental, social and economic data for an urban area and its surrounding region, providing a common visual language that facilitates discussion between local stakeholders and government agencies. Current Latin American case studies under the Office of the Geographer’s Secondary Cities Program will be showcased, including a low income community of Medellin, Colombia, and an historic neighborhood in Cusco, Peru. Topics covered will include a discussion of mapping technologies selected and piloted and their advantages and disadvantages, the challenges and successes of participatory mapping in the case study locations, and conclusions drawn thus far from the experience.