Global Building Atlas: Explore Every Structure on Earth with Ease
From the towering skyscrapers of Shanghai to the historic homes of Edinburgh, users can now explore every building worldwide with a simple click, thanks to the new Global Building Atlas.
This extensive project, developed by researchers at the Technical University of Munich TUM in Germany, includes over one billion additional buildings compared to the largest previous database. It offers a three-dimensional representation of each structure with an accuracy that is thirty times greater than similar databases.
* How Was It Created?
The researchers utilized approximately 800,000 satellite images from 2019, combined with artificial intelligence algorithms to predict missing buildings based on the heights of neighboring structures.
This integration of laser data, satellite measurements, and AI facilitated the creation of a comprehensive three-dimensional map of the entire planet.
* Why Is This Important?
_ It provides an accurate understanding of urban growth, living conditions, and poverty levels.
_ It allows anyone to locate their home or explore any place in the world simply by entering an address into the website's search bar.
_ It supports social and economic research by measuring building size per person, offering insights into living standards.
* Notable Figures
• The atlas includes 2.75 billion buildings globally.
• Asia leads with 1.22 billion buildings, followed by Africa with 540 million and Europe with 403 million.
• North and South America have 295 million and 264 million buildings respectively, while Oceania has less than 14 million.
• Finland ranks highest in Europe for building volume per person at over 3,900 cubic meters, while Greece ranks lowest due to economic stagnation.
* Scientific and Practical Applications:
• Urban development and planning studies.
• Identification of vulnerable areas to aid in relief efforts.
• Assistance for governments in planning housing and public facilities in the most needy regions.
Since its launch, the website has recorded over 280 thousand visits, reflecting growing global interest, although loading times may be slow due to high traffic.
The Global Building Atlas transforms the way we discover the world from a standard map into a genuine three-dimensional experience of every building on Earth.
