Researchers affiliated with the Technical University of Munich have successfully pioneered the most comprehensive digital representation of the planet’s built environment, introducing highly detailed three-dimensional datasets encompassing 2.75 billion structures globally. This worldwide compendium, dubbed the GlobalBuildingAtlas, establishes a vital foundation for advancing climate research and facilitating the realization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Led by Professor Xiaoxiang Zhu, head of the Data Science in Earth Observation department, the initiative leverages satellite imagery captured in 2019. The resulting map boasts a resolution thirty times greater than earlier worldwide charts, which had cataloged roughly 1.7 billion constructions. Within this atlas, every edifice is rendered digitally at a 3 by 3 meter resolution, permitting sufficiently accurate assessments of its height, volume, and structural density. A notable distinction of this novel map is its inclusion of territories previously underrepresented in digital mapping systems, specifically covering Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and rural regions across the globe. As Professor Zhu elaborated, three-dimensional building data offers a far more precise insight into urbanization dynamics and poverty levels compared to two-dimensional maps, as it captures not only the footprint but also the vertical mass of each structure. A significant development introduced is the metric of “building volume per capita”—a worldwide indicator quantifying the total structural mass attributable to each individual, thereby exposing socioeconomic disparities. This information is intended to serve as an exact baseline for urban development planning and oversight, aiding cities in fostering more equitable and sustainable living conditions, such as by directing housing or public facility construction toward densely populated and underserved areas. Furthermore, the map is indispensable for climate adaptation efforts, enhancing models for energy consumption, calculating CO2 output, and strategizing green infrastructure deployment, in addition to supporting disaster risk reduction through more rapid hazard assessment. The dataset has already garnered considerable attention within the scientific community. The German Aerospace Center is currently examining its potential deployment within the International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters,’ an organization that coordinates satellite data for worldwide emergency response operations.
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