IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i10p6149-d818608.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Mapping Pervious Surfaces and Canopy Cover Using High-Resolution Airborne Imagery and Digital Elevation Models to Support Urban Planning

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Codemo

    (Department of Civil Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy)

  • Angelica Pianegonda

    (Department of Civil Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy)

  • Marco Ciolli

    (Department of Civil Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy)

  • Sara Favargiotti

    (Department of Civil Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy)

  • Rossano Albatici

    (Department of Civil Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy)

Abstract

Urban green infrastructure (UGI) has a key role in improving human and environmental health in cities and contributes to several services related to climate adaptation. Accurate localization and quantification of pervious surfaces and canopy cover are envisaged to implement UGI, address sustainable spatial planning, and include adaptation and mitigation strategies in urban planning practices. This study aims to propose a simple and replicable process to map pervious surfaces and canopy cover and to investigate the reliability and the potential planning uses of UGI maps. The proposed method combines the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), extracted from high-resolution airborne imagery (0.20 m), with digital elevation models to map pervious surfaces and canopy cover. The approach is tested in the Municipality of Trento, Italy, and, according to a random sampling validation, has an accuracy exceeding 80%. The paper provides a detailed map of green spaces in the urban areas, describing quantity and distribution, and proposes a synthesis map expressed as a block-level degree of pervious surfaces and canopy cover to drive urban transformations. The proposed approach constitutes a useful tool to geovisualize critical areas and to compare levels of pervious surfaces and canopy cover in the municipal area. Acknowledging the role of green areas in the urban environment, the paper examines the potential applications of the maps in the policy cycle, such as land use management and monitoring, and in climate-related practices, and discusses their integration into the current planning tools to shift towards performative rather than prescriptive planning.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Codemo & Angelica Pianegonda & Marco Ciolli & Sara Favargiotti & Rossano Albatici, 2022. "Mapping Pervious Surfaces and Canopy Cover Using High-Resolution Airborne Imagery and Digital Elevation Models to Support Urban Planning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-21, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:10:p:6149-:d:818608
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/10/6149/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/10/6149/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anastasia Nikologianni & Alessandro Betta & Angelica Pianegonda & Sara Favargiotti & Kathryn Moore & Nick Grayson & Elisa Morganti & Martin Berg & Anna Ternell & Marco Ciolli & Michela Angeli & Anders, 2020. "New Integrated Approaches to Climate Emergency Landscape Strategies: The Case of Pan-European SATURN Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-11, October.
    2. Zardo, L. & Geneletti, D. & Pérez-Soba, M. & Van Eupen, M., 2017. "Estimating the cooling capacity of green infrastructures to support urban planning," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 26(PA), pages 225-235.
    3. Guglielmo Pristeri & Francesca Peroni & Salvatore Eugenio Pappalardo & Daniele Codato & Anna Giulia Castaldo & Antonio Masi & Massimo De Marchi, 2020. "Mapping and Assessing Soil Sealing in Padua Municipality through Biotope Area Factor Index," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-21, June.
    4. Francesca Peroni & Guglielmo Pristeri & Daniele Codato & Salvatore Eugenio Pappalardo & Massimo De Marchi, 2019. "Biotope Area Factor: An Ecological Urban Index to Geovisualize Soil Sealing in Padua, Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Zhenfeng Shao & Lin Ding & Deren Li & Orhan Altan & Md. Enamul Huq & Congmin Li, 2020. "Exploring the Relationship between Urbanization and Ecological Environment Using Remote Sensing Images and Statistical Data: A Case Study in the Yangtze River Delta, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-28, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mara Ottoboni & Salvatore Eugenio Pappalardo & Massimo De Marchi & Fabrizio Ungaro, 2023. "Characterization and Mapping of Public and Private Green Areas in the Municipality of Forlì (NE Italy) Using High-Resolution Images," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, March.
    2. Constantinos A. Balaras & Andreas I. Theodoropoulos & Elena G. Dascalaki, 2023. "Geographic Information Systems for Facilitating Audits of the Urban Built Environment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-26, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Angelica Pianegonda & Sara Favargiotti & Marco Ciolli, 2022. "Rural–Urban Metabolism: A Methodological Approach for Carbon-Positive and Circular Territories," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-16, October.
    2. Evan Elderbrock & Chris Enright & Kathryn A. Lynch & Alexandra R. Rempel, 2020. "A Guide to Public Green Space Planning for Urban Ecosystem Services," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-23, October.
    3. Berglihn, Elisabeth Cornelia & Gómez-Baggethun, Erik, 2021. "Ecosystem services from urban forests: The case of Oslomarka, Norway," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    4. Brzoska, P. & Grunewald, K. & Bastian, O., 2021. "A multi-criteria analytical method to assess ecosystem services at urban site level, exemplified by two German city districts," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    5. Alessio Russo & Wing Tung Chan & Giuseppe T. Cirella, 2021. "Estimating Air Pollution Removal and Monetary Value for Urban Green Infrastructure Strategies Using Web-Based Applications," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-17, July.
    6. Can Yang & Tianxing Wei & Yiran Li, 2022. "Simulation and Spatio-Temporal Variation Characteristics of LULC in the Context of Urbanization Construction and Ecological Restoration in the Yellow River Basin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-19, January.
    7. Luca Battisti & Lauranne Pille & Thomas Wachtel & Federica Larcher & Ina Säumel, 2019. "Residential Greenery: State of the Art and Health-Related Ecosystem Services and Disservices in the City of Berlin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-20, March.
    8. Maria Susana Orta Ortiz & Davide Geneletti, 2018. "Assessing Mismatches in the Provision of Urban Ecosystem Services to Support Spatial Planning: A Case Study on Recreation and Food Supply in Havana, Cuba," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-21, June.
    9. Marika Tomasi & Sara Favargiotti & Martina van Lierop & Lorenzo Giovannini & Andrea Zonato, 2021. "Verona Adapt. Modelling as a Planning Instrument: Applying a Climate-Responsive Approach in Verona, Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-28, June.
    10. Silvia Croce & Elisa D’Agnolo & Mauro Caini & Rossana Paparella, 2021. "The Use of Cool Pavements for the Regeneration of Industrial Districts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-24, June.
    11. Mara Ottoboni & Salvatore Eugenio Pappalardo & Massimo De Marchi & Fabrizio Ungaro, 2023. "Characterization and Mapping of Public and Private Green Areas in the Municipality of Forlì (NE Italy) Using High-Resolution Images," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, March.
    12. Marando, Federica & Salvatori, Elisabetta & Sebastiani, Alessandro & Fusaro, Lina & Manes, Fausto, 2019. "Regulating Ecosystem Services and Green Infrastructure: assessment of Urban Heat Island effect mitigation in the municipality of Rome, Italy," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 392(C), pages 92-102.
    13. Jinlong Chen & Zhonglei Yu & Mengxia Li & Xiao Huang, 2023. "Assessing the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Vegetation Coverage in Urban Built-Up Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, January.
    14. Florian Reinwald & Christiane Brandenburg & Anna Gabor & Peter Hinterkörner & Astrid Kainz & Florian Kraus & Zita Ring & Bernhard Scharf & Tanja Tötzer & Doris Damyanovic, 2021. "Multi-Level Toolset for Steering Urban Green Infrastructure to Support the Development of Climate-Proofed Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-23, November.
    15. Haixia Zhao & Binjie Gu & Jinding Fan & Junqi Wang & Liancong Luo, 2023. "Socioeconomic Factors Influence the Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Blue–Green Infrastructure Demand: A Case of Nanjing City," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-20, February.
    16. Yanru Zhou & Zhe Feng & Kaiji Xu & Kening Wu & Hong Gao & Peijia Liu, 2023. "Ecosystem Service Flow Perspective of Urban Green Land: Spatial Simulation and Driving Factors of Cooling Service Flow," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-16, August.
    17. Sajjad Hussain & Linlin Lu & Muhammad Mubeen & Wajid Nasim & Shankar Karuppannan & Shah Fahad & Aqil Tariq & B. G. Mousa & Faisal Mumtaz & Muhammad Aslam, 2022. "Spatiotemporal Variation in Land Use Land Cover in the Response to Local Climate Change Using Multispectral Remote Sensing Data," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-19, April.
    18. Shiguang Shen & Chengcheng Wu & Zhenyu Gai & Chenjing Fan, 2023. "Analysis of the Spatiotemporal Evolution of the Net Carbon Sink Efficiency and Its Influencing Factors at the City Level in Three Major Urban Agglomerations in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-18, January.
    19. Picchi, Paolo & van Lierop, Martina & Geneletti, Davide & Stremke, Sven, 2019. "Advancing the relationship between renewable energy and ecosystem services for landscape planning and design: A literature review," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 241-259.
    20. Tao Wu & Zhaoyi Wang & Qiang Xu, 2024. "Spatio-Temporal Heterogeneity of the Urban Heat Effect and Its Socio-Ecological Drivers in Yangzhou City, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-16, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:10:p:6149-:d:818608. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.