Introductory Chapter: Spatial Analysis, Modelling, and Planning

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Exploratory analysis of LiDAR data in urban areas: the case of Faro Island in Southern Portugal

Peer Reviewe

Dasymetric mapping using UAV high resolution 3D data within urban areas

UID/SOC/04647/2019Multi-temporal analysis of census small-area microdata is hampered by the fact that census tract shapes do not often coincide between census exercises. Dasymetric mapping techniques provide a workaround that is nonetheless highly dependent on the quality of ancillary data. The objectives of this work are to: (1) Compare the use of three spatial techniques for the estimation of population according to census tracts: Areal interpolation and dasymetric mapping using control data-building block area (2D) and volume (3D); (2) demonstrate the potential of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology for the acquisition of control data; (3) perform a sensitivity analysis using Monte Carlo simulations showing the effect of changes in building block volume (3D information) in population estimates. The control data were extracted by a (semi)-automatic solution-3DEBP (3D extraction building parameters) developed using free open source software (FOSS) tools. The results highlight the relevance of 3D for the dasymetric mapping exercise, especially if the variations in height between building blocks are significant. Using low-cost UAV backed systems with a FOSS-only computing framework also proved to be a competent solution with a large scope of potential applications.publishersversionpublishe

Are they sustainable?

DL 57/2016/CP1453/CT0105 SFRH/BD/61544/2009 UIDB/04647/2020 UIDP/04647/2020In this study, past and current land-use and land-cover (LULC) change trajectories between 1947 and 2018 were analysed in terms of sustainability using a unique set of nine detailed, high-precision LULC thematic maps for the municipality of Portimão (Algarve region), Portugal. Several Geographic Information System (GIS)-based spatial analysis techniques were used to process LULC data and assess the spatiotemporal dynamics of LULC change processes. The dynamics of LULC change were explored by analysing LULC change trajectories. In addition, spatial pattern metrics were introduced to further investigate and quantify the spatial patterns of such LULC change trajectories. The findings show that Portimão has been experiencing complex LULC changes. Nearly 52% of the study area has undergone an LULC change at least once during the 71-year period. The analysis of spatial pattern metrics on LULC change trajectories confirmed the emergence of more complex, dispersed, and fragmented shapes when patches of land were converted from non-built categories into artificial surface categories from 1947 to 2018. The combined analysis of long-term LULC sequences by means of LULC change trajectories and spatial pattern metrics provided useful, actionable, and robust empirical information that can support sustainable spatial planning and smart growth, which is much needed since the results of this study have shown that the pattern of LULC change trajectories in Portimão municipality has been heading towards unsustainability.publishersversionpublishe

Disparities in geographical access to hospitals in Portugal

UIDB/04647/2020 UIDP/04647/2020 UIDB/04084/2020Geographical accessibility to health care services is widely accepted as relevant to improve population health. However, measuring it is very complex, mainly when applied at administrative levels that go beyond the small-area level. This is the case in Portugal, where the municipality is the administrative level that is most appropriate for implementing policies to improve the access to those services. The aim of this paper is to assess whether inequalities in terms of access to a hospital in Portugal have improved over the last 20 years. A population-weighted driving time was applied using the census tract population, the roads network, the reference hospitals' catchment area and the municipality boundaries. The results show that municipalities are 25 min away from the hospital-3 min less than in 1991-and that there is an association with premature mortality, elderly population and population density. However, disparities between municipalities are still huge. Municipalities with higher rates of older populations, isolated communities or those located closer to the border with Spain face harder challenges and require greater attention from local administration. Since municipalities now have responsibilities for health, it is important they implement interventions at the local level to tackle disparities impacting access to healthcare.publishersversionpublishe

Evaluating the Impact of the Urban Requalification Project of Praça Duque De Saldanha and Avenida Da República in Lisbon

UID/SOC/04647/2013 SFRH/BPD/76893/2011In dense urban areas, reducing traffic and increasing green areas is foreseen as a way of promoting urban comfort. Using the urban requalification project for Lisbon’s Avenidas Novas neighbourhood as a case study, the effects of vegetation on microclimate and urban comfort are evaluated. In this context, the ENVI-met software is used to model the present and the future urban scenario. The simulation results indicate: i) increased urban comfort in the morning and in the afternoon resulting from the decrease in temperature due to the presence of new green areas foreseen by the urban project; ii) a reduction of up to 3 degrees in the morning (9h) and up to 3 degrees in the afternoon (15h); iii) the model implemented in ENVI-met suits the urban and environmental characteristics of Lisbon and it is, therefore, desirable that future urban rehabilitation projects should consider ex ante simulation of this typepublishersversionpublishe

Improving the planning of public facilities: considering the spatio-temporal distribution of population

This study employs a dasymetric mapping approach for modeling and mapping of the spatio-temporal distribution of population at high resolution in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, Portugal, and concerns its use for territorial planning. The objective is to introduce nighttime and daytime population densities and to demonstrate the usefulness and importance of considering the dynamics of population change in the daily cycle in the process of planning public facilities.Peer Reviewe

Modeling Photovoltaic Potential for Bus Shelters on a City-Scale: a case study in Lisbon

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development set 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These include ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all (SGD7) and making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable (SGD11). Thus, across the globe, major cities are moving in the smart city direction, by, for example, incorporating photovoltaics (PV), electric buses and sensors to improve public transportation. We study the concept of integrated PV bus stop shelters for the city of Lisbon. We identified the suitable locations for these, with respect to solar exposure, by using a Geographic Information System (GIS) solar radiation map. Then, using proxies to describe tourist and commuter demand, we determined that 54% of all current city bus stop shelters have the potential to receive PV-based solutions. Promoting innovative solutions such as this one will support smart mobility and urban sustainability while increasing quality of life, the ultimate goal of the Smart Cities movementinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Great Lisbon Metropolitan Area land use/cover characterization through multi-temporal and multi-resolution VIS components analysis

Urban environments are heterogeneous by nature. Hence, to allow quantitative studies it is necessary to simplify them in combinations of basic land use/cover materials. The Ridd’s VIS model (1995) is a conceptual representation that allows simplifying urban environments through the combination of three basic components: vegetation (V), impervious surface (I), and soil (S). More recently, Lu and Weng (Lu & Weng 2004) successfully tested a new combination (vegetation, impervious surface and shadow), more adapted to urban reality. The majority of urban uses can be interpreted as a combination of those three basic components. The VIS analysis allows to disclose that the mainstream of urban features has its own VIS signature, which is difficult to detect through pixel-by-pixel based classifiers. This work examines the land use/cover characteristics of the Great Lisbon Metropolitan Area (GAML) using sub-pixel classification techniques, mainly linear spectral unmixing (LSU), developing a conceptual model to characterize the occupation standards. The LSU ability to measure the physical composition of urban morphology is also explored and tested. In this work we use Landsat 5 TM multispectral images (1987 and 1997), Landsat 7 ETM+ panchromatic and multispectral images (2000) and SPOT 5 HRVIR panchromatic (2.5 m supermode pixel size) and multispectral images (2004), evaluating at the same time the land use/cover signatures evolution and the effect of spatial resolution differences on the same signatures measurements.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cartografia de uso do solo em ambiente urbano análise orientada por objecto de imagens Quickbird

LAND USE MAPPING OF URBAN AREAS USING OBJECT-ORIENTED ANALYSIS OF QUICKBIRD IMAGES. This article introduces a new object-oriented image analysis methodology, whose aim is to distinguish between two types of land use: single-family and multi-family households. These categories, which are especially common in peri-urban areas, are so heterogeneous from the spectral point of view that a per-pixel approach does not allow for their unambiguous identification. Object-oriented analysis has proven suitable to distinguishing between these two categories, insofar as it is based on multi-resolution segmentation and on the scale, color, form, smoothness and compactness parameters. The concepts of single-family and multi-family households are discussed by means of reference to a new notion – that of composite object