The importance of GIS Spatial Data in Smart City Development
By Daniel Chun
Admittedly, I am a not a GIS expert and you may say what exactly is GIS. Having got to know this lexicon during university years, I have never got to understand how important it is. It was by chance that I got to know one of the expert in Hong Kong Dr. Winnie Tang, Chairman of ESRI China (Hong Kong) Limited, also a good friend and one of the founder of the Smart City Consortium. Over the last 8 years during my volunteering work at the Smart City Consortium, I got to know the importance and the contribution of geographical spatial data and over the next few weeks, I will introduce more about the importance of GSI and CSDI for smart city innovations – including my recent visit to the Geospatial Lab of Hong Kong (operated by SCC, Tung Wah with the support of the Lands Department)
The latest development in Common Spatial Data Interface (CSDI) has been a major development in open data and an effort for creating an opportunity for more smart city applications. This is available as part of the effort of the Development Bureau and Lands Department. As part of the EMIA4500A course, we will be visiting this GeoSpatial Lab (Check out my post about EMIA4500A from HKUST EMIA)
This is a link to the HKSAR Lands Department on the spatial open data https://www.landsd.gov.hk/en/spatial-data/open-data.html
and data is also availble from the HKSAR Open Data Portal https://data.gov.hk/en-data/dataset/hk-landsd-openmap-b50k-topographic-map-of-hong-kong
Spatial data plays a crucial role in urban planning and smart city innovations. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide detailed information about land use, population density, infrastructure, and environmental factors, allowing planners to create more sustainable and efficient urban designs[1][3]. GIS enables planners to analyze spatial relationships, identify potential development areas, and propose optimal land use strategies[1]. Spatial analysis techniques, such as spatial interpolation, are essential in urban planning as they enable planners to make informed decisions based on spatial data[1]. By collecting real-time inputs from various sensors, dynamic geospatial data can be used to power autonomous tech and smart city projects, generating valuable insights, identifying patterns, and making data-driven decisions that benefit citizens[2]. GIS data design enables spatial analysis, allowing urban planners to understand the relationships between different urban components, optimize resource allocation, and prioritize sustainable development[7]. GIS also allows planners to focus efforts on growth areas and opportunities, directing investments in infrastructure and services like transportation, utilities, and schools[9]. The benefits of a smart city increase in proportion to the level of technological advances employed, and GIS serves as the heart that makes it possible to create a living for all people from different backgrounds[9].
Citations:
[1] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/role-geographic-information-systems-urban-planning-polaris-digitech-1z1bf
[2] https://em360tech.com/tech-article/geospatial-data-cities
[3] https://gis.usc.edu/blog/why-is-gis-important-in-urban-planning/
[4] https://utilitiesone.com/the-role-of-geospatial-analytics-in-smart-city-development
[5] https://planning.lacity.org/blog/why-gis-technology-important-urban-planning
[6] https://www.jakarto.com/en/blog/smart-city-3d-geospatial-data-better-future
[7] https://utilitiesone.com/importance-of-gis-data-design-in-urban-planning-and-development
[8] https://biblus.accasoftware.com/en/geospatial-technology-for-smart-cities/
[9] https://ellipsis-drive.com/blog/understanding-the-importance-of-gis-in-urban-planning/