How green is your neighbourhood?
Air pollution causes 7 million deaths worldwide every year and can have a devastating impact on the lives of people affected by respiratory illnesses. The health and wellbeing of people living in cities are greatly improved where natural green spaces are present in their neighbourhood. Green spaces have a strong influence on many factors including energy demand, air quality, and noise pollution, biodiversity, and mitigation of the urban heat island effect. The green spaces can provide stress relief, increase social interaction, encourage physical exercise and even help soothe mental illness.
Main Advantages
How do we do it?
Seeing Green from Space
We measure area’s greenness (Photosynthetic pigments) from space and use this information to figure out how much of the land is covered in healthy plants.
Creating Value from Other Data
We incorporate other relevant data into the satellite imagery analysis process for a better understanding of the green coverage around any location.
Making Data Ready for Use
Data collected and sent to a data server within a cloud system that processes the information and provides conclusions through our experts.
Mapping Green Space Index
We interpret the monitored area as soon as new data is available, giving output maps of the green coverage status.
Did You Know?
- Satellite instruments can measure visible light, which we can see, and infrared light, which we can not see. The amount of each type of light that plants absorb or reflect can tell us how healthy they are. Healthy plants absorb more visible light and reflect more infrared light than wilting or browning plants.
- The cooling impact of a single healthy street tree is equal to 10 room-size air conditioners operating round the clock!
- A single tree planted near a house raised its value 7 to 11 percent.
- In one year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the same amount of CO2 produced when you drive your car 26,000 miles.
Facts References:
- The Arbor Day Foundation: a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation and education organization.
- Forestry Commission (2017), National Forest Inventory report – Tree cover outside woodland in Great Britain
- The Woodland Trust (2017), Space for People.
- Treeconomics et al (2015), Oxford i-Tree Canopy Cover Assessment.
- Ferranti et al (2018), First Steps in Air Quality for Built Environment Practitioners, University of Birmingham and TDAG
