In the heart of Bangkok, a city pulsating with life and growth, a silent revolution is underway. Researchers are harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to map and understand the city’s blue and green infrastructures, paving the way for smarter, more sustainable urban planning. At the forefront of this innovation is Md. Mehedi Hasan, a researcher from the Asian Institute of Technology and the Local Government Engineering Department in Bangladesh.
Hasan and his team have developed a groundbreaking method to identify and monitor blue and green infrastructures (BGI) in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) using cloud-based AI tools integrated with Google Earth Engine. Their work, published in the Journal of Urban Management (Journal of Urban Environmental Management), promises to transform how cities approach urban planning and environmental conservation.
The study focuses on the dynamic nature of urban areas, which are often challenging to monitor due to their constant changes. Traditional methods of mapping land use and land cover are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and costly. Hasan’s approach, however, offers a more efficient and accurate solution. “By automating the classification system to focus solely on BGI, we can greatly enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness of land classification for urban planning and decision-making,” Hasan explains.
The research utilizes open-source satellite images from Landsat and Sentinel, analyzing seasonal changes in water bodies, natural vegetation, and human-intervened vegetation. Surprisingly, Landsat-9 data demonstrated superior accuracy compared to Sentinel-2, suggesting that the advanced technology of Landsat-9 may be more effective for BGI classification using AI.
The findings reveal distinct seasonal transitions in BGI, with significant changes observed during different seasons. For instance, the transition from deep green to green infrastructures is most distinct during the shift from summer to monsoon season. Similarly, notable changes in blue infrastructure occur between the monsoon and winter seasons. These insights are crucial for urban managers and policymakers, providing them with valuable tools to identify and understand BGI dynamics across various urban scales.
The implications of this research are far-reaching, particularly for the energy sector. As cities continue to grow, the integration of green and blue infrastructures can play a pivotal role in mitigating the disruptions caused by urbanization. These infrastructures facilitate processes like evapotranspiration, soil water infiltration, and root nutrient absorption, which are essential for maintaining natural water, energy, and nutrient cycles.
Moreover, the ability to monitor these infrastructures continuously and accurately can lead to more informed decision-making, ultimately resulting in more sustainable and resilient cities. “These advancements could provide precise insights for urban managers and policymakers, offering valuable tools to identify and understand BGI dynamics across various urban scales,” Hasan adds.
As the world grapples with the challenges of rapid urbanization, innovations like Hasan’s offer a beacon of hope. By leveraging the power of AI and satellite imagery, cities can become smarter, greener, and more sustainable. The future of urban planning is here, and it’s looking greener than ever.