Role of GIS in Regional and Geographical Planning and Construction
Role of GIS in Regional and Geographical Planning and Construction
The capacity to better understand the current needs of a city, and then design to fulfill those needs is one of the important uses of GIS in the city and regional planning and designing. By processing geospatial data from satellite imaging, aerial photography, and remote sensors, GIS users gain a detailed perspective on land and infrastructure.
Spatial data points the way to improving quality of life and building sustainable communities, while geographic information science professionals use spatial thinking to transform that data into actionable insight and solutions.
In analyzing the future population growth of an area, a geographer would study the regional environment. This environment offers certain resources, which can be compared with similar environments and resources that the geographer knows in other parts of the world.
These powerful tools help planners understand the needs of densely populated areas, but they also adapt to examining smaller towns and even informal settlements. The ability to run a variety of queries and analytics on GIS data means experts can evaluate how new construction will fit in with existing infrastructure and meet regulatory demands. Users may spot opportunities for improved resource use, identifying the best locations to harvest solar, wind, or geothermal energy.
GIS technology empowers urban planners with enhanced visibility into data. They monitor fluctuations over time, evaluate the feasibility of proposed projects and predict their effects on the environment. GIS software can also show all relevant stakeholders exactly what the changes on the ground will look like to help them make better decisions. For example, GIS software may generate visualizations of an area’s current environmental conditions and allow users to draw comparisons between the anticipated results of proposed development plans.
Urban planners in both the public and private sectors employ data-driven methods to address a wide array of issues that have long-term implications for communities and the surrounding landscape.
Some of these methods include
- Review and analysis of plans for development.
- Checks on regulatory compliance.
- Review of environmental impact.
- Preservation of historic sites.
- Regional planning beyond the borders of a city or town.
- Mapping the delivery of utilities and planning for service interruptions.
By performing land use analyses, planners can guide new developments to areas that are less prone to damage from natural disasters. Synthesizing geographic information with financial data might lead to revitalizing an urban area in need of new businesses. This can help the establishment of shopping malls and marts to provide erstwhile unavailable services and goods.
For example, GIS software can help a City’s Planning Committee to collaborate with other stakeholders in the stages of the efforts to redevelop sections of the highway.
GIS offers the means to synthesize information from a diverse set of sources, model the outcomes of multiple courses of action, and share data among the Public Works and other departments.
Experts from many different disciplines may find common ground and create actionable plans for making services and amenities more accessible and also make travel easier for the inhabitants of areas in need of better housing and construction planning.
