How satellite data can be used to improve comfort of city residents
The use of Earth Observation (EO) data contributes to smart city management helping to reduce harmful effects of urban heat island phenomenon and improve the quality of life.
The density of buildings and urban infrastructure causes changes in the microclimate of urban areas. This has a direct impact on the health and quality of life of the inhabitants. The solution may be Copernicus satellite data, which will allow for a better understanding of spatial phenomena occurring in densely populated places.
What is urban heat island phenomenon and how does it affect cities
Heatwaves boosted by urban heat island phenomenon are the most dangerous weather extremes, which not only damage our health, but also lead to the increase of energy consumption. To reduce or prevent their detrimental effects we need to track urban climate. Urban surface heat island (USHI) is an obvious consequence of urban processes and it is associated with the increase of temperature of urbanized areas in relation to undeveloped rural areas.
The phenomenon results from city morphology* and it is influenced by many factors. Even a single building can increase the ambient temperature. The accumulation of concrete buildings and urban infrastructure causes the temperature in the city to rise from 2 to even 8ºC, and in extreme cases, even above 12ºC. The strongest temperature amplitudes are observed on summer nights.
Urban Heat Island affects human health and energy consumption and that's why the issue of the urban heat island is extremely important in the management and planning of a space comfortable for residents to live.
The most important factors contributing to the urban heat island phenomenon are:
- The environmental context of city
- City size
- City topography
- Water resources
- Urban green areas
- Anthropogenic heat sources (e.g. air conditioning, cars)
* City morphology - structure of the inner and outer urban space and the origin of its parts. The spatial conditions of the city influence the scale of the urban heat island phenomenon. The amount of heat accumulated is determined by factors such as the city's environmental context, the number of inhabitants, the amount of greenery, the height of buildings, width of streets, the predominant color of the surface (albedo), the presence of ventilation corridors or even the roughness of materials used in the city.
The most dangerous weather extreme
Heatwaves are the most dangerous weather extremes that cause more casualties than hurricanes and floods combined. On the average, 1,500 American city dwellers die each year because of the heat, which is many more deaths than those caused by all other natural disasters combined. The compounding effect of heatwaves and UHI could prove to be even deadlier to urban populations, and are extremely dangerous especially for people who suffer from chronic diseases (such as asthma, heart condition), elderly people, manual workers, children and athletes.
Threats to cities caused by the urban heat island phenomenon:
- Health hazard for the elders and risk groups
- Higher energy consumption
- Intensification of convective processes
- Increased probability of heavy rainfall and greater exposure of cities to local flooding.
Land Surface Temperature Monitoring on CREODIAS
The CREODIAS platform allows users to search and download satellite scenes of the Sentinel, Landsat and MODIS programmes at no cost (repository of ready-to-use 30 PB of current and archive Earth observation data) which allows you to analyse the data in order to find the areas that are most endangered by heat waves and the urban heat island phenomenon.
Cloud workflow with EO data repository allows researchers to automate processes and calculate large amounts of data and changes over time. These operations combined with data repository are crucial in identifying critical areas for the microclimatic functioning of cities. Analysts can find spatial patterns to better understand the phenomena occurring in urban space, and consequently help local governments to take necessary steps to improve the quality of life of the residents. As we can see, spatial analyses are crucial for a better understanding of the urban climate.
The best solution - urban green areas
The easiest and most effective way to cool down urban climate is to introduce urban green areas. Vegetation contributes to the formation of shade, reflects solar radiation, and thanks to evapotranspiration processes, it effectively reduces the temperature in cities. Urban vegetation also contributes to the reduction of air and water pollution, reduces noise and accumulates large amounts of water, creating opportunities to reduce energy consumption.
Copernicus data can be applied to analyse urban climate and improve urban greenery in the most neglected areas by new investments in green infrastructure, for instance:
- Planting street greenery (stormwater street design)
- Protecting ecological urban areas
- Green rooftops
- Relocation of industrial areas outside the city
The extensive usage of EO data provides faster and more sustainable economic growth through better use of resources. This is key to achieving sustainable development goals driven by space innovations.
Questions?
Should you have any questions, please contact us at communication@cloudferro.com
How does Horizon Europe support innovative EO projects?
Get funding for sustainable innovative solutions based on EO data, AI, machine learning and Big data analysis with Horizon Europe programme.
The start-up and technology sector in Europe is growing stronger, and the appetite for innovation is effectively fuelled by grants from the European Union. Horizon Europe programme has a budget of almost 95 billion euros to distribute until 2027, and the main areas of financing include climate protection, energy transformation, development of the digital sector, and artificial intelligence.
Horizon Europe focuses on progress through innovation
In a webinar about technologies that support the development of innovative solutions based on EO data, Chiara Solimini from EUSPA (European Union Agency for the Space Programme) indicated key areas of interest for building applications and advised on the use of the synergy of data and technologies. “The proposals to the Horizon Europe programme should focus on the development of innovative EGNSS and Copernicus applications that support the implementation of the European Green Deal objectives and its related policies. They should use the synergy of the Copernicus data or products, EGNSS differentiators and advanced technologies such as blockchain, internet of things or 5G applications ” – said Chiara Solimini, Space Downstream Market Officer at EUSPA.
Innovative applications based on massive amounts of satellite data, using Big Data, artificial intelligence or machine learning technologies can only be developed with fast and reliable online access to a rich data repository. This is provided by the EU Copernicus Earth Observation Programme that provide users with free and open access to Earth Observation (EO) data and information services, such as monitoring of the atmosphere, marine environment, land areas, climate change, security or crisis management.
Research with Copernicus EO data on CREODIAS
Satellite data analysis is far easier with free and open access to the Copernicus EO data. This is provided by CREODIAS platform, built and operated by CloudFerro for the European Space Agency. The platform offers cloud computing resources with an integrated powerful repository of imagery captured by Sentinel, Envisat and Landsat satellites as well as other Earth observation data.
The CREODIAS infrastructure is adequately prepared to process large Earth observation data sets in a cloud computing environment, which are available online immediately. Cloud computing resources are scalable and can be adapted to user needs depending on the size and timing of their project. Tools available on the platform allow users to design prototypes, as well as build their own services and products and tailor all the relevant parameters of the cloud environment to specific topics, data types and project stages.
"We want to be a strong contributor to the Horizon Europe and European initiatives, and together build a better future for European society based on digital sovereignty and innovation. The CREODIAS repository currently stores more than 28 PB of Earth observation data. For our partners and the platform users, we have prepared cloud resources in different locations in Poland and Europe, including data centres with German BSI 200-1 and C5 certification, proving the highest quality and security level"
– says Przemysław Mujta, Sales Support Director at CloudFerro, the provider and operator of CREODIAS.
Horizon as a driver for innovations
Together EO platform tools and computing capabilities allow monitoring natural resources, precise irrigation, satellite monitoring of agriculture under the EU Common Agricultural Policy, automatic control, or pasture management. State-of-the-art technologies combined with satellite data and services also support renewable energy and its distribution. These include RES (renewable energy sources) assessment and forecasting, risk assessment for energy support equipment, power plant design optimization, power grid monitoring, or environmental impact assessment of power plants and mineral resources. Satellite data can form a basis for the analysis of snow cover maps for hydropower plants or biomass maps for bioenergy, determining sunshine areas for solar panels, or analyse wind speed for wind turbines – onshore and offshore. It is also interesting how satellite data can be applied for analysis of mining damages, the occurrence of urban heat islands, or study of bee activity to plan crop spraying.
The above mentioned examples are only a small part of a wide array of areas where innovations based on EO data can make a real contribution to climate neutrality and reduced consumption of natural resources in Europe. Any idea of using this technology can certainly be supported under Horizon Europe.
Who can join the programme?
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the so-called "small mid-cap" employing up to 500 people can benefit from Horizon Europe grants. Funding applications may be submitted by entities that develop a product, process or service of high risk, based on scientific discoveries, critical thinking or technological breakthroughs (so-called "deep tech")
Questions?
Should you have any questions, please contact us at communication@cloudferro.com
Why do we need European digital sovereignty?
The EU has attempted to regulate how industrial data can be shared and used to innovate for the better. In the past years we have seen an explosion of legislation and projects pursuing this dream. From the publication of the EU Data Strategy and the Data Governance Act or the launching of Gaia-X and a variety of upcoming sectoral data spaces there is a whirlwind of policy that one needs to keep track of to stay abreast. But that could all change…
European Alliance for Industrial Data and Cloud
It is rightly pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about massive societal and economical shifts in how our societies function, furthermore exposing our deep reliance on digital infrastructure to conduct our daily lives. The surge in cyberattacks only highlights how precarious the foundations of our digital architecture are. As a result, we are witnessing a historic period for the tech industry as a whole. Competition is increasingly becoming a point of friction as governments worldwide are waking up to the realities that exist in the digital market.
It is amidst this backdrop that another milestone has been achieved by the European Commission. That is the launch of the European Alliance for Industrial Data and Cloud. An initiative that aims at further crystallising the ambitions set out in the EU’s Data Strategy when it comes to how Europe can boost its own cloud capacity.
CloudFerro is excited to be among the first participants of this initiative and we are eager to share our expertise, resources, and enthusiasm to build a strong, competitive, and resilient European data and cloud service. As a truly European company, we at CloudFerro are very pleased to see the Commission launch the European Alliance on Industrial Data and Cloud. This is the next step forward for the EU’s plans to be competitive and spur innovation across sectors while aspiring to build European digital sovereignty"
– says Maciej Krzyżanowski, CEO of CloudFerro.
Unblocking the Cloud Market with the Data Act
The publication of the Data Act provides a much-needed legislative push for the cloud sector to unlock Europe’s full competitiveness. As the file now falls under the responsibility of the Council and Parliament, it will be paramount that the political aspirations of the Data Act are not watered down and a strong emphasis on fairness and interoperability is maintained. We can only encourage the Commission to stand by its objectives and defend these principles during the negotiations of the co-legislatures.
Hearkening back to the Council of the European Union’s October 2020 declaration on cloud we can only echo that a common approach is needed in order to build Europe’s cloud supply, reinforce European digital sovereignty and increase competition.
The Alliance states in its declaration that one of its objectives is to provide support for defining common norms and requirements for cloud. We hope that amongst the Alliance we will be able to assist in providing the needed rationale and argumentation so such measures as interoperability and switching are encouraged and maintained among the wider cloud agenda and that policymakers do not lose sight of the bigger picture.
Fostering Common European Data Spaces and Norms
Integral to that bigger picture of a European sovereign cloud ecosystem, we see data governance as critical. While in December both European Parliament and Council concluded their trilogue negotiations on the Data Governance Act, it will take time for the effects of this Act to be fully established. What we know though is that, while the Act was reportedly ‘unloved’, it plays such a fundamental role in shaping the future framework for launching Europe into the era of cloud, that being the Common European Data Spaces. Only with the technical support of the cloud industry will these Common European Data Spaces manifest and be brought to scale in such a way that makes them viable.
It is our aim that the Alliance takes the lead among the variety of stakeholder formats in the conversation about cloud and data. Especially on operationalising the Alliance’s goal of creating a platform that can synergise with the Common European Data Spaces. Indeed the Alliance declaration notes how important close coordination will be on this topic with the European Data Innovation Board, which is established under the Data Governance Act.
But governance is only one piece of the puzzle, as with many great projects, this will take funding and investments. The format of the Alliance has the potential to open up so many sectors to each other and bring new investment opportunities to the forefront.
Earth Observation Data – a Call for Common European Data Spaces
Europe has a plethora of private and public organisations that can serve as a source for rich datasets. For example, at CloudFerro we work with the European Space Agency and the European Commission under the remit of the Copernicus program to provide our CREODIAS platform - which allows open, free and easy access to Earth Observation Data and its processing in the cloud. CREODIAS cloud services are sovereign and are based on open source technology. The platform allows third-parties to create their own applications and services to fit their needs and share them for the benefit of others.
Using our platform allows for a wide application of Earth Observation Data collected from the Copernicus satellites and other sources. What our platform is able to do is render and provide these images tailored to a variety of needs, together with an integrated cloud computing services to process this data. Need to monitor crop yield? How about water consumption? Or what about observing the changes in ice along the Alps? We have the possibility to analyse that, but what Europe needs now is an effective way to help synergize this analysis.
Our work with Copernicus has taught us that a rapid and effective set up of Common European Data Spaces – an ecosystem of public and private organisations, standards and technologies that enable shared value creation via the exchange of data and data-driven solutions – is key to exchanging data effortlessly between economic actors and creating value.
We would encourage you to see the results of our competition #SeizeTheBeautyOfOurPlanet - the incredible Earth Observation imagery demonstrating climate change, its negative effects on our planet, and the need to counteract them together.
Conclusion
At CloudFerro our expertise lies in providing specialized cloud services and in storing, indexing, delivering and processing big data volumes. Our key specialty is Earth Observation and other specialised domains such as meteorology and climate data. The wide range of specialised data needs our customers have means we as CloudFerro see Europe’s opportunity to provide a new way of cloud services, capitalising on the yet untouched realm of industrial data. The promise of Common European Data Spaces is close to becoming a reality, but it will take political courage and ambition to see it done.
As members of the Alliance on Industrial Data and Cloud, we whole heartedly call for more action and more participation on behalf of all cloud services so that Europe can develop its digital sovereignty in a way that is grounded and fair.
Questions?
Should you have any questions, please contact us at communication@cloudferro.com
Power of Large-scale data storage
Storage of European and global research industry
Large research projects require collecting, storing, processing and analysing huge amounts of data. Now thanks to the advancements in large data storage and access technologies, it is possible to provide large volumes of data in an instant manner. CloudFerro has carried out tests that proved its CREODIAS platform is now able to serve over 2PB daily.
Scientific exploration - new paradigm
The Fourth Paradigm of discovery is a concept that assumes the science and scientific exploration processes will be redefined by an open or increased access to data and new methods of sharing this data. In today’s world where we are overwhelmed by large amount of information, it is necessary to supplement classic scientific paradigms: observation, theory and simulation with the fourth one: large-scale Data Exploration. This will unify observation, theory and simulation in an extensive system.
Recent research projects and initiatives highlight the importance of making data, tools, technologies and platforms more accessible and easier to use. Initiatives like Digital Twin Earth, Human Brain Project, Digital Twin Manufacturing, and many others are frameworks for understanding, modelling and forecasting the behaviour of extremely complex systems. For such frameworks to work it is indispensable to store and manage huge amounts of heterogenous data and to make it available through unified, flexible, streamlined interfaces to multiple user communities.
Storing and dissemination of peta- or exabytes of heterogenous data in an open and flexible manner poses a serious technical challenge. Object storage provides a solution that is cost-effective, easily scalable and accessible. It allows for storing unstructured or extremely diversely structured data, thanks to the lack of hierarchical directory structure. Instead, object storage uses a unique identifier for each object. This convention and “flat” architecture allows also for massive, dynamic scaling of the storage where the scale is nearly infinite. The matter is to employ it in a real life, commercially viable scenario. Something that requires advanced cataloguing and network services altogether guaranteeing an automated, fast and easy access to data stored online for immediate use
The solution
CREODIAS, operated by CloudFerro, currently stores almost 21 PB of Earth Observation data. On average, it ingests 25 TB of data daily and disseminates it to more than 6 thousand registered users of the portal and countless non-registered ones.
Using opensource CEPH software for building storage – thanks to its ability to build and manage object storage for OpenStack – and an advanced cataloguing solution, CREODIAS platform can serve data inside and outside of its cloud via graphical application (CREODIAS Finder) and a variety of access interfaces. This machine2machine interfacing enables stakeholders to leverage the data in their processing chains in an automated manner, both on CREODIAS cloud and on any other infrastructure of their choice.
Why CloudFerro's cloud?
CloudFerro builds on expertise and lessons learned from our previous projects. This is why we are able to ingest, store, index and disseminate massive amounts of EO data, tens and hundreds of Petabytes.
- CloudFerro has recently conducted tests proving the ability to serve 2PB of data daily from our repositories. We are even able to double this rate.
- CloudFerro’s experience and technology proved excellent performance in benchmarking and tests results.
- We are currently storing in our cloud over 21 PB of EO data and it can grow to 50PB if necessary in the near future
- CloudFerro has gained broad experience in building and operating numerous large cloud platforms - Climate Data Store, CODE-DE, WEkEO, EO IPT and others - with a combined storage of over 100PB.
All the above allows us to operate at a scale required by such complex projects as Destination Earth.
With our services, our clients can have an easy, remote, broadband and scalable access to online, granular data in a cost-efficient manner. Those are vital capabilities when the fourth paradigm is in force.
