Researchers at the Stanford National Capital Project have developed new software to promote sustainable development. Urban InVEST is the software that helps in visualizing the links between nature and human wellbeing.
It helps to create maps to tell where investment in nature could benefit humans. Urban InVEST is first of its kind software that provides real-time environmental data. Various types of data it provides include temperature patterns, social demographic and economic data.
A team of researchers at the Stanford Natural Capital Project says city developers can use this software to create green environment in cities. Besides, researchers say technology could help improve people’s lives and save billions of dollars.
Planned Investments in Nature to Benefit People
Both city developers and planners can utilize this software to invest in nature by considering the resultant benefits to people. Using Urban InVEST can benefit city developers in protecting against flooding. Moreover, it could help to improve their health by creating a green environment.
Anne Guerry, Chief Strategy Officer and Lead Scientist at the Natural Capital Project, believes this software could help prepare design of cities useful for both people and nature. It could offer many benefits to Urban nature.
Anne says planting trees can reduce temperatures, cut-down carbon emissions to limit climate change, and make a given city pleasant to live in. As a result, people could easily experience a significant improvement in their health.
Green Infrastrucutre Must for Healthy Living in Urban Areas
Over the next three decades, most population would live in urban areas. Hence, it is imperative for city planners & developers to build green infrastructure. It would help to improve the overall health of city residents.
Above all, it will safeguard people from serious disasters. Trees lined cities and community gardens would prevent flood risks on a large scale. It is only possible if city developers have sufficient information on this subject.
Urban InVEST could easily provide them such information in an easy way. Users can easily get their city’s datasets from NASA satellites or local weather stations. The software team tested Urban InVEST in many cities including Shenzhen.
They found that the city’s nature would help prevent damage worth $25 billion. Soaking up of rain and diversion of floodwaters could easily help to do so. Besides, natural infrastructure helped reduce the air temperarature by 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit in Shenzhen in hot summers.
Researchers found that this software would help to plan city as per the green infrastructure. And it would faciliate natural environment to marginalised and lower income groups. Thus, it is benefitcial for ensuring green city ecosystem and planning a greener future for urban population.
