A comparison of local authorities' existing data on buildings and the data produced by the new measurement and imaging technologies provides a more accurate understanding of the building stock. But how can a system comparing the data be made to work?  

What kind of problem is the project trying to solve?

The data repositories local authorities maintain of their built environment are often inadequate in terms of the building stock and building register (geometry and attributes). There are often errors and deficiencies in the information on old buildings and, for example, information on changes resulting from unauthorised building is missing. The experiment seeks new technology-based solutions for spotting and correcting these errors.

Up-to-date and reliable information on buildings is an essential part of the digitalisation of building in urban areas in terms of both urban planning and the construction activities. The errors and deficiencies in the data also affect the fair treatment of property owners (taxation of real estate) and the local authority may lose a significant amount of tax revenue.

Objective: To provide a better understanding of the actual situation with the help of a digital method

• Creation of a digital process and methodology to compare the existing material on buildings to the material on genuine modern environments.
• Testing of automated digital methods designed for improving the quality of data on built environments.
• Investigating what kind of material is best suited for comparing information (point cloud, aerial photo and other possible material).
• Automatic retrieval and visualisation of properties with errors or deficiencies with the help of geoinformatic technologies.
• Testing how information can be amended and updated to official information sources (local authority, Population Register Centre, Tax Administration).

What is done in this project?

The experiment is aimed at creating the methodology and rules for the implementation of an automated search for errors in the building stock data. The methodology covers the requirements for the initial material and the conditions for the comparison of materials to enable the examination of different materials (e.g. how can an unauthorised building that is not in the building register be identified in a point cloud?). As a result, the quality of the modelled data on the built environment will improve.

Who benefits?

All local authorities that want to update their information on the actual state of the built environment in their area. The method developed in the experiment will be described in the final report of the project which will be freely available on the website of Trimble Solutions Oy. Cities can take advantage of the results and the created method when improving the quality of their own data material.

Methodology for improving the quality of building information
Duration: 10 October 2017-30 April 2018
Implemented by: Trimble Solutions Oy
Partners: City of Jyväskylä

Contact information

Tapio Ahomäki, Trimble Solutions
Tel. +358 30 661 10
Email. tapio.ahomaki(at)trimble.com