Finding the Right Shades of Urban Greenery

by Elisabeth Schöpfer & Stefan Lang SPIE Newsroom, accessed 13 Jun 2006 Urban green space is a crucial element in modern city planning. The preservation and maintenance of green spaces is important for several reasons. From an ecological point of view, green areas are remnant habitats for plant species and wildlife in urban environments. Urban green stabilizes micro-climatic air circulation and keeps average air temperature to a moderate level. From an aesthetic point of view, the combination of buildings and green space implies quality of life and attractiveness. As such, it significantly contributes to the well-being of citizens. Politicians and city planners thus need detailed, spatially disaggregated, up-to-date information about it. Read more