Green spaces are the lungs of cities. Improving air quality and helping to manage flooding and rainwater. Contributing to the physical and mental health of citizens. As urbanization continues, it’s therefore vital to monitor the proportion between grey and green areas in and around cities.
Protect green areas and improve efficiency
By applying computer vision and deep learning techniques to satellite images, HUGSI gives insights about current state and historic development of vegetation and their surrounding environment in urban areas. This makes it possible to find out how green cities really are, and if densification is reducing the amount of urban green spaces.
And the winner is…Durban, South Africa!
HUGSI for 2019 provides green insights covering all C40 cities plus Brussels (Belgium), Marseille (France), Geneva (Switzerland) and Gothenburg (Sweden). This makes for 98 cities in 51 countries rated on a number of green key performance indicators, such as: highest percentage of urban green space, best health of vegetation, highest percentage of urban area covered by grass, highest percentage of urban area covered by trees, etc.
Overall global winner of the greenest city is awarded to Durban, South Africa. Followed by Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in second place and Austin, USA in third.
HUGSI 2019 was launched as part of Husqvarna Living City in Gothenburg, Sweden – an international conference about future sustainable landscaping. Click here to read more and see the winners from all regions of the world.