geographic information system

Building better maps with open data on building heights

To inform broadband buildouts, positioning of solar panels and development of digital twins, state and local agencies can now tap into open building height data.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

Cloud move takes city’s GIS from rough to ready

Perrysburg, Ohio, used to map underground utility lines with a kludgy VPN and on-prem server, but a cloud-based system is more accurate, efficient and user friendly.

  • By Chris Teale

Inside one state’s decade-long effort to map broadband availability

Thanks to its detailed data on household internet availability and speed, Colorado has been able to make the most of federal broadband funding opportunities.

  • By Chris Teale

VR map tracks ‘silent killer’ of extreme heat

A 3-D map of Washington, D.C., overlaid with temperature data illustrates urban heat islands and shows neighborhoods that are most at risk.

  • By Chris Teale

Dashboard helps city track diversity, equity, inclusion progress

Philadelphia’s workforce diversity dashboard collects and visualizes demographic data on city employees.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

How AI helps one city spot damaged rooftops

The Baltimore Department of Housing and Community Department is using a mix of artificial intelligence, GIS-based flyover imagery and building code enforcement data to automatically detect at-risk buildings.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

Stitching together health data and GIS for better decision-making

An enterprise geographic information systems platform is how the Washington Department of Health aims to get more useful data into the hands of health officials.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson

How states integrate GIS and elections

Despite accelerated timelines and lack of GIS-trained staff, states have geocoded voter addresses, assigned voters to newly redrawn precincts and improved transparency for voters and elections officials.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

Scarce GIS resources could hamstring state broadband challenges

The FCC allows states to challenge its new national map through January 13, but the requirements could be too onerous for those without specialized staff.

  • By Chris Teale

State serves up map for tackling food insecurity

An interactive food resource map covers all 46 counties in South Carolina and features profiles for more than 900 food pantries and resources.

  • By Kaitlyn Levinson
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