Espoo develops Kera’s city information model

Espoo’s 3D city model was found the third best city model in a study published by the University of Singapore in autumn 2022. In the study, 40 city models from across the world were assessed using the 3D City Index model. Espoo’s city model is now also utilized in Kera, which is one of the sustainable urban development districts in Espoo.

Kera 3D city model provides new opportunities for managing the planning and construction of the Kera area. For example, the digital model can be used to calculate and visualise costs and greenhouse gas emissions by region and to assess the overall impacts of different planning options. The digital Kera platform also offers opportunities for increasing the participation and interaction of city residents and collaboration partners.

Kera city model serves as a digital platform for the developer community

Kera city model is developed as part of the Implementation Pathway for Environments that Accelerate Sustainable Growth (KETO) project in cooperation with Espoo’s Urban Environment Sector. Kera city model supports the usage and development of information modelling practises in Espoo.

Kera city model enables to integrate various data sets and contents from different data sources to the digital platform through APIs. For example, data can be brought from map data and from street or park plans. Building and infrastructure data models and point cloud material can also be integrated into Kera city model.

Kera is undergoing constant change and is therefore an excellent development environment. In Kera, actors of different sizes and backgrounds can develop, study, pilot and introduce clean and smart urban solutions.

“In regional development projects, it is of utmost importance to work in broad cooperation and develop things together so that breaks in the flow of information and misunderstandings can be avoided. Taking through projects in a schedule that is economically sensible and efficient from everyone’s point of view requires a high level of trust and joint management of data,” says Pekka Vikkula, Kera’s Project Manager at the City of Espoo.

Production of the city information model

The City of Espoo’s Public Works Department produces a 3D city model of the entire territory of Espoo in accordance with the CityGML 2.0 standard as part of the daily maintenance of geographic data materials. The city model becomes updated when geographic data based on data measured in the terrain or other measured geographic data is updated.

“I strongly believe that time and money can be saved by already taking advantage of our material at the very beginning of the planning work. When the up-to-date current situation of the terrain and the built environment, which has been produced in the city’s statutory core process, is transferred to the planning table, it can be ensured that planning meets the quality criteria,” comments Ari Purhonen, Development Engineer at the City of Espoo.

Espoo’s 3D model of the current situation serves as additional information for urban planning and it is available to all planners. Read more about the city model in the news article 3D model of the city in the Espoo Map Service and in the Espoo city model material(external link, opens in a new window).