Urban Insights

The Southwest US is experiencing its worst period of drought in 1200 years, with extreme dryness ravaging the area for more than two decades. Shrunken reservoirs, depleted aquifers, low rivers, and raging wildfire – that is the current state of California, with about 93% of the state under drought. Due to this, there is an overall push across the state to convert urban green vegetation into drought-tolerant vegetation. However, for policymakers, city planners, and builders, there is no clear insight into the area of residential outdoor landscape and the impact of converting lawns into drought-tolerant vegetation on the microclimate or its correlation with household income.

This is where Urban Insights fit in. Our mission is to identify irrigated vegetation, including lawns and trees, along with other land covers including water, soil, and impervious surfaces. Using geographical data, aerial imagery, and advanced ML techniques, the primary objective is to provide insights to support policies and plans to reduce water usage with minimal adverse effects on urban microclimate and accounting for median household income in the process.