Urban Expansion Suitability Mapping Using Remote Sensing

About this course

As cities grow, planning future development in a sustainable and data-informed manner is crucial. This course guides you through the process of urban expansion suitability mapping using remote sensing data and the powerful cloud-based platform Google Earth Engine (GEE).You’ll begin by learning the basics of remote sensing—how satellites collect earth observation data and what types of sensors and bands are used in land monitoring. From there, you'll explore essential datasets such as digital elevation models (DEM) and ESA WorldCover land use classifications.Moving from theory to application, you will learn to identify areas unsuitable for expansion, like water bodies and steep slopes, and analyze proximity to existing infrastructure. Using multi-criteria analysis, you'll assign weights to key factors such as slope, urban proximity, and land cover to create a suitability model.The core of this course is hands-on implementation using Google Earth Engine (GEE). You'll write and modify code to visualize terrain, calculate slope suitability, mask out restricted land cover types, and produce a final suitability map. You’ll also learn how to export your results in GIS-ready formats like GeoTIFF.-By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped to:-Conduct spatial modeling for urban planning-Automate satellite data processing in GEE-Make informed decisions using remote sensing analyticsWhether you're a student, researcher, planner, or developer, this course empowers you with practical geospatial tools to support smart and sustainable urban growth.

Course objectives

• Equip learners with practical geospatial tools for urban planning
• Facilitate informed decision-making in land development
• Develop skills in using remote sensing analytics