Developing semantic 3D urban mapping capabilities to underpin a wide range of applications, such as improving the accessibility and planning of outdoor sports facilities 

Lead Researcher: Associate Professor Chayn Sun, Professor Joe Hurley, Professor Melanie Davern 

Researcher: Wenhui Cai, Ryan Turner

Keywords: Social vulnerability, Spatial pattern, Inequity, Urban-rural disparity, Built environment

Overview

This project developed the SEED (Synthesised Environmental Exposure Database), integrating multiple environmental exposures—including heat, PM2.5 air pollution, compound heat–air pollution events, and other urban environmental risks—to provide a spatial basis for assessing environmental inequality and climate resilience across communities. These data and models are integrated into a browser-based Urban Digital Twin portal, providing an interactive environment for exploring urban conditions, visualising environmental risks, and supporting scenario-based planning applications. Using community sports fields as critical social infrastructure across Greater Melbourne, the project examines how unequal exposure to environmental risks affects vulnerable populations and the long-term usability of these facilities. 

Beyond climate resilience, the project investigates the regenerative potential of community sports fields to provide cooling spaces, improve equitable access to recreation, reduce spatial inequalities, and strengthen community wellbeing. Overall, the project demonstrates how Semantic Urban Digital Twins can connect environmental intelligence, community context, and spatial modelling through an accessible decision-support platform, supporting the planning of more equitable, climate-resilient, and net-positive urban futures. The data set can be accessed via the AURIN data portal (High-Resolution PM2.5 in Melbourne Metropolitan Area — AURIN Data Catalogue).

Outcomes: 

• Public Datasets: High-resolution PM2.5 dataset for the Melbourne Metropolitan Area, published in the AURIN Data Catalogue. Access here: High-Resolution PM2.5 in Melbourne Metropolitan Area — AURIN Data Catalogue 

• Prototype Digital Twin application framework. Showcasing both heat and air frequency and intensity overlaid with three-dimensional buildings and locations of sport facilities. See the application here: https://ryn-trnr.github.io/RUDY-cesium-app/  

• Gao, J., Ma, X., Sun, Q. C., Cai, W., Wang, X., Wang, Y., Tan, Z., Li, D., Fan, Y., Zhang, L., Xu, Y., Liu, X., & Ma, Y. (2026). Fine-Scale and Population-Weighted PM2.5 Modeling in Melbourne: Towards Detailed Urban Exposure Mapping. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 15(3), 134. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi15030134 

• Lama, P & Sun, Q.C. (2026). Assessing Urban Flood Resilience: A Comprehensive Framework with Evidence from Melbourne. Urban Informatics (accepted, awaiting publication)

• Turner, R., Sun, Q.C., & Duckham, M. (2026) Comparing Weighting Techniques for a Composite Spatial Indicator of Urban Heat Vulnerability (accepted as conference proceedings paper for 33rd International Conference on Geoinformatics 2026 https://geoinformatics2026.github.io/paper-p1953/)

• Turner, R., Sun, Q.C., & Duckham, M. (2026) Limitations of Current Methodological Approaches in Composite Spatial Indices of Heat Vulnerability and Implications for Decision Making (journal article work in progress)

• Cai, W, Sun, Q.C., & Duckham, M. (2026) Urban greenery exerts divergent effects on compound heat and air pollution extremes (journal article work in progress)

• Wang, S., Liu, H., Cai, W., Huang, X., & Sun, Q. C. (2025). Australian nationwide assessment of social vulnerability in two decades through its linkage to the built environment. Habitat International, 163, 103495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2025.103495

Contact:

Associate Professor Chayn Sun - chayn.sun@rmit.edu.au