1. LSGI 4321 Geoinformation for Urban and Regional Studies
Student Name Leung Wing Yan Jacqueline
Student ID 09063407D
Topic Discuss the strength and limitations of GIT applications in
helping decision-making and public engagement in the
planning of new graveyards and columbaria.
With the increasing population and aging population in Hong Kong, the
demand for columbarium facilities increases rapidly over the past few
years. According to the statistics from the Food and Health Bureau (FHB,
2010), the number and percentage of cremations have raised
substantially over the past 30 years from about 7300 (35%) in 1975 to 36
500 (89%) in 2009. In Hong Kong, there are only six government
crematoria. There are other columbarium facilities operated by private
institutions. However, the supply is still not enough to cope with the huge
demand. As a result, it is essential to plan for new graveyards and
columbaria.
In planning for new graveyards and columbaria, there are two processes
involved. They are public engagement and decision making.
1. Public Engagement
Public Engagement is the involvement of specialists listening to,
developing their understanding of, and interacting with,
non-specialists (HEFCE, 2006). There are nine principles which need
to consider carefully in the process of public engagement. They are
careful planning and preparation, inclusion and demographic diversity,
collaboration and shaded purpose, openness and learning,
transparency and trust, impact and action, and sustained
engagement and participatory culture.

2. In the process of public engagement, two kinds of technology can be
involved. They are Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Virtual Reality
(VR). A brief introduction of each technology will be given below. After
that, the application of the technologies in public engagement will be
discussed.
A) Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is a useful design and
visualization tool. It is the use of technology for design
demonstration. CAD helps to provide some conceptual ideas in
either 2-Dimensional or 3-Dimensional. As a result, it has the
ability to provide others with a better, more realistic view of the
urban environment (Batten, 2002).
CAD helps to construct precise 3-D models for the proposed
design and planning on columbarium facilities in the site. With the
3-D models, it provides the public a 3-D view of the columbarium
facilities. It reflects the real word in a certain extent. Also, CAD
helps the planners to create valid Outline Zoning Plans (OZPs).
The OZPs shows the proposed land-uses and major road
systems of individual planning scheme areas and the objectives
of various land use zonings on the plan (Town Planning Board,
2008).
However, there is lack of data connectivity in CAD models
(Autodesk). The model constructed is in the form of independent
lines in different files. When one of files is deleted from a model,
the GIS data will not be updated automatically. Instead, there will
be problems when the exporting the file.
B) Virtual Reality (VR)
Virtual Reality is electronic simulation of environments
experienced via bead-mounted eye goggles and wired clothing
enabling the end user to interact in realistic three-dimensional
situations (Coates, 1992). VR can be applied to many areas

3. including design, simulation studies, games, and education to
add realism (Makanae, 2003). VR model achieves understanding
of planned building object. It is a mean of communication in the
urban development process and the features of building interact
with the properties of the environment (Kaj Sunesson, Carl Martin
Allwood, Dan Paulin, Ilona Held, 2008). VR can be divided into
two major parts - the simulation of real environments and the
development of an imagined environment.
In the process of public engagement, it is essential for the
general public to know more about the planning of the
columbarium facilities. The VR model can demonstrate how the
columbarium facilities are organized in potential sites with
simulation of real environment. Also, it can show the design of
the columbarium facilities. As a result, the public can view the
plan on the columbarium facilities virtually and obtain more
information about it. This helps the public to evaluate the plan in
a more efficient way.
2. Decision Making
Decision making is the mental processes which is a selection of an
option by severing or eliminating all the others (Perdicoúlis, 2010).
According to Arkansas Program, there are eight moral stages
involved in the decision making. The first step is establishing
community. This is to create and nurture the relationships, norms and
procedures. The second step is perception. This is to recognize the
existing moral problem. The third step is interpretation. This is the
identification and evaluation on competing explanations for the moral
problem. The forth step is judgment. This is the sifting through
various possible actions or responses and determining which is more
morally justifiable. The fifth step is motivation. It is to examine the
competing commitments which may distract from a more moral
course of action and then prioritizing and committing to moral values
over other. The sixth step is courage and character. It is following
through with action that supports the morally justified decision.
Integrity is supported by the ability to overcome distractions and

4. obstacles, developing implementing skills, and ego strength. The
seventh step is reflection in action. The eighth step is reflection on
action.
In the process of decision making, it focuses on the site selection for
the columbarium facilities. Since GIS offers the spatial data, it is
useful for deciding the potential location of the columbarium facilities.
A) Geo-information System (GIS)
GIS relates tangible elements of the real world such as roads,
trees, memorials and buildings, to information such as records,
documents, photographs, history and statistics (Damian
Bradley,LEES + Associates, 2010). It also displays graphics with
linked database and driving force behind database. GIS helps to
perform the site selection in the planning of new columbarium
facilities. There are several factors when deciding the sites for the
columbarium facilities.
i) Availability of Land
For graveyards, it needs a large piece of land for
development and further expansion. Using the satellites
images can help to define the land which is available for
development. GIS helps to show the area of the
undeveloped area over Hong Kong. Through digitization, it
can show all the undeveloped area in Hong Kong. This
helps the planners to make decision with the accurate and
up-to-date information for further process on the
determination of the potential sites.
ii) Landscape: Gentle and Flat
With the gentle slope, people can easily access the sites.
Also, it is easier for future development and expansion.
When facing natural disasters, with flat land, it can minimize

5. the damage to the graveyards. For example, when landslide
is occurred, gentle slope can help to slow down the
movement and mud. The landslide will not ruin the graves.
With ArcScene of ArcGIS, it can show the landscape over
Hong Kong in a 3-D view. This can help to evaluate the
potential sites.
iii) Good Transportation
The potential site needs to cope with huge demand on
some public holidays, for example, Ching Ming Festival.
During some public holidays, people will go to columbarium
facilities for graveside rituals. As a result, good
transportation is essential. Proximity Analysis is needed to
for evaluation of site accessibility. Buffering can be set to
calculate the number of stations within the proposed site.
Furthermore, the shortest distance algorithm can be applied
to locate the nearest transport station from the sites.
iv) Far Away from the Residential Area
From the survey carried out by the government about the
new columbarium facilities, most of the interviewees do not
want the columbarium facilities to be located near their
homes. They are worried about the new columbarium
facilities will lower their existing properties’ values (FHB,
2010). As a result, the potential site should have least local
disturbance and noise and air pollution. Proximity Analysis
is needed to evaluate the affected area. It is essential to set
several distances of buffers to track how many residents will
be affected from the potential sites.
v) Good Environment for Building Columbarium Facilities
With good vegetation, air quality can be improved since
there will be much smoke produced from the sites. Also,

6. there should be greening spaces. In this case, remote
sensing can help to determine the air quality of the sites by
using MODIS to evaluate the aerosol optical thickness (AOT)
(Ngai, 2011). AOT is a measure of radiation extinction due
to the interaction of radiation with aerosol particles in the
atmosphere (NASA, 2010). Low AOT value implies that it is
a good environment for building columbarium facilities. Also,
overlay and buffering can help to calculate the size of the
greening space in the potential sites. The polygon
shapefiles of green areas can overlay with the satellite
image onto the basemap. Buffering can be set to indicate
the size of greening space. With more greening space, the
environment will be better.
3. Limitation on GIT
Firstly, there are different opinions from the public in the public
engagement. It is difficult to present the idea from a particular
interviewee on planning of columbarium facilities. It will be time
consuming and costly if everyone’s idea is presented with the use of
GIT.
Secondly, the psychological view from the general public cannot be
considered by using GIT. According to the view from the public, there
is local disturbance among the communities in the building of
columbarium facilities. To comfort them, there are alternative
solutions in planning the graveyards’ locations and the design of
columbarium facilities. For the location of the graveyards, the
government can consider outlying islands. Although the accessibility
may not be as good as other developed areas in Hong Kong, such
locations can minimize the local disturbance. The transport network
to the outlying island can be designed in the later planning stage. The
columbarium facilities can be in form of Cemetery Park. This can
provide more supplies to cope with the increasing demand from the

7. public.
Alternatively, the columbarium facilities can be located in some
buildings with trees surrounded. When columbarium facilities are
located in buildings, it is difficult for people to recognize them from the
outlook of the buildings. Also, if there are trees surrounding the
buildings, it will become more difficult for people to know what kind of
buildings they are. This can reduce the annoyance on the
columbarium facilities for the public.
In conclusion, CAD, VR and GIS help in the process of planning new
columbarium facilities. In the stage of public engagement, both CAD and
VR help to produce accurate and reliable information on the design of
new columbarium facilities. In the stage of decision making, GIS helps to
define the potential sites for new columbarium facilities with 5 criteria -
availability of land, gentle and flat aspects of landscapes, good
transportation, distances from the residential area and suitable
environment. However, there are limitations on GIT. Firstly, an opinion
from a particular resident cannot be reflected with the use of GIT.
Secondly, GIT ignores the psychological views of the public. For the
solution of the limitations, the new columbarium facilities can be located
on the outlying islands or using trees as a barrier to hide the
columbarium facilities.

8. Reference
1. Sunesson, K., Allwood, C. M. & Paulin, D. (2008) Virtual Reality As a
New Tool in the City Planning Process, .
2. (2008). Retrieved November 5, 2011 from Town Planning Board, Web
site: http://www.info.gov.hk/tpb/en/list_of_plans/intro.html
3. Bradley, D. (2010). Cemetery Mapping: What can GIS do for you?
4. Autodesk (2009). CAD and GIS: Critical Tools, Critical Links.
Retrieved November 5, 2011 from
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/3582317_CriticalTools0.pdf
5. NASA (2010). Giovanni Online User Manual. Retrieved November 2,
2011 from
http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/giovanni/additional/users-manual/G3_m
anual_Chapter_19_AOT_comparison#whatis_AOT
6. (2010). Public Consultation on Review of Columbarium Policy.
Retrieved November 2, 2011 from Food and Health Bureau, Web site:
http://www.fhb.gov.hk/download/press_and_publications/consultation
/100706_f_columbarium/e_columbarium_consultation.pdf
7. Metin, R., & (2001). GPS-Single Point Positioning Without Selective
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10. Makanae & Koji (2003). Development of the VR-CAD System for
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