Presented at the 2011 Texas GIS Forum

1. New York City Case Study:
LiDAR and the Power of Solar
2011 Texas GIS Forum
Austin, TX
Presented By:
Llana Hines, Director, Business Capture Strategy
The Sanborn Map Company, Inc.
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

2. Case Study Synopsis
New York City Solar Map
• Program Initiative
• Stakeholders
• Project Approach
• Desired Outcome
• Accomplishments
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

3. Program Initiative: Strategic Plan
• Long term Strategic Plan (PlaNYC)
– Initiated Earth Day, 2007; Mayor Blumberg
– Green Energy; reduce greenhouse gas emissions by
30% in full by 2030 (from 2005 baseline)
– Improve the environment
– Improve Quality of life
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

4. Program Initiative: Solar Energy
• NYC Greener, Greater Buildings Plan
– Electricity, heating and hot water consumed in
buildings accounts for 75-80% of the greenhouse gas
footprint
– Energy Savings
– US Green Building Council (LEED Guidelines)
• Water Efficiency
• Improve interior building environmental quality
• Energy Savings
• Future; Develop ‘passive survivability’
• Portion of the Plan implements Solar Energy
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

5. Stakeholders
These are the four project partners that are
working on the SOLAR NYC Project. These
partners have signed an MOU outlining
specific roles and responsibilities.
Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning
Sustainable CUNY on behalf and Sustainability
of the City University of New
York Hunter College - CUNY
NYC Solar America
Cities Advisory Board
• Eight industry
representatives
• Ten non-profit solar/energy
advocacy organizations
• Six additional government
We work with these City agencies on
agencies various solar initiatives. They provide
Our utility and state partners. These groups
expertise on how to integrate solar into
provide financial and advisory support.
their processes and programs.
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

6. Solar Mapping: Incident Solar Radiation
(Insolation)
• Measure of Solar Radiation Energy
• To Calculate:
– latitude and elevation
– atmospheric condition
– seasonal and daily shifts of sun angle
– Orientation (slope and aspect)
– shadowing
• 3D Building Model Required
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

7. Empire State Building
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

8. Project Approach: LiDAR Acquisition
• Collection of 362 sq. miles of high
density LiDAR
(8-12 points per meter)
• Post-Midnight
Flights
• Twin-engine
Shrike
Commander
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

9. Project Approach: LiDAR Acquisition
• Collection Completed April 14 2010 –May 1
2010
• Collected using– 2 sensors; Leica ALS 50 II–
– Flight Height – 1066m (~3497) ft
– (Empire State Building 1,453’)
– FOV – 28 degrees
– Air speed – 120 knots (~138 Mph)
– Laser Power 94.7 Khz
– Normal Collection window - 1-5am
• Total 440 Lines
• Over 15 Billion Points
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

10. Project Approach: Area of Interest
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

11. Project Approach: Base Stations (5)
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

12. Project Approach: Workflow
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

13. Project Approach: QA Checkpoints
22 Checkpoints
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

14. Project Approach: Processing and Filtering
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

15. Project Approach: Manual Editing
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

16. Desired Outcome: High Accuracy Data
• Hunter College (CUNY) Quality Control
• Minimum density of 8 points per m2
• Independently Surveyed Points by ConEdison
(2 cm accuracy)
– Manhattan: 198 points
– Queens: 260 points
– Brooklyn 450 points
– Bronx: 290 points
– Staten Island: 90 points
– Total 1,290 points
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

17. © 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

18. Desired Outcome: High Accuracy Data
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

19. Desired Outcome: Madison Square Garden
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

20. Desired Outcome: World Trade Center
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

21. Desired Outcome: Measuring Insolation
• Incident Solar Radiation
• Topography is a major factor
• Buildings are a major factor
• ESRI Insolation Tool; Variations
– Elevation
– Orientation
– (steepness (slope) and compass direction (aspect)
– Shadows Cast/Effects
– Atmospheric effects
– Site latitude and elevation
– Seasonal and daily shifts of sun angle
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

22. Desired Outcome: ESRI Solar Insolation Model
• Create surface model for City
• Use building footprints to cut out rooftops
• Use ESRI insolation tool
• Calibrate with installation data (ConEdison)
• Long Term Goal; interactive website for public
access
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

23. Desired Outcome: ESRI Solar Analyst tool
Lower Manhattan, WorldView-2 imagery. CARSI, 2010
The Solar Analysis calculates incoming direct and diffuse solar radiation
over time for any point in the landscape based on the local topography,
including obstructions like buildings and trees.
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

24. Accomplishments: http://nycsolarmap.com/
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

25. Accomplishments: http://nycsolarmap.com/
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

26. Accomplishments: http://nycsolarmap.com/
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.

27. Thank you!
References:
http://nycsolarmap.com/
www.sanborn.com
www.nyc.gov
www.esri.com
Professor Sean Ahearn, PHD; Center for Advanced Research of Spatial Information
(CARSI), Hunter College, CUNY, 695 Park Avenue, Room 1023, North Bldg, New
York, NY 10021
Read more: NYC Solar Map: Two-Thirds of City Rooftops are Suitable for Solar
Panels NYC Solar Map – Inhabitat New York City
© 2011, The Sanborn Map Company, Inc. Privileged and confidential information. Distribution or copying prohibited without written approval.