Leveraging LiDAR for smart cities climate change resilient: A solar potential case study in a developing area

Abstract

Abstract Smart cities and solar energy are crucial components in climate change adaptation and sustainability. The interrelation with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) based on the 7th SDG goal, Affordable and Clean Energy for solar energy, and the 11th SDG goal, Sustainable Cities and Communities for smart cities, catalyze the research in this field. Unfortunately, there are some gaps in integrating smart cities and solar energy, especially in the elevation model and solar potential accuracy factors. It is essential because the highly accurate integrated model is enormously beneficial, especially for stakeholders. Therefore, this study is leveraging the Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to provide high-resolution datasets for elevation models and create a precise 3D urban environment model for resilient integrated smart cities climate change. Digital terrain, including Digital Terrain Model and Digital Surface Model, were developed based on precise LiDAR point clouds before two vital surfaces, building rooftops and land parcels, were treated as a fundamental surface for solar potential calculation. The solar potential Return of Investment rate was classified and integrated with the 3D urban environment model. This 3D urban environment model helps visualize and provides a more specific and coherent picture of reality. The potential application of LiDAR data in climate change adaptation and sustainability that can be linked using various technologies and scales is also demonstrated in this study.