Module 2: Site Assessment & Data Foundation

In this module, you will learn how to acquire and work with geospatial data from multiple sources, including satellite imagery and GIS databases containing thematic and elevation datasets. You will explore principles of remote sensing, multitemporal data analysis, and thematic map development to monitor biodiversity, vegetation health, and environmental changes in urban ecosystems. You will also gain skills in preparing and processing data for hydrological modelling, including rainfall–runoff simulations, flood risk assessment, and urban climate adaptation planning.

As several sessions involve practical GIS work, we recommend taking notes during the exercises to support your learning and help you build your technical workflow. Guided notes are also provided to help you create your own clear and effective notes.

Time required: 11 hours 30 minutes

Keywords: remote sensing, optical imagery, radar imagery, thermal imagery, UAV data, multispectral analysis, vegetation indices, thematic mapping, DEM, slope, urban heat island, hydrological modelling, HEC-HMS, SWMM, flood risk, environmental monitoring, open data.

Learning objectives: By the end of this module, you will understand remote sensing principles, access and process free spatial data using QGIS, and interpret thematic maps for land cover, elevation, temperature, and biodiversity. You will apply rainfall–runoff concepts, run basic SWMM models to simulate flooding, and analyze environmental changes over time. Finally, you will produce maps, flood scenarios, and monitoring plans to support urban planning and climate adaptation.

Authors: Anna Sobieraj-Żłobińska, Gdańsk University of Technology; Dominika Kalinowska, Gdańsk University of Technology; Aleksander Orłowski, Gdańsk University of Technology; Natalia Nowak, VIA University College.