How Austin uses AI to address tree canopies
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Google's overhead imagery data has helped the city better map its tree canopy. Photo: Jay Janner/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images
As Austin confronts hotter summers, city officials are turning to Google's AI to address shade disparities.
Why it matters: Neighborhoods with less tree cover often face higher heat exposure, and AI-driven analysis can help target where shade could have the greatest impact.
State of play: Roughly 43% of Austin's land is covered by tree canopy, per the latest estimate by Google.
- Austin leaders want to reach 50% by 2050, but the city's shade isn't distributed equally.
- More trees are found in wealthier neighborhoods — and there tend to be fewer trees where low-income people and people of color reside.
How it works: Google combines its overhead imagery data from Google Earth with weather and socioeconomic datasets.
- The city then uses a combination of Google's data, alongside professional expertise, to guide where to prioritize tree planting and other cooling investments, according to Alan Halter, an IT geospatial analyst with the city.
- "Traditional canopy modeling can take years for aerial imagery capture, then months of heavy computer processing on massive files," Halter tells Axios.
Zoom in: Google's Chris Hein says the technology allows cities to combine aerial imagery, weather information and socioeconomic data in a single tool.
- It showcases how AI can "actually meet the public sector needs," Hein tells Axios.
The big picture: Extreme heat causes more deaths in the U.S. than any other weather-related hazard, and cities are increasingly looking for ways to reduce temperatures and protect vulnerable residents.
- Researchers at UCLA found that tree canopies provide 25 times more shade at noon than buildings, making them a cheaper, more natural way to create shade and address climate change.
- "With so many trees across Austin and the ability to stand directly beneath them, their shade ends up being far more accessible than what buildings provide," Halter says.
Flashback: Austin has been tackling our increasingly hot summers for years.
- The city turns libraries and other public buildings into cooling centers in extremely warm weather.
- Along with tree planting, officials have also deployed misting canopies and applied heat-reflective coatings on pavements to combat the heat.
What's next: Google says 14 cities are using its tree canopy data, and the company has plans to expand to more than 350 cities globally.