The transition toward low-carbon cities, as promoted within smart and net-zero urban paradigms, increasingly requires decision-support tools capable of integrating environmental data into early planning stages. Within this context, soil quality—and specifically Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) as its proxy indicator—remains only marginally addressed in built-environment assessments, despite its relevance to carbon balance and ecosystem services. The research focuses on integrating satellite- derived SOC data with the land-use Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to evaluate the ef- fectiveness of current practices at the urban planning scale. Three proposed analysis approaches combine open-access Earth Observation datasets processed through cloud-based platforms and GIS tools with LCA modelling to estimate variations in SOC associated with alternative land-use trans- formations. Results build on a comparative evaluation, indicating the procedural feasibility of apply- ing these workflows using open datasets and widely accessible tools, while highlighting limitations in data resolution. The study highlights the potential to operationalise soil indicators within city planning roadmaps, helping bridge the gap between environmental assessment methods and spatial planning practice.
Earth Observation Data for Soil Quality in Life Cycle Impact Assessment in Early-Stage Spatial Regeneration Projects
L. Mensi;F. A. P. Romio;B. Magagnoli;C. Rondina;L. Morganti
2026
Abstract
The transition toward low-carbon cities, as promoted within smart and net-zero urban paradigms, increasingly requires decision-support tools capable of integrating environmental data into early planning stages. Within this context, soil quality—and specifically Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) as its proxy indicator—remains only marginally addressed in built-environment assessments, despite its relevance to carbon balance and ecosystem services. The research focuses on integrating satellite- derived SOC data with the land-use Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to evaluate the ef- fectiveness of current practices at the urban planning scale. Three proposed analysis approaches combine open-access Earth Observation datasets processed through cloud-based platforms and GIS tools with LCA modelling to estimate variations in SOC associated with alternative land-use trans- formations. Results build on a comparative evaluation, indicating the procedural feasibility of apply- ing these workflows using open datasets and widely accessible tools, while highlighting limitations in data resolution. The study highlights the potential to operationalise soil indicators within city planning roadmaps, helping bridge the gap between environmental assessment methods and spatial planning practice.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
