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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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Every Building on Earth (About 2.75 Billion) Mapped In 3D for the First Time

Imagine being able to see every building on Earth in three dimensions—from the tallest skyscraper in New York to a small home in a remote village in Africa. Thanks to a groundbreaking project by researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), this vision is now a reality. For the first time, all the world’s buildings are available as high-resolution 3D models through the newly developed GlobalBuildingAtlas. This open-access dataset is set to revolutionize urban planning, climate research, disaster management, and sustainable development worldwide.

Mapping the World’s Buildings: A Massive Undertaking

The project, led by Prof. Xiaoxiang Zhu, Chair of Data Science in Earth Observation at TUM, answers a question that has long intrigued scientists and policymakers: How many buildings exist on Earth, and what do they look like in 3D?

Using satellite imagery from 2019 and cutting-edge data science techniques, the research team has created 2.75 billion 3D building models. This is the most comprehensive collection of its kind. For context, the previous largest global dataset contained about 1.7 billion buildings, meaning the GlobalBuildingAtlas expands coverage significantly.

The models have a 3×3 meter resolution, which is 30 times finer than data in comparable databases. This level of detail allows researchers to analyze urban structures, building volume, and city landscapes in unprecedented precision.

What Are LoD1 3D Models?

Of the total 2.75 billion buildings, 97% (2.68 billion) are provided as LoD1 3D models. But what does this mean?

LoD1, or Level of Detail 1, represents simplified three-dimensional versions of buildings. These models capture the basic shape and height of a structure but do not include intricate details such as windows, doors, or roof shapes. While simpler than higher-level models, LoD1 is incredibly useful for large-scale computational analyses.

These models can be integrated into simulations for:

  • Urban development planning

  • Infrastructure design

  • Population and housing studies

  • Disaster risk assessment

Importantly, unlike previous datasets, the GlobalBuildingAtlas includes buildings from regions often missing in global maps, including Africa, South America, and rural areas.

New Perspectives for Sustainability and Climate Research

The availability of global 3D building data opens entirely new possibilities for sustainable development and climate research. Traditional 2D maps only show the footprint of buildings—the area they occupy on the ground. In contrast, 3D models capture both footprint and volume, providing a much more accurate representation of urbanization and living conditions.

Prof. Zhu explains, “With 3D models, we can calculate not only where people live but also the volume of buildings per person, a new global indicator that reflects social and economic disparities.”

This metric, known as building volume per capita, measures the total mass of buildings relative to population. It provides insights into:

  • Housing adequacy

  • Infrastructure distribution

  • Urban density

  • Social and economic inequalities

By using this data, urban planners and governments can identify areas that require attention, such as underserved neighborhoods lacking sufficient housing or public facilities like schools and health centers.

Open Data for Global Challenges

The GlobalBuildingAtlas is open-access, meaning anyone—from researchers to policymakers—can use it for free. This openness is crucial for addressing some of the most pressing global challenges:

1. Urban Planning and Social Equity

City planners can use the dataset to:

  • Assess the density of residential areas

  • Plan new housing projects or public infrastructure

  • Ensure equitable distribution of services

  • Reduce overcrowding in urban centers

By integrating building volume and population data, cities can become more inclusive, resilient, and responsive to the needs of their residents.

2. Climate Adaptation and Sustainability

3D building data is also a game-changer for climate research. It allows researchers to:

  • Model energy demand more accurately

  • Estimate CO₂ emissions from buildings

  • Plan green infrastructure, such as parks and tree planting

  • Analyze the impact of urban heat islands

Accurate 3D data makes it possible to predict how cities will respond to climate change and design interventions that reduce environmental impact.

3. Disaster Prevention and Management

Natural disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes, pose significant risks to urban areas. With high-resolution 3D building models, authorities can:

  • Identify vulnerable structures

  • Model the impact of disasters on urban populations

  • Prioritize emergency response efforts

  • Improve long-term disaster preparedness

For example, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is already exploring how the GlobalBuildingAtlas can support its work under the “International Charter: Space and Major Disasters”.

Technical Highlights of the GlobalBuildingAtlas

The creation of the GlobalBuildingAtlas required combining massive satellite imagery datasets with advanced machine learning and data processing techniques. Some notable features include:

  • 2.75 billion building models from around the world

  • High-resolution 3×3 meter data, allowing detailed urban analysis

  • LoD1 3D models for 97% of buildings, capturing shape and height

  • Inclusion of previously underrepresented regions, such as Africa, South America, and rural areas

  • Open-access availability for researchers, policymakers, and NGOs

This level of detail is unprecedented, and the dataset represents a major step forward in global geospatial information.

Applications Across Fields

The GlobalBuildingAtlas is not just a research project—it has practical applications across multiple fields:

  1. Urban Development: Planners can design better cities, optimize land use, and plan public services efficiently.

  2. Sustainable Housing: By understanding building volume per capita, authorities can monitor housing equity and address shortages.

  3. Energy and Climate Studies: Researchers can simulate energy consumption patterns and assess the carbon footprint of urban areas.

  4. Disaster Risk Reduction: Accurate 3D data improves disaster modeling and emergency preparedness.

  5. Infrastructure Management: Governments can plan roads, utilities, and public facilities more effectively.

  6. Social Research: Economists and sociologists can study urban inequality, population density, and living standards in new ways.

A Step Towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The GlobalBuildingAtlas directly contributes to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:

  • SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: Helps cities grow inclusively and safely.

  • SDG 13 – Climate Action: Supports climate adaptation strategies and environmental planning.

  • SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Provides precise data for building resilient infrastructure.

  • SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities: Enables targeted planning to improve living conditions in disadvantaged areas.

By providing reliable, global, and detailed data, the GlobalBuildingAtlas empowers governments, NGOs, and researchers to make evidence-based decisions for a sustainable future.

Challenges and Future Directions

While the GlobalBuildingAtlas is a monumental achievement, challenges remain:

  • Updating Data: Buildings are constantly being constructed or demolished, so keeping the database up-to-date will be crucial.

  • Higher Levels of Detail: LoD1 models provide basic shapes, but higher levels of detail (LoD2, LoD3) could enable more precise architectural analysis.

  • Integration with Other Datasets: Combining building data with demographic, socioeconomic, or environmental datasets could unlock even greater insights.

The research team at TUM is already looking ahead to address these challenges and enhance the GlobalBuildingAtlas further.

Global Impact and Reception

The response from the scientific and policy community has been overwhelmingly positive. Governments, research institutes, and NGOs recognize the potential of global 3D building data to improve urban planning, climate mitigation, and disaster management.

Prof. Zhu emphasizes:
"This is just the beginning. With open access to 3D building data, we can empower cities worldwide to plan better, respond faster to disasters, and create living conditions that are fairer and more sustainable."

Conclusion

The GlobalBuildingAtlas represents a historic leap in how we understand urbanization. For the first time, all the world’s buildings—over 2.75 billion of them—are available as high-resolution 3D models. From improving urban planning and infrastructure to advancing climate research and disaster management, the potential applications are immense.

By turning satellite imagery into actionable 3D data, this project equips researchers, governments, and organizations to make better decisions for the future. Cities can become more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable, and our understanding of global urbanization and housing inequality can reach unprecedented clarity.

In short, the GlobalBuildingAtlas doesn’t just map buildings—it maps the future of cities and sustainable development.

Reference:
Zhu, X. X., Chen, S., Zhang, F., Shi, Y., Wang, Y. (2025). GlobalBuildingAtlas: an open global and complete dataset of building polygons, heights and LoD1 3D models. Earth System Science Data (ESSD). DOI: 10.5194/essd-17-6647-2025

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