The Potential Contribution of Remotely Sensed Images for GreenMetric Ranking

Abstract

GreenMetric (GM) ranks the universities worldwide to determine their sustainability levels. Ranking depends on the scores which is calculated based on the evidence provided for various criteria. In this study, it is suggested to use remotely sensed images both as data to be used in score calculation related to greenery level and as evidence to be presented. In this context, GM scores regarding the sustainability indicators of the first category were determined by using satellite images. The main campuses of two universities from Turkey were selected as study areas. Sentinel-2B satellite images of the campus areas were exposed to digital image processing techniques to derive statistical values regarding greenery. Based on these data and information, the total scores of the setting and infrastructure category for both campuses were calculated as 1000 and 925, those officially claimed were 1050 and 825. When considering the main campus of a university, remotely sensed image has high potential to obtain the required information about green and non-green areas. Therefore, thematic maps to be produced from such data can set a standard for statistical evidence requested by GM in various indicators. This approach will also contribute to the more reliable evaluation.

Keywords

• Green Area
• Green Metric
• Indicator
• Remote Sensing
• Sustainability
• Thematic Map

References

1. Alshuwaikhat, H.M., Abubakar, I., 2008. An integrated approach to achieving campus sustainability: assessment of the current campus environmental management practices. J. Clean. Prod. 16, 1777–1785. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2007.12.002
2. Dagiliūtė, R., Liobikienė, G., Minelgaitė, A., 2018. Sustainability at universities: Students’ perceptions from Green and Non-Green universities. J. Clean. Prod. 181, 473–482. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.01.213
3. GM Guideline 2018. Universities, impacts and sustainable development goals.
4. GM Guideline, 2019. Sustainable university in a changing world: Lessons, Challenges and Opportunities.
5. Lauder, A., Sari, R.F., Suwartha, N., Tjahjono, G., 2015. Critical review of a global campus sustainability ranking: GreenMetric. J. Clean. Prod. 108, 852–863. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.02.080
6. Lozano, R., Lukman, R., Lozano, F.J., Huisingh, D., Lambrechts, W., 2013. Declarations for sustainability in higher education: Becoming better leaders, through addressing the university system. J. Clean. Prod. 48, 10–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2011.10.006
7. Marrone, P., Orsini, F., Asdrubali, F., Guattari, C., 2018. Environmental performance of universities: Proposal for implementing campus urban morphology as an evaluation parameter in Green Metric. Sustain. Cities Soc. 42, 226–239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2018.07.012
8. Puertas, R., Marti, L., 2019. Sustainability in universities: DEA-GreenMetric. Sustain. 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143766

9. Ragazzi, M., Ghidini, F., 2017. Environmental sustainability of universities: Critical analysis of a green ranking. Energy Procedia 119, 111–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.07.054
10. Rouse, J.W., Hass, R.H., Schell, J.A., Deering, D.W., 1973. Monitoring vegetation systems in the great plains with ERTS. Third Earth Resour. Technol. Satell. Symp. 1, 309–317. https://doi.org/citeulike-article-id:12009708
11. Suwartha, N., Sari, R.F., 2013. Evaluating UI GreenMetric as a tool to support green universities development: Assessment of the year 2011 ranking. J. Clean. Prod. 61, 46–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.02.034 Tiyarattanachai, R., Hollmann, N.M., 2016. Green Campus initiative and its impacts on quality of life of stakeholders in Green and Non-Green Campus universities. Springerplus 5, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-016-1697-4
12. Velazquez, L., Munguia, N., Platt, A., Taddei, J., 2006. Sustainable university: what can be the matter? J. Clean. Prod. 14, 810–819. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2005.12.008
13. Wei, W., Chen, X., Ma, A., 2005. Object-oriented information extraction and application in high-resolution remote sensing image, in: Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium.
14. URL-1: http://greenmetric.ui.ac.id/country-list2019/?country=Turkey
15. URL-2: https://sentinel.esa.int/web/sentinel/home
16. URL-3: https://kalite.itu.edu.tr/dokumanlar/faaliyet-raporu
17. URL-4: https://strateji.gop.edu.tr/dosyasayfasi.aspx?birimid=7&dil=tr&menuid=90