Building occupancy type classification and uncertainty estimation using machine learning and open data

Federal and local agencies have identified a need to create building databases to help ensure that critical infrastructure and residential buildings are accounted for in disaster preparedness and to aid the decision-making processes in subsequent recovery efforts. To respond effectively, we need to...

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Main Authors: Tom Narock, J. Michael Johnson, Justin Singh-Mohudpur, Arash Modaresi Rad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2025-01-01
Series:Environmental Data Science
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Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2634460225000020/type/journal_article
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author Tom Narock
J. Michael Johnson
Justin Singh-Mohudpur
Arash Modaresi Rad
author_facet Tom Narock
J. Michael Johnson
Justin Singh-Mohudpur
Arash Modaresi Rad
author_sort Tom Narock
collection DOAJ
description Federal and local agencies have identified a need to create building databases to help ensure that critical infrastructure and residential buildings are accounted for in disaster preparedness and to aid the decision-making processes in subsequent recovery efforts. To respond effectively, we need to understand the built environment—where people live, work, and the critical infrastructure they rely on. Yet, a major discrepancy exists in the way data about buildings are collected across the United SStates There is no harmonization in what data are recorded by city, county, or state governments, let alone at the national scale. We demonstrate how existing open-source datasets can be spatially integrated and subsequently used as training for machine learning (ML) models to predict building occupancy type, a major component needed for disaster preparedness and decision -making. Multiple ML algorithms are compared. We address strategies to handle significant class imbalance and introduce Bayesian neural networks to handle prediction uncertainty. The 100-year flood in North Carolina is provided as a practical application in disaster preparedness.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2634-4602
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publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Cambridge University Press
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series Environmental Data Science
spelling doaj-art-06da83cc618c4ccb9c88c65855b71f6f2025-02-10T11:56:33ZengCambridge University PressEnvironmental Data Science2634-46022025-01-01410.1017/eds.2025.2Building occupancy type classification and uncertainty estimation using machine learning and open dataTom Narock0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9785-4496J. Michael Johnson1Justin Singh-Mohudpur2Arash Modaresi Rad3Center for Natural, Computer, and Data Sciences, Goucher College, Baltimore, MD, USALynker, Boulder, CO, USALynker, Boulder, CO, USASchool of Computing, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USAFederal and local agencies have identified a need to create building databases to help ensure that critical infrastructure and residential buildings are accounted for in disaster preparedness and to aid the decision-making processes in subsequent recovery efforts. To respond effectively, we need to understand the built environment—where people live, work, and the critical infrastructure they rely on. Yet, a major discrepancy exists in the way data about buildings are collected across the United SStates There is no harmonization in what data are recorded by city, county, or state governments, let alone at the national scale. We demonstrate how existing open-source datasets can be spatially integrated and subsequently used as training for machine learning (ML) models to predict building occupancy type, a major component needed for disaster preparedness and decision -making. Multiple ML algorithms are compared. We address strategies to handle significant class imbalance and introduce Bayesian neural networks to handle prediction uncertainty. The 100-year flood in North Carolina is provided as a practical application in disaster preparedness.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2634460225000020/type/journal_articleBayesian neural networkbuilding type classificationflood riskmachine learningopen data
spellingShingle Tom Narock
J. Michael Johnson
Justin Singh-Mohudpur
Arash Modaresi Rad
Building occupancy type classification and uncertainty estimation using machine learning and open data
Environmental Data Science
Bayesian neural network
building type classification
flood risk
machine learning
open data
title Building occupancy type classification and uncertainty estimation using machine learning and open data
title_full Building occupancy type classification and uncertainty estimation using machine learning and open data
title_fullStr Building occupancy type classification and uncertainty estimation using machine learning and open data
title_full_unstemmed Building occupancy type classification and uncertainty estimation using machine learning and open data
title_short Building occupancy type classification and uncertainty estimation using machine learning and open data
title_sort building occupancy type classification and uncertainty estimation using machine learning and open data
topic Bayesian neural network
building type classification
flood risk
machine learning
open data
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2634460225000020/type/journal_article
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AT jmichaeljohnson buildingoccupancytypeclassificationanduncertaintyestimationusingmachinelearningandopendata
AT justinsinghmohudpur buildingoccupancytypeclassificationanduncertaintyestimationusingmachinelearningandopendata
AT arashmodaresirad buildingoccupancytypeclassificationanduncertaintyestimationusingmachinelearningandopendata