Assessing the quality of open geospatial datasets on buildings and structures for geoinformation mapping

GIS Technologies for Decision-Making and Management

Authors

First and Last Name Academic degree E-mail Affiliation
Danylo Kin Ph.D. kondanil24 [at] gmail.com Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture
Kyiv, Ukraine
Nadiia Lazorenko Ph.D. nadiialg [at] gmail.com Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture
Kyiv, Ukraine
Yurii Karpinskyi Sc.D. karp [at] gki.com.ua Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture
Kyiv, Ukraine
Anatoliy Lyashchenko Sc.D. l_an [at] ukr.net Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture
Kyiv, Ukraine
Veronika Bozhko No veronikab202004 [at] gmail.com Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture
Kyiv, Ukraine

I and my co-authors (if any) authorize the use of the Paper in accordance with the Creative Commons CC BY license

First published on this website: 21.08.2025 - 14:31
Abstract 

This research addresses the critical issue of open geospatial data quality, focusing on its relevance for topographic and geodetic applications, urban planning, and the development of national spatial data infrastructures. The authors developed a comprehensive methodology to assess three key quality dimensions: positional accuracy, completeness, and level of detail across five popular datasets: OpenStreetMap, Microsoft Bing Building Footprints, Google Satellite, Bing Maps, and Esri Imagery. Geospatial and statistical analyses were conducted using digital topographic maps at a 1:2000 scale as reference data for selected settlements in Ukraine. The results revealed significant variability among the datasets. Microsoft Bing Building Footprints demonstrated the highest completeness, while Google Satellite and Bing Maps achieved the best results in terms of detail. However, all datasets showed notable discrepancies in positional accuracy compared to reference data, rendering automated point-to-point matching ineffective. The findings underscore the need for rigorous quality assessment when using open geospatial data, particularly in applications where data reliability directly affects decision-making outcomes and public safety.

References 

Ali, A. B., & Hamza, M. H. (2021). Updating Traditional 1/50,000 Topographic Maps Using Crowd-Sourced Geodata and Free Sources Satellite Images. Journal of Geographic Information System, 13(2), 274-286. https://doi.org/10.4236/jgis.2021.132015

Borkowska, S., & Pokonieczny, K. (2022). Analysis of OpenStreetMap data quality for selected counties in Poland in terms of sustainable development. Sustainability, 14(7), 3728. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073728

Dawod, G.M. & Ascoura, I.E. (2021). The Validity of Open-Source Elevations for Different Topographic Map Scales and Geomatics Applications. Journal of Geographic Information System, 13, 148-165. https://doi.org/10.4236/jgis.2021.132009

Hajek, B., & Kriz, K. (2021). Large Scaled Topographic Mapping and Issues in Depicting VGI and Open Data. In Proceedings of the ICA (Vol. 4, pp. 1-6). Copernicus GmbH. https://doi.org/10.5194/ica-proc-4-43-2021

Hecht, R., Kunze, C., & Hahmann, S. (2013). Measuring completeness of building footprints in OpenStreetMap over space and time. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 2(4), 1066-1091. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi2041066

Herfort, B., Lautenbach, S., Porto de Albuquerque, J., Anderson, J., & Zipf, A. (2023). A spatio-temporal analysis investigating completeness and inequalities of global urban building data in OpenStreetMap. Nature Communications, 14(1), 3985. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39698-6

Karpinskyi, Y., Lyashchenko, A., Lazorenko-Hevel, N., Cherin, A., Kin, D., & Havryliuk, Y. (2021). Main state topographic map: Structure and principles of the creation A database. Paper presented at the    20th    International    Conference    Geoinformatics:    Theoretical    and    Applied    Aspects, https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.20215521043

Lyashchenko, A., Karpinskyi, Y., Kin, D., & Lazorenko, N. (2024). Conceptual model of topological constraints for the geospatial database of a topographic map at a scale of 1:10 000. In International Conference of Young Professionals «GeoTerrace-2024», Vol. 2024, No. 1, pp. 1-5. https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.2024510003

Moradi, M., Roche, S., & Mostafavi, M. A. (2023). Evaluating OSM building footprint data quality in Québec province, Canada from 2018 to 2023: A comparative study. Geomatics, 3(4), 541-562. https://doi.org/10.3390/geomatics3040029

Xia, J. (2012). Metrics to Measure Open Geospatial Data Quality. Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship, (68). https://doi.org/10.29173/istl1542

Xie, X., Zhou, Y., Xu, Y., Hu, Y., & Wu, C. (2019). OpenStreetMap data quality assessment via deep learning and remote sensing imagery. IEEE Access, 7, 176884-176895. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2957825

Yamazaki, D., Ikeshima, D., Sosa, J., Bates, P. D., Allen, G. H., & Pavelsky, T. M. (2019). MERIT Hydro: A high‐resolution global hydrography map based on latest topography dataset. Water Resources Research, 55(6), 5053-5073. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR024873