Building the city of tomorrow: Demand for geospatial talent grows as technology advances

Applications range from improving access to amenities and green spaces to planning underground infrastructure and designing more liveable neighbourhoods. 

For example, satellite imagery and geospatial AI can be used to identify urban heat hotspots. Policymakers can then use those insights to develop measures that reduce the urban heat island effect in densely built-up areas. 

“The common applications, especially for Singapore, are about (creating) a sustainable and liveable city,” Assoc Prof Feng said. 

“It could be an application related to accessibility – within 15 minutes (whether people can easily) access clinics or parks … basically satisfy everyday needs.” 

Geospatial intelligence is also increasingly being used to create digital representations of both above-ground and underground environments, he said. 

These digital models can be combined with human behavioural data to help planners understand how people use spaces and how future developments can be designed more efficiently. 

NEXT GENERATION OF TALENT

The adoption of geospatial technologies is also driving demand for workers with expertise in both spatial analysis and computing.

According to Assoc Prof Feng, student interest in geospatial-related courses has risen by 25 per cent over the past two years across different faculties such as law and business. 

NUS expects an inaugural cohort of about 30 students for the new programme, with plans to double enrolment over the next four years. 

Graduates could find opportunities in fields such as urban planning, environmental science, public health and business analytics, where location-based intelligence is becoming increasingly important, said Assoc Prof Feng. 

“It’s not going to be just spatial or just computing; they need the combination of the two, so that you can generate the insights correctly,” he said. 

As Singapore continues to build higher and deeper, geospatial intelligence is emerging as a critical tool for understanding how people, infrastructure and resources interact. 

Observers said the planners and data specialists trained today could play a key role in shaping a future city that is not only more efficient, but also more liveable.