Soilsealing layer — Dataset

On the basis of a request from the European Commission, in March 2006 the European Environment Agency (EEA) proposed a collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) for the implementation of a “Fast Track Service” within the Community project GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security), in order to create a high-resolution layer related to soil sealing. This layer stems from the need to provide more detailed discriminatory elements within the urban environment that would complement the classification of land use/covering of the European project Corine Land Cover 2006 (CLC2006). As part of the project, ESA provided the algorithm for classification and high resolution images (SPOT 4 and IRS LISS III), georeferenced and orthorectified, referring to 2006 (IMAGE2006). The producers of the layer (Service Provider) carried out a pixel-based classification (20x20 m) considering the percentage degree (0-100 %) of waterproof soil cover on the basis of a legend consisting of two classes (built-up and non-built-up) based on the concept of impenetrability. In the design context, the defined built-up areas are represented by a waterproofing degree of between 1 % and 100 %, and include pixels that are wholly or partially belonging to buildings, roads, quarries and installations, including auxiliary spaces, deliberately installed in relation to human activities.