We tend to think of mapping buildings as one of the simpler tasks we ask mappers to do but recently I've been looking at code that can extract buildings from OpenStreetMap aggregate the floor area then calculate an estimated population.
Trouble is when I look at the map in some areas the buildings are accurately​ mapped but in others the standard of mapping leaves much to be desired. Validation is a problem. Do we expect validators to carefully move the four points to the correct corners and square them? This is more effort than remapping them with the JOSM building_tool plugin and is unlikely to happen. I also come a cross a large number of settlements tagged building=yes or building=residential these I correct as I come across them. Round huts are a particular problem, it's very easy to copy one hut which means they often end up being mapped the same standard size. Perhaps if we explain why it is important to map buildings accurately in the instructions we might get better results. Dunno, perhaps answer is not to estimate population based on floor area. Thoughts? Thanks John
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