Methodology enables the identification, based on territorial data, of vulnerabilities in areas such as energy, mobility, infrastructure and health
A methodology developed at the University of São Paulo (USP) to map urban vulnerabilities using territorial data has been patented in Brazil. The procedure, coordinated by geographer Luís Antonio Bittar Venturi, establishes a structured approach for accurately identifying areas more susceptible to issues such as energy supply failures, social inequalities, health-related challenges and infrastructure problems — with direct potential application in public policy planning.
Territorial analysis – The results revealed significant patterns for urban planning, including the presence of areas with high energy vulnerability in affluent neighbourhoods, demonstrating that the phenomenon is not directly linked to income, but rather to the interaction of multiple territorial and structural factors.
The methodology allows analyses that go beyond a single phenomenon. Using the maps, different themes — such as social and energy vulnerability — can be cross-referenced to identify territorial correlations. It also enables scenario simulations: in one exercise, expanding gas use by approximately 23% in homes across São Paulo would reduce energy vulnerability by an average of 11%, highlighting its potential to support policy-making and intervention strategies.
Based on this experience, the team structured the methodological procedure and applied for intellectual property protection, which was recently granted following a process initiated in 2018. The patent recognises as innovative the systematic integration of three dimensions — theory, method and technique — into a single analytical workflow applied to territorial mapping.
Methodological basis – In practice, the approach begins with the conceptual definition of the phenomenon to be analysed and the selection of indicators suited to the context under study. These indicators are then organised into a weighting matrix (Analytical Hierarchy Process – AHP), enabling relative weights to be assigned to each variable. Finally, the data are processed in a geoprocessing environment, resulting in thematic maps that classify the territory according to different levels of vulnerability.
“More than the map itself, what we developed was a procedure. It allows different phenomena to be mapped, provided there are consistent indicators and georeferenced data,” explains Venturi. According to the researcher, the method can be applied to a wide range of themes, including social vulnerability, water security, urban mobility, crime, and even epidemiological or public health patterns.
Another central aspect is the interdisciplinary nature of the application. Producing the maps requires the combined work of specialists across different areas — from the theoretical definition of indicators to modelling and geospatial processing. “It is very difficult for a single person to master all stages. This is work that integrates different competencies to ensure a reliable result,” he says.
The granting of the patent is considered an uncommon milestone in the field of Geography, where there is little tradition of intellectual property protection for analytical methods. “It is recognition that the combination of these stages, applied in a structured manner, generates a new procedure with broad application potential,” says the researcher.
The methodology is already being considered for new large-scale projects. One initiative under discussion proposes applying it to diagnose the energy infrastructure of the state of São Paulo, with the aim of mapping regional vulnerabilities and supporting planning decisions. The proposal is still under development.
For Venturi, the methodology’s main value lies precisely in its adaptability. “Each topic requires its own indicators and a careful reading of the context. The method organises this process and makes it possible to transform scattered data into strategic information for decision-making,” he concludes.
The work was originally developed by a project at the Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Innovation of USP, which resulted in the creation of an unprecedented energy vulnerability map for the city of São Paulo. The study classified residential areas into four levels — from very high to low vulnerability — based on the intersection of indicators such as tree density, proximity to hospitals, characteristics of the electricity grid, the extent of areas served by substations and the existence of an alternative energy source, such as gas.
