Calgary, A.B. - June 1, 2017 – Alberta Data Partnerships and SensorUp have teamed up to make Alberta’s environmental data easier to access. The two are creating an Environmental Data Exchange Node (EDEN) that will combine disparate environmental monitoring data throughout the province, in a single portal. The idea is to place all environmental data in a single, easy-to-access spot online. That way, industry, government, communities, and individuals in the Province, can find the data they’re looking for -- all in one place. Dr. Steve Liang, University of Calgary Professor and SensorUp CEO explains why it’s so important to combine data:

“When physical phenomena are monitored and measured in isolation, you don’t get the whole picture. It’s only when you can view the pieces as a system of systems, that you can analyze and understand the interfaces between physical phenomena. And to do that, you need to combine the data from many different monitoring programs.”

The database is constructed to evolve continuously as environmental data is collected in Alberta, as it allows for voluntary updating with any new datasets. That means it can always provide the most up-to-date information about what data is available, and where. The advantages to this approach include reducing duplication of data collection efforts, which would mean increasing efficiency in data collection, and potentially cost savings moving forward. Shane Patterson, of Alberta Environment and Parks, explains:

“Approaches like EDEN can create awareness and opportunities to integrate data from previous, existing, and future sampling programs to inform decision making on the landscape. In addition to efficiencies and potential reduced costs associated with data collection, making more data discoverable and accessible could also enable the development of scalable information products, to support cumulative effects and integrated resource management, which would be great for industry and government.”  

The project builds on an integrated soils database, the foundation of which is the Government of Alberta’s AGRASID soils database. The project will proceed in phases, with the current phase building on the work that has already been done to consolidate soils data in the province. Next steps will involve building automatic and easy updating processes, to make it easiest for companies to voluntarily submit up-to-date environmental data as it’s collected.

About SensorUp

SensorUp provides a cross-domain data exchange platform for the Internet of Things (IoT), based on international, open, geospatial standards. SensorUp’s platform is the world’s first and most complete, ready-to-use, compliant implementation of the OGC SensorThings API standard. SensorUp’s staff are experts in geospatial IoT data management. Dr. Steve Liang, founder and CEO of SensorUp, is the editor of the OGC SensorThings API standard specification and a globally recognized IoT expert. Learn more at www.SensorUp.com

About  Alberta Data Partnerships

Alberta Data Partnerships Ltd. is an Alberta not-for-profit public-private partnership created in 1996 to provide leadership and governance to the licensing and distribution of spatial data. ADP is committed to initiatives that promote the quality, accessibility and financially sustainability of data in Alberta.



Contact: 

Coral Bliss Taylor
SensorUp Inc.
122 3553 - 31 Street NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2L 2K7
403-880-1617
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