ORNL releases LandScan Mosaic dataset mapping daily building use

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, has unveiled LandScan Mosaic, a next‑generation global population distribution dataset. Building on the foundation of ORNL’s widely used LandScan Global, the new product incorporates dynamic modeling of building usage and occupancy patterns to estimate where people are located throughout the day.

LandScan Mosaic refines population estimates by integrating data on building types, usage schedules, and occupancy rates, producing a more temporally accurate picture of human presence. The enhanced resolution and temporal granularity are expected to benefit a range of applications, from improving disaster response and humanitarian assistance to informing infrastructure planning and national security operations worldwide.

The release of LandScan Mosaic represents a significant step forward in spatial analytics, offering stakeholders a more precise tool for decision‑making in critical sectors. As the dataset becomes available to researchers and planners, its adoption is likely to enhance the effectiveness of global efforts to manage risk, allocate resources, and protect communities.