The CEDAS (building CEnsus for seismic Damage Assessment) project: citizen science to increase risk awareness

Abstract

Citizen science has proven very useful to increase awareness and preparedness of societies prone to disaster risk. The active involvement of citizens is also strongly envisaged by strategic documents related to disaster risk reduction (e.g. SENDAI Framework, United Nations Global Assessment Report). Here, we describe the CEDAS (building CEnsus for seismic Damage ASsessment) project, which involved high-school students in citizen science activities related to seismic risk reduction. In particular, students collected data on building characteristics (e.g. height, material) near to their homes using their phone or personal computer. Prior to data collection students were trained on risk-related concepts (hazard, exposure and vulnerability) with specific focus on buildings exposure the area where the activity was carried out (northeastern Italy). CEDAS was implemented in 2021 and 2022 involving approximately 320 students who collected more than 6000 building forms. The CEDAS project is not only data collection: students also analyzed the data and compared the exposure parameters in different areas. Finally, the interpreted the results with the help of teachers and researchers. CEDAS has demonstrated its potential for collecting exposure data in seismic-prone areas and/or include characteristics useful for multi-hazard and multi-risk assessment. However, its generalization requires the adaptation of the training material to the specific context. This presentation will support the discussion on CEDAS based on active involvement of participants. Attendants will have the opportunity to test the CEDAS approach for selected buildings. Pictures of the building front and aerial view, together with a street view, will be displayed on the screen. The active involvement of participants will support the discussion both on technical (e.g. parameters to be prioritized during the collection) and communication (e.g. citizens engagement and training) aspects. The discussion will also cover future developments of CEDAS, in particular in relation to risk awareness and preparedness (e.g. definition of impact assessment metrics).