Analysis of Building 3D Attribute Coverage and Spatial Disparity of Editing Activities in OpenStreetMap

Abstract. This study analyzed the completeness and spatial distribution of three-dimensional (3D) building attributes within OpenStreetMap (OSM) data across Japan, along with an examination of the characteristics of editing activities. A data extraction and analysis pipeline was developed to assess the spatial coverage of 3D attributes and patterns of editing activity at the multi-scale. The key findings are as follows: (1) only 4.7% of OSM buildings in Japan possess height attributes, with notable regional disparities in 3D attribute coverage. (2) editing activities are highly concentrated, as evidenced by average Gini coefficient of 0.949, with 38.3% of prefectures exhibiting a high concentration (HHI > 2500). (3) urban areas tend to exhibit more diverse editor participation, whereas rural areas are heavily reliant on a limited number of editors. (4) the import of government 3D city model data significantly enhanced the 3D attribute coverage in certain municipalities. (5) sustainability challenges are present, particularly in rural areas that are dependent on a few editors. The results underscore the necessity of targeted efforts to enhance 3D data completeness and editor participation, especially in underrepresented regions. This analysis provides insights to support the sustainable development of OSM 3D building data in Japan.