Society Intelligence Newsletter #3

Location

Total Floor Area

Design

Program

Welcome to our newsletter on everything related to impact data. In this newsletter we will cover:

  • Interesting variable: Heating and cooling days
  • Interesting tool: Population Density Explorer
  • Interesting read: The Graphic Continuum
  • Interesting dataset: ESMA Register

Interesting variable: Heating and cooling days

This map visualizes heating and cooling needs across Europe using an index that combines Cooling Degree Days (CDD) and Heating Degree Days (HDD). HDD measures how much heating is needed when temperatures drop below 15°C, while CDD tracks cooling demand when temperatures exceed 24°C.

The data, sourced from Eurostat and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, is based on meteorological observations interpolated to a 25 km grid and aggregated at the NUTS-3 regional level. This dataset helps assess climate impacts on energy demand and urban planning across different regions.

Interesting tool: Population Density Explorer

Meta has a long history of providing open-source data and software. One of the best-known examples is the family of large language models called LLaMA. Meta is also providing a population density data.

Meta’s Population Density Explorer provides high-resolution population maps using satellite imagery and census data. By leveraging artificial intelligence, the tool detects buildings and estimates population distribution at a 30-meter resolution, offering detailed demographic breakdowns by gender and age. Covering more than 160 countries, the data is openly accessible. Researchers, policymakers, and nonprofits can use the interactive dashboard to explore population trends, identify underserved areas, and analyze urbanization patterns.

The screenshot shows the population density of Lower Austria, an Austrian province located around Vienna.

Interesting read: The Graphic Continuum

You might have stumbled across the website Information is Beautiful Awards and they have published a nice graphic.

The Graphic Continuum is a visual cheat sheet for picking the right data visualization. It sorts charts into six main types: Comparing Categories, Distribution, Time, Geospatial, Part-to-Whole, and Relationship. Need to track trends over time? Go for a line chart. Want to show how things are spread out? Try a histogram. Mapping data? Choropleths have you covered. Whether you’re highlighting differences, patterns, or connections, this guide helps you choose the best way to tell your data story.

Interesting dataset: ESMA Register

The financial industry is often a puzzle given that it has thousands of intermediaries managing assets.

The ESMA AIF/EuSEF/EuVECA Funds Register is a central database listing alternative investment funds and their managers across Europe. It provides key details such as fund names, types, legal frameworks, and associated fund managers. Users can refine searches based on fund attributes and export data for further analysis. While ESMA consolidates this information, national authorities remain responsible for maintaining their respective registers.

Check out the list of European Venture Capital Fund (EuVECA). There are also other interesting data points worth checking out.

More Projects