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OS MasterMap Topography Layer – Building Height Attribute

OS MasterMap Topography Layer – Building Height Attribute is an enhancement to, and forms part of, the OS MasterMap Topography Layer product. It provides building height properties to help manage assets, plan works and visualise urban density. To use the Building Height Attribution data, it must first be joined to the OS MasterMap Topography Layer holding using the topographic identifiers (TOIDs), as detailed in the Getting Started Guide.

This product is updated every six months in April and October.

Representation of OS MasterMap Building Height attribute data showing a 3D visualisation of multi-story buildings in a built up area
Representation of OS MasterMap Topography Layer – Building Height Attribute data.

Enhancement to OS MasterMap Topography Layer

Building Height Attribute is an enhancement to, and forms part of, OS MasterMap Topography Layer. It provides a set of height attributes with a buildings theme within OS MasterMap Topography Layer. It has further been enhanced with the inclusion of tanks, chimney stacks and glasshouses.

Compatible with other layers of OS MasterMap and other OS products

Building Height Attribute can be integrated with other OS products, such as OS Terrain 5 and OS MasterMap Imagery Layer.

3D visualisations of buildings and structures

This product has been developed in response to customer demand for height information for buildings and select structures. It can be used to make simple 3D visualisations of buildings and structures and can be used to assist a range of analytical applications across both public and commercial sectors.

Used for energy and infrastructure

Building Height Attribute can be used to model heat loss, regulate requirements including high-rise gas safety, help with smart meter roll-out and perform line of sight analysis for small cell planning. It can also help to manage overhead cable routing and assist in planning and maintaining water pressure to high-rise properties.

Suitable for architects and development projects

This enhancement to OS MasterMap Topography Layer can also aid architects to visualise building designs early in the planning phase. It also models the impact of development projects rapidly and can help in emergency planning and risk assessment, by allowing the appropriate resources to be deployed more rapidly.

Suitable for government and Emergency Services use

OS MasterMap Building Height Attribute data can also be used by the government for modelling air pollution, siting solar panels, visualising planning applications in the context of surrounding buildings and also for urban density. Emergency Services can also use it to know when and where to deploy specialist equipment.

How to get this product

Access to this product is free for Public Sector Geospatial (Agreement) PSGA Members. You can check if your organisation is a member of the PSGA on the OS website.

The OS MasterMap Topography Layer – Building Height Attribute product page on the OS website has advice on how to get the product for developers, businesses, OS Partners and PSGA Members (i.e. government and the public sector).

Sample data

Download OS MasterMap Topography Layer – Building Height Attribute sample data

You can download sample data for the product for free from the OS Data Hub. The sample data is available in CSV format and covers one area (Exeter).

What's next?

To access additional documentation and resources relating to this product, please refer to the following:

New users should start with the Overview to gain high-level insights into the product. The Getting Started Guide will help you to begin using product data in different software systems. The Technical Specification contains detailed technical insights.

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