This story was made in collaboration with Safe Software partner INSER.
A careful balance: Integrating diverse datasets for land and resource management
Faced with increased development pressures, Luxembourg’s Land Information Department (LID), part of the country’s Cadastral and Topographic Administration, plays a vital role in balancing data needs to support sustainable growth. From urban planning and transport infrastructure to agriculture and environmental preservation, the department carefully manages a broad range of datasets to ensure cohesive development.
Before implementing FME, the department’s data management processes were fragmented, relying on multiple ETL solutions and CRON jobs. Since adopting FME 20 years ago, the team has streamlined all data synchronization, offering a seamless and efficient approach to data management.
In collaboration with Safe Software partner INSER, the LID uses FME to manage diverse datasets, including topographic, cartographic, and geodetic documentation.
Luxembourg’s decades-long use of FME
FME is used by the entire team, including the geodata management department and additional Luxembourg government agencies. Luxembourg’s LID uses FME to automate system integrations, data conversions, calculations, integrations, and more, creating seamless workflows and significantly boosting operational efficiency.
FME has become a central tool, simplifying processes and allowing team members to focus on their workflows rather than on finding solutions. “There is no need to learn other tools for treating data—just FME and Python. That’s a huge advantage when onboarding new collaborators,” shares Jeff Konnen, Head of the ILDG (Infrastructure Luxembourgeoise des Données Géographiques) and Geoportal department.
Orchestrating data management with FME
FME plays a key role in managing cadastral extract requests. On average, 750 requests are received daily—an immense amount to process without FME. By automating extract generation the team quickly and efficiently responds to requests, saving time and resources.
Contributing to the sharing, access, and use of standardized spatial information across Europe as outlined by the EU INSPIRE directive, FME is used to publish all INSPIRE data. To achieve compliance, data is transformed into INSPIRE GML and uploaded to an open data portal via a central FME Workspace. Using FME for tasks linked to INSPIRE and High Value Datasets directives, the department can respond to nearly 3,600 queries per day in near real-time.
High-demand applications, such as drone operations, are also addressed. As drone flight restriction zones constantly change and operators are required to renew data before each flight, the team uses FME to generate real-time, customized data exports. FME provides operators with access to the latest data, ensuring compliance with current regulations.
One of the most sophisticated applications of FME is the automated production of customized reports for general development plans. Managed through FME Flow, this process has greatly simplified administrative workflows for state entities across Luxembourg. This automation has reduced manual data handling, allowing departments to focus on their core objectives.
Paving the way in land management
Looking ahead, 3D models are expected to grow in importance for the Cadastral and Topographic Administration, particularly for projects involving the division of real estate into volumetric parcels. FME will play a central role in these projects, supporting the validation, import, and export of 3D models.
Through FME, Luxembourg’s Land Information Department is paving the way for sustainable, technology-driven land management that balances the country’s growth with careful management of its resources.
