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Examining the long-term reduction in commuting emissions from working from home

Examining the long-term reduction in commuting emissions from working from home
Examining the long-term reduction in commuting emissions from working from home

To develop effective climate strategies, it is necessary to model the long-term impacts of combined policy measures. This study examines how an increase in working-from-home (WFH) practices, coupled with higher private car fleet penetration of electric vehicles (EVs), could change commuting patterns and associated emissions. Simulations for the Dublin Region show that if half of white-collar workers were WFH and EVs made up one-third of the fleet as forecasted for 2030, emissions from travel activities could be reduced by up to 35% for carbon dioxide (CO 2) and 25% for particulate matter (PM). However, transitioning from a moderate to a high WFH scenario may not deliver significant benefits in terms of travel length, modal shift, and emissions reduction. In addition, a decrease in commuter trips can lead to an increase in other trips. This suggests that there is a need for additional measures to discourage car usage when commuter trips decline.

COVID-19, Electric vehicle, Greenhouse gas emissions, Scenario analysis, Telecommuting, Transport modelling, Working from home
1361-9209
Stefaniec, Agnieszka
66b6b4a6-d73d-43de-a604-40094d303d1b
Brazil, William
8bdb20a1-babe-40cd-8a20-ac1fca7fc10f
Whitney, Warren
3bd525a8-c6ca-4d2c-a14f-55c412b2cda3
Zhang, Wen
f50628f4-242a-49cc-ab62-61b481a7ead8
Colleary, Barry
d8dd5c06-e5a8-4684-8b9c-fcc642b445cb
Caulfield, Brian
df56ae15-2869-4c05-9617-4ed9feec9f16
Stefaniec, Agnieszka
66b6b4a6-d73d-43de-a604-40094d303d1b
Brazil, William
8bdb20a1-babe-40cd-8a20-ac1fca7fc10f
Whitney, Warren
3bd525a8-c6ca-4d2c-a14f-55c412b2cda3
Zhang, Wen
f50628f4-242a-49cc-ab62-61b481a7ead8
Colleary, Barry
d8dd5c06-e5a8-4684-8b9c-fcc642b445cb
Caulfield, Brian
df56ae15-2869-4c05-9617-4ed9feec9f16

Stefaniec, Agnieszka, Brazil, William, Whitney, Warren, Zhang, Wen, Colleary, Barry and Caulfield, Brian (2024) Examining the long-term reduction in commuting emissions from working from home. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 127, [104063]. (doi:10.1016/j.trd.2024.104063).

Record type: Article

Abstract

To develop effective climate strategies, it is necessary to model the long-term impacts of combined policy measures. This study examines how an increase in working-from-home (WFH) practices, coupled with higher private car fleet penetration of electric vehicles (EVs), could change commuting patterns and associated emissions. Simulations for the Dublin Region show that if half of white-collar workers were WFH and EVs made up one-third of the fleet as forecasted for 2030, emissions from travel activities could be reduced by up to 35% for carbon dioxide (CO 2) and 25% for particulate matter (PM). However, transitioning from a moderate to a high WFH scenario may not deliver significant benefits in terms of travel length, modal shift, and emissions reduction. In addition, a decrease in commuter trips can lead to an increase in other trips. This suggests that there is a need for additional measures to discourage car usage when commuter trips decline.

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Accepted/In Press date: 4 January 2024
e-pub ahead of print date: 12 January 2024
Published date: 12 January 2024
Keywords: COVID-19, Electric vehicle, Greenhouse gas emissions, Scenario analysis, Telecommuting, Transport modelling, Working from home

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 495712
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/495712
ISSN: 1361-9209
PURE UUID: bda835ff-067b-4391-a0a0-eb585f56cffb
ORCID for Agnieszka Stefaniec: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2366-7740

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 20 Nov 2024 17:52
Last modified: 23 Nov 2024 03:13

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Contributors

Author: Agnieszka Stefaniec ORCID iD
Author: William Brazil
Author: Warren Whitney
Author: Wen Zhang
Author: Barry Colleary
Author: Brian Caulfield

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