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Estimating pro-environmental potential for the development of mobility-based informational intervention: a data-driven algorithm

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Abstract

Informational interventions are important to bring positive changes in attitudes and perception among individuals. In relation to the individual’s mobility behavior, habits, attitudes, and perceptions are difficult to change. Therefore, it is vital to identify relatively soft aspects of travel behavior with a potential to reduce the negative impacts of mobility on the environment and individual health. This paper provides a methodological framework and describes the development of a computational algorithm that helps to identify soft changes in the travel behavior. The algorithm is based on a variety of different data sources such as activity-travel diaries and related constraint information, meteorological conditions, bicycle and public transport supply data, and emissions and air pollutant concentrations data. A variety of rules that are part of the algorithm are derived from the transport modeling literature, where constraints and factors were examined for activity-travel decisions. Three major aspects of activity-travel behavior, such as reduced car use, cold start of car engines, and participation in non-mandatory outdoor activities are considered in assessing pro-environmental potential. The algorithm is applied to collected small datasets from citizens of Hasselt (Belgium), Bologna (Italy), and Guildford (UK). A significant replaceable potential for car trips within 3 km to cycling and car trips to public transport has been found. The replaceable potential of excessive cold starts and participation in non-mandatory outdoor activities were also found, to some extent, to bring positive changes in the environment. In future research, these identified potentials are reported back to individuals with their consequence as part of a mobility-based informational intervention.

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Funding

This project has received funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 689954.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Transportation Research Institute (IMOB), UHasselt—Hasselt University, Agoralaan, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium

    Shiraz Ahmed, Muhammad Adnan, Davy Janssens & Ansar-ul-Haque Yasar

  2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Erika Brattich & Silvana di Sabatino

  3. Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK

    Prashant Kumar

  4. Jodrey School of Computer Science, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, Canada

    Elhadi M. Shakshuki

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  1. Shiraz Ahmed
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  2. Muhammad Adnan
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Correspondence to Muhammad Adnan.

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Ahmed, S., Adnan, M., Janssens, D. et al. Estimating pro-environmental potential for the development of mobility-based informational intervention: a data-driven algorithm. Pers Ubiquit Comput 23, 653–668 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00779-018-1187-5

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