calculate the impact of levers at a later stage. Levers are new technologies or
measures that are introduced to the system. Available levers either shift transport
volume from a high to a low-emitting mode of transport or increase the efficiency of
an individual or several modes.
The transportation system model supports the common material flows and
indicators, covered by the ecoinvent database, but its focus is on greenhouse gases
and regulated air pollutants. For levers only, the social dimension is addressed with
the KPI local job creation potential of project related infrastructure build-up. As
economic figures, CAPEX and OPEX of newly built infrastructure are calculated.
The social and economic KPIs are not discussed in the following.
2.2 Structure of the Model
The model breaks down the general transportation demand within the city
boundaries, with the functional units being passenger kilometres and ton kilometres. The main mode categories are rail based, road based and non-motorized
transportation. The two functional units are broken down into vehicle types, where
they are converted into actual vehicle kilometres, regardless of whether the mode is
mass rapid transit by metro or individual passenger transport by car. The individual
vehicle types are then specified in a parameterized process.
The same structure applies to the power model, which is connected to all processes, consuming electricity in the urban transportation system. The power is
drawn on different grid levels, reflecting different T&D losses and the grid mix is
specified by fuel type and region.
Along with the transportation demand-oriented processes, a second stream
quantifies basic road infrastructure such as lighting. The lighting demand is
assessed based on lamp types and energy consumption and converted into lumen*h
as a functional unit.
In order to model the set of 38 transportation and some energy levers, additional
processes are modelled or the changes to the infrastructure are directly implemented
in baseline processes. The calculations are each triggered by only one parameter
and modelled on global (project) level or process level, depending on rather the
induced change effects several processes or just one process.
2.3 Parameterization
The baselining process starts out with the model of a default city and adjusts it step
by step to the actual city. The process can be compared to the fitting process of a
tailor, making a dress on demand. Just like the dress, which starts with a certain
size, but somewhat standard proportions, the city’s transportation system model is
assembled from different parts that are pre-configured with default values and
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measures that are introduced to the system. Available levers either shift transport
volume from a high to a low-emitting mode of transport or increase the efficiency of
an individual or several modes.
The transportation system model supports the common material flows and
indicators, covered by the ecoinvent database, but its focus is on greenhouse gases
and regulated air pollutants. For levers only, the social dimension is addressed with
the KPI local job creation potential of project related infrastructure build-up. As
economic figures, CAPEX and OPEX of newly built infrastructure are calculated.
The social and economic KPIs are not discussed in the following.
2.2 Structure of the Model
The model breaks down the general transportation demand within the city
boundaries, with the functional units being passenger kilometres and ton kilometres. The main mode categories are rail based, road based and non-motorized
transportation. The two functional units are broken down into vehicle types, where
they are converted into actual vehicle kilometres, regardless of whether the mode is
mass rapid transit by metro or individual passenger transport by car. The individual
vehicle types are then specified in a parameterized process.
The same structure applies to the power model, which is connected to all processes, consuming electricity in the urban transportation system. The power is
drawn on different grid levels, reflecting different T&D losses and the grid mix is
specified by fuel type and region.
Along with the transportation demand-oriented processes, a second stream
quantifies basic road infrastructure such as lighting. The lighting demand is
assessed based on lamp types and energy consumption and converted into lumen*h
as a functional unit.
In order to model the set of 38 transportation and some energy levers, additional
processes are modelled or the changes to the infrastructure are directly implemented
in baseline processes. The calculations are each triggered by only one parameter
and modelled on global (project) level or process level, depending on rather the
induced change effects several processes or just one process.
2.3 Parameterization
The baselining process starts out with the model of a default city and adjusts it step
by step to the actual city. The process can be compared to the fitting process of a
tailor, making a dress on demand. Just like the dress, which starts with a certain
size, but somewhat standard proportions, the city’s transportation system model is
assembled from different parts that are pre-configured with default values and
LCA in Strategic Decision Making for Long …
195