Towards Geographies of Consumption

Measuring energy consumption from

transportation in metropolitan areas.Rob Neff

Geography and Environmental SystemsUMBC

neff@umbc.eduPresented at Baltimore Ecosystem Study

UMBC, October 18-19, 2006

OutlineOutline

Representing the consumptive Representing the consumptive landscapelandscape

Transportation and patterns of energy Transportation and patterns of energy consumptionconsumption

Patterns of division at work and at Patterns of division at work and at homehome

ConclusionsConclusions Future directionsFuture directions

Representing the Consumptive Representing the Consumptive LandscapeLandscape

All-or-Nothing traffic assignment modelAll-or-Nothing traffic assignment model Origin-Destination data from the CensusOrigin-Destination data from the Census Emissions from commuters who drove aloneEmissions from commuters who drove alone Commuting patterns for all commutersCommuting patterns for all commuters GHG emissions assigned to residences and workplacesGHG emissions assigned to residences and workplaces

Hotspots: workplaces with above-average Hotspots: workplaces with above-average emissionsemissions

Results for each hotspot visualized as statistical Results for each hotspot visualized as statistical surfacessurfaces Work-shedsWork-sheds Car-shedsCar-sheds Emission-shedsEmission-sheds

Study AreaStudy Area

PlaceEmissions

(MTCE)Percent of

Total DriversPercent of

TotalCommute

rsPercent of

Total

Center City 24.81 6.19% 84,937 5.88% 239,746 11.40%

King of Prussia 14.11 3.52% 44,849 3.11% 53,897 2.56%

NE Philadelphia 5.03 1.26% 17,157 1.19% 27,618 1.31%

All Hotspots 146 36.35% 515,385 35.71% 864,045 41.10%

Other 255 63.65% 927,933 64.29% 1,238,428 58.90%

All Places 401 100.00% 1,443,318 100.00% 2,102,473 100.00%

Selected TotalsSelected Totals

PlaceKgCE /

DriverKgCE /

Commuter

Commuters Driving

(%)

Center City 0.29 0.10 35.43%

King of Prussia 0.31 0.26 83.21%

NE Philadelphia 0.29 0.18 62.12%

All Hotspots 0.28 0.17 59.65%

Other 0.27 0.21 74.93%

All Places 0.28 0.19 68.65%

Selected Efficiency Selected Efficiency MeasuresMeasures

Solo Drivers

Emissions

Commuters

Center CityCenter City

Non-Hispanic White69%

Non-Hispanic

Black25%

Non-Hispanic Other3%

Hispanic All Races

3%

Center City Workplace Center City Workplace DiversityDiversity

$0

$5,000

$10,000

$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

$30,000

$35,000

Media

n E

arn

ings

Center City Transit & Center City Transit & EarningsEarnings

Solo Drivers

Emissions

Commuters

King of King of PrussiaPrussia

Non-Hispanic White89%

Non-Hispanic Other2%Non-

Hispanic Black8%

Hispanic All Races

1%

King of Prussia Workplace King of Prussia Workplace DiversityDiversity

$0

$5,000

$10,000

$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

$30,000

Media

n E

arn

ings

King of Prussia Transit & King of Prussia Transit & EarningsEarnings

Solo Drivers

Emissions

Commuters

NE PhiladelphiaNE Philadelphia

Non-Hispanic White70%

Non-Hispanic Other2%

Non-Hispanic

Black26%

Hispanic All Races

2%

NE Philadelphia Workplace NE Philadelphia Workplace DiversityDiversity

$0

$5,000

$10,000

$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

$30,000

Media

n E

arn

ings

NE Philadelphia Transit & NE Philadelphia Transit & EarningsEarnings

Emissions Cross TabulationsEmissions Cross Tabulations

Suburban Urban Other Total

Suburban 18.0% 1.7% 0.6% 20.3%

Urban 7.9% 3.6% 1.3% 12.8%

Other 2.0% 1.0% 0.3% 3.2%

Sub Total 28.0% 6.3% 2.1% 36.4%

Suburban 51.2% 3.0% 1.0% 55.2%

Urban 4.1% 2.4% 0.8% 7.3%

Other 0.6% 0.4% 0.1% 1.2%

Sub Total 55.9% 5.8% 1.9% 63.6%

Suburban 69.2% 4.7% 1.6% 75.5%

Urban 12.1% 6.0% 2.0% 20.1%

Other 2.7% 1.4% 0.4% 4.4%

Total 83.9% 12.1% 4.0% 100.0%

Origin TypeDestination Type

Emis

sion

s

Hot

spot

sN

ot H

otsp

ots

Tot

al

Efficiency Cross TabulationsEfficiency Cross Tabulations

Suburban Urban Other Average

Suburban 0.23 0.22 0.27 0.23

Urban 0.22 0.05 0.18 0.12

Other 0.30 0.11 0.10 0.18

Average 0.23 0.08 0.18 0.17

Suburban 0.22 0.22 0.25 0.22

Urban 0.30 0.07 0.18 0.14

Other 0.33 0.13 0.06 0.17

Average 0.23 0.11 0.19 0.21

Suburban 0.22 0.22 0.26 0.22

Urban 0.24 0.06 0.18 0.13

Other 0.30 0.12 0.08 0.18

Average 0.23 0.09 0.18 0.19

Ave

rage

Not

Hot

spot

s

Com

mut

er E

ffici

ency

(KgC

E)

Destination TypeOrigin Type

Hot

spot

s

ConclusionsConclusions

Urban workplaces were more efficient, per commuter and Urban workplaces were more efficient, per commuter and per driver. per driver.

Suburban workplaces were less efficientSuburban workplaces were less efficient ~65% of all commuters~65% of all commuters ~76% of all emissions~76% of all emissions

The pattern of energy consumption is centrifugalThe pattern of energy consumption is centrifugal Raw numbers increase away from the cityRaw numbers increase away from the city Efficiency decreases away from the cityEfficiency decreases away from the city Emissions increase away from hotspotsEmissions increase away from hotspots

Areas of highest energy consumption also are areas of the Areas of highest energy consumption also are areas of the greatest racial exclusiongreatest racial exclusion

Urban/Suburban dichotomy in both sets of patternsUrban/Suburban dichotomy in both sets of patterns Northeast Philadelphia as a counter exampleNortheast Philadelphia as a counter example

Future DirectionsFuture Directions

Comparative studiesComparative studies Software developmentSoftware development Extension to air quality issuesExtension to air quality issues Economic, cultural and social drivers Economic, cultural and social drivers

of regional consumption patternsof regional consumption patterns Links to land useLinks to land use Strengthening links to other scales Strengthening links to other scales

and placesand places

Towards Geographies of Consumption

Measuring energy consumption from

transportation in metropolitan areas.Rob Neff

Geography and Environmental SystemsUMBC

neff@umbc.eduPresented at Baltimore Ecosystem Study

UMBC, October 18-19, 2006