Pro-Environmental Potential in Activity-Travel Routine of Individuals: A Data Driven Computational Algorithm

Informational interventions are considered important to bring positive changes in attitudes and perception about pro-environmental life styles among individuals. In relation to mobility aspects, it is vital to identify relatively easier changes that have potential to reduce negative impacts of mobility on environment and individual health. This paper provides a comprehensive methodological framework and developed a computation algorithm that helps identify such an easy changes in the travel behavior of an individual. The development of 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. A variety of rules that are part of the computational algorithm are taken from the transport modelling literature, where constraints and factors were examined for various activity-travel decisions. Three major aspects of activity-travel behavior such as lesser 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 data collected, using citizens from Hasselt and their pro-environmental potential is determined, which has been found significant.