Measuring Carbon Benefits
Carplus is currently undertaking a three year project entitled
“Measuring Carbon Benefits”.
The Second Report is now available and can be found here.
Project Overview
In
2005, Carplus was awarded £113,000 from the DEFRA Environmental
Action Fund (EAF) 2005-2008 in April 2005 to undertake three year project
which set out to identify the environmental benefits of car clubs.
The
aim of The Measuring Carbon Benefits Project (MCB) is to identify changes in
carbon emissions among residents of Micklegate Ward in York
following the introduction of a car club in the city.
Survey information can be found here.
The First Report
can be found here.
What will be achieved?
The purpose of the project is to measure the environmental
benefits of using a car as a service instead of a product. It will do this by
comparing the use of privately owned cars with car club cars.
The carbon implications will be measured through the whole
lifecycle of the car from birth (car production), life (car usage) to death (car
disposal). Other carbon implications will also be measured through general
behaviour changes relating to being a car club member.
How will it be achieved?
The project will monitor a car club from pre-launch to full operational
status. It aims to take a holistic approach that considers the whole
lifecycle of a car by:
- Using
vehicles that offer the best environmental performance and recyclability
- Making
the most utilisation of a car through car club services. Private cars are
used 6% of a 24 hour day as opposed to car club cars which are used 40% of
the chargeable hours (approx 18 hours a day)
- The
proper disposal of:
- Privately
owned cars no longer required
- Used
parts and fluids
The project will also monitor the behavioural change of car
club members and assess the carbon implications of this change e.g. number of
high-polluting short journeys taken by car. Trade-offs which have carbon
implications will also be measured e.g. money saved spent on holidays abroad and
therefore more air travel; people considering themselves more ‘green’ and
behaving more green as a result, etc.
Research partners
The research partners involved in the project are:
Dr
Jillian Anable, Research Fellow, The Centre for Transport Policy, Robert
Gordon University
Dr
John Barrett, Research Associate, Stockholm Environment Institute
Why Carplus are doing it
The project will result in the first robust body of data in
the UK
assessing the relative carbon implication of mobility involving a car club in
comparison to “normal” private car use. The project aims to link
manufacturers, consumers and recyclers to improve the cars productivity across
the full life cycle of the product.
Funding
The project has already been successful in attracting
support from Defra's Environmental Action Fund 2005-2008. Of over 250 applications
this project is one of only 36 which were accepted. The project has also attracted support from the
Rees
Jeffreys Road Fund.
