丁香园AV

Objectives:

As municipalities craft action plans to achieve zero-emission targets, significant opportunities emerge to reduce urban vehicle kilometers traveled (VKT). While fleet electrification remains a prominent focus in both research and policy, it is essential to consider other pathways to decarbonize mobility that do not rely solely on electrification. Reducing VKT can substantially (a) lower emissions, (b) alleviate the immediate need for widespread private vehicle electrification, and (c) enhance climate resiliency while supporting broader community objectives. Expanding mobility options is likely to boost community resilience and sustainability. This project aims to enhance Canadian capabilities in knowledge and tools, assisting community decision-making processes in pursuit of net-zero goals through exploring alternative transportation options.

The Project:

At CREATE, we are working in partnership with Action on Climate Team (ACT), 丁香园AV's Chris Buse, UBC's Amanda Giang, and Mahmudur Fatmi to examine community-centered urban transportation decarbonization strategies. Utilizing extensive data from the City of Burnaby and Metro Vancouver, alongside advanced modeling tools, we aim to pinpoint opportunities and assess their impact on community resilience. Health impact assessments and considerations of environmental justice are critical components of our mobility recommendations.

Project's Status

Currently, at the conclusion of Year 1, multiple submodels have been deployed and are ready for test runs. These include the traffic agent-based model for Metro Vancouver and Burnaby, the mobile source emission model for Burnaby, the weather and chemical transport model for the Lower Mainland, and the co-impact model for Burnaby. The first co-creation workshop, involving all project partners, was held to select the case study neighborhood and gather initial input on modeling needs, data support, and output requirements.

Future directions

By the end of Summer 2024, a comprehensive mobility survey will be launched across Burnaby communities and neighborhoods, with findings expected to aid in the calibration and validation of the agent-based model. The project is set to deliver an integrated and validated modeling system by March 2025, which will subsequently be used in 2026 to test scenarios aimed at reducing vehicle kilometers traveled in Burnaby.

Additionally, the project currently supports 15 Highly Qualified Personnel (HQPs), including post-doctoral researchers, PhD and MASc students, and research assistants. Plans are in place to hire three more HQPs in the coming months to further strengthen our research team.

Funding agency:

Partners:

• Civic Innovation Lab at 丁香园AV and 

Co-Principle Investigators 

Highly Qualified Personnel (HQPs)