E-Scooter as Environmentally Friendly Last Mile Option? Insights on Spatial and Infrastructural Implications for Urban Areas based on the Example of Vienna

We recently face an e-scooter hype in Europe. More and more e-scooter sharing offers are provided in cities and towns which are marketed as a last mile option. At the same time, a greater extent of private households has their own equipment. This trend is two-fold as e-scooter offers not only provide benefits (e.g. in terms of accessibility) but also pose certain risks (e.g. in terms of road safety). To find out about spatial and technical implications and to assess the potential of e-scooters for urban areas, we used a ‘triangulation’ research strategy using different sources. Based on the insights from a trend and target group analysis and focus groups with users and non-users we conducted 1-week tests with personsusing e-scooters on everyday routes (N=51), a survey of users and non-users (N=128) and course exercises carried out with pupils (N=94) in the city of Vienna in Austria. Against widespread assumptions that e-scooters can use existing infrastructure, we found that the preconditions are not necessarily suitable for e-scooters. Infrastructure elements would have to be adapted to enable a safe use of e-scooters. It was revealed that e-scooter usage should be recommended for the last mile in suburban areas and not the city center as the density and infrastructure (e.g. cubblestone) do not correspond to preconditions essential for a safe e-scooter usage. In addition to that, we found that labeling e-scooters as an environmentally friendly option is the subject of controversial debate

Introducing Additional Low Emission Mobility Offers in a Well Connected Area: Challenges and Opportunities

European cities and regions strive for energy efficiency to meet the Europe 2020 goals on climate change and energy sustainability. At present, the transport sector is one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions due to the dependence on fossil fuels. The switch to renewable energies together with improvements in energy efficiency often cause rebound effects (e.g. increased use as a result of the environmentally friendly image) and therefore only partially serves the objectives sought. Hence, making the current mobility behavior more sustainable is of major importance to tackle environmental challenges and secure a high standard of living in European cities and regions. Many cities already offer a well-developed and efficient transport network for public and individual transport. Previous efforts concentrated on a shift from car to public transport to improve transport performance within the city, avoid congestion and reduce air pollution. Taking into account progressive urbanization, it is obvious that public transport will reach its limits without major improvements (new lines, decreases in intervals) which are slow and very expensive and hence cannot be the sole solution. Together with the increasing individualization of society, more flexibility is needed. Therefore, an additional pool of mobility options targeting these user requirements and needs has to be provided. In the EU project “Smarter Together” CO2 savings are targeted by implementing projects in the fields of energy, renovation and mobility in Lyon, Munich and Vienna. An essential part of the project is the introduction of additional low emission mobility options in the Viennese project area in the northwest of the 11th Viennese district covering 1.5 km2. The area is well linked to public transport and the general transportation network. Our research focusses on the potential of mobility behavior changes in such a wellconnected area in terms of the individual and public transport network, and on opportunities provided by additional services (e.g. sharing offers) and challenges in the implementation of theses new services. To develop successfull new concepts, residents’ requirements and needs have to be taken into account. Hence, a survey was conducted to capture information on mobility behavior and available vehicles, attitudes of the residents towards certain transport modes and willingness to use active modes, e-mobility and sharing services. The survey, including roughly 1% of the area population (N=21,300; n=241), was conducted partially online and partially face-to-face to ensure participation among different groups. Based on the collected data, the potential for alternative low emission mobility options was captured in a multi-level survey analysis. The results disclosed challenges and opportunities related to current options concerning user friendliness and communication strategies of existing services along with crucial points for the implementation of additional options. One of the results showed that sharing services are hardly known to the residents. The participants revealed that e-bikes are not yet considered as an appropriate form of transportation since their features and advantages are not known. Offering car- or e-bike sharing services therefore does not only require a location with certain characteristics but also campaigns targeting the lack of knowledge. Active mobility has a good standing, particularly cycling. Many residents want to cycle more, but the surrounding structure does not encourage them, e.g. due to missing public bike parking at shopping facilities, transport stations and transportation hubs. Public transport is already heavily used, but could be stronger linked to other types of transportation. This should be achieved by implementing a “mobility point” offering locally bundled mobility options and information. The “mobility point” links different (multimodal) mobility services and acts as a major component of ICT solutions. This relatively new concept leaves ample room for additional low emission mobility options within the area leading to greater support, services and satisfaction to the travelers and users

Das Konzept der quattromodalen Knoten

Die Verknüpfung der vier Verkehrsträger Straße, Schiene, Wasserstraße und Luft an einem quattromodalen Güterverkehrsknoten ist derzeit noch ein Randthema mit vielen Unbekannten. Das österreichische Forschungsprojekt „Q4“ widmet sich dieser Wissenslücke und stellt das Potential sowie die Grenzen quattromodaler Knoten im Güterverkehr in den Fokus der Forschung. Im Zuge dessen werden beispielhaft Möglichkeiten der Umsetzung für den österreichischen Zentralraum Linz-Wels-Steyr und die Metropolregion Wien aufgezeigt

From offer to project implementation - The competition as part of project development using the example of Vienna

Abweichender Titel laut Übersetzung der Verfasserin/des VerfassersZsfassung in engl. SpracheDie Entwicklung und Umsetzung von Immobilien-Projekten stellt eine umfassende, raumbedeutsame und problemlösungsorientierte Aufgabe, mit anderen Worten eine komplexe Schwerpunktaufgabe, dar.Immobilien-Projekte, die durch Raum, Zeit und Organisation definiert sind, führen nicht nur zu einer Veränderung der Stadtstruktur und -gestalt, sondern können großes Potential für Standort und Bevölkerung besitzen.Faktoren wie unzureichende Grundlagenforschung, Zeitdruck, schlechte Kommunikation, fehlendes Engagement der Beteiligten und Finanzierungsengpässe haben in der Vergangenheit bereits dazu geführt, dass die erzielten Qualitäten wesentlich von den erwünschten abweichen.Ein Umstand, der Handlungsbedarf erfordert, da nicht nur der Unmut der zukünftigen Bewohner, sondern ebenso der Anrainer und Planer geweckt wird.Diese Arbeit soll einen Erkenntnisbeitrag zur Qualitätssicherung und Vermeidung von Qualitätsverlusten, im Prozess von der Auslobung zur Projektumsetzung, von baulichen Bestandteilen der Stadtstruktur liefern.Dazu werden die wesentlichen Schritte mit besonderem Fokus auf die Auslobung als Vergabeart von Planungsleistungen, und die Stadt Wien als Untersuchungsraum, zum einen aus theoretischer und zum anderen aus planungspraktischer Sicht beleuchtet, sodass die ,Knackpunkte' identifiziert werden können, die über Erfolg oder Misserfolg eines Projektes entscheiden.The development and realization of real estate projects is broad, regionally significant as well as solution-oriented and therefore a complex task. Real estate projects that are defined by space, time and organization, not only change the urban structure and shape, but also can have great influence on the location and on the population.In the past, factors such as lack of basic research, time pressure, poor communication, and lack of commitment by the parties besides funding shortages, led to a discrepancy between the qualities achieved and desired. This is a fact that requires action since it concerns not only the future inhabitants, but also neighbors and planners.This work is a scientific contribution to quality assurance and to avoidance of quality losses from offer to project implementation of constructional components in urban structure. The main focus is on public tendering in the area of Vienna. A theoretical and a practical perspective are provided, so that the key points of success or failure can be identified.15

Planning and Chaos - Self-organizing structures in urban planning

Abweichender Titel nach Übersetzung der Verfasserin/des VerfassersDie vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich damit, wie Erkenntnisse der Chaostheorie als Theorie komplexer Systeme für die Planungspraxis nutzbar gemacht werden können, dargestellt für den Kontext der Stadtplanung. Sie fokussiert auf den Aspekt der Selbstorganisation, als Prozess autonomer Entwicklung und spontaner Entstehung von Ordnung aus dem Chaos, als eine der bedeutendsten Dynamiken, die in diesem Zusammenhang beschrieben wird und zeigt, wie Unsicherheiten in Form nichtlinearer Dynamiken in der Planungstheorie und der Planungspraxis Berücksichtigung finden können. Die zugrunde liegenden Prozesse in Städten als offene Systeme werden aus theoretischer und praktischer Perspektive (durch Fallbeispiele) erforscht, um Handlungswissen zu generieren, darauf aufbauend Handlungsempfehlungen für PlanerInnen ableiten zu können und zu einer Erweiterung des Planungsbegriffs und Planungsverständnisses beizutragen.This doctoral thesis deals with how insights of chaos theory as a theory of complex systems can be made useful for planning practice, illustrated for the context of urban planning. It focuses on the aspect of self-organization, as a process of autonomous development and spontaneous emergence of order from chaos, as one of the most significant dynamics described in this context and shows how uncertainties in the form of nonlinear dynamics can be considered in planning theory and practice. The underlying processes in cities as open systems are explored from a theoretical and practical perspective (through case studies) to generate knowledge for action, to be able to derive recommended procedures for planners based on this knowledge, and to contribute to an expansion of the concept and understanding of planning.13

Improving LED luminaries for street lighting to meet road user's needs: The case of Vienna

Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology promises a great energy saving potential and is therefore increasingly used for traffic areas or urban spaces, respectively. While many LED luminaires for street lighting meet the current standards, many light experts as well as the general public judge the lightings as glaring and visually uncomfortable. This leaves room for technological improvement which should be based on shortcomings of the currently available street lighting installations. To address them, we concentrate on road user perception and behavioral impact of conventional luminaire and LED lighting. To identify the influence of different lighting conditions in streets on road users, their perception and behavior had to be surveyed before and after refitting to LED technology in a selected test area. Surveys (n = 386) and participant observation (n = 873) were chosen as methods to provide a reliable basis for the construction of improved LED luminaires by an industrial partner

Persona Design Methodology for Work-Commute Travel Behaviour Using Latent Class Cluster Analysis

The present study proposes a new methodology that combines quantitative and qualitative data for the generation of representative personas for commuters. The profiles can be used to better understand their travel behaviour and mode choices. The research is based on the example of the region of Agder in Norway and aims to overcome the persona development shortcomings identified by previous researchers. Data from a regional travel behaviour survey (N= 1 849) is analysed using latent class cluster analysis (LCCA), and enriched with qualitative input from 32 interviews, and information provided by an expert panel. This results in a set of 20 representative persona profiles for the case study region. The proposed methodology is easily replicable in other urban networks and has the potential to provide insight into the mobility behaviour and needs of specific groups of people in order to adapt the transport services and encourage climate-friendly behaviour

Capturing potential for active mobility: A multi-level survey analysis incorporating associated meanings

ve forms of mobility are important when it comes to tackling environmental challenges, improving the quality of human health and reducing road-traffic congestion and overcrowding in public transportation. Measures such as an enhancement of infrastructure or promotion through campaigns are regularly informed by mobility surveys which cover demographic data, mobility patterns, access to and usage of different modes of transport. To capture potential for active mobility, meanings associated with different modes of transport are presented to identify target groups for tailored campaigns promoting active mobility. By combining those associations with stated preferences more detailed insights into behavioural motivations are gained. The method is instantiated using survey-data from the 11th district of Vienna, Austria, to provide guidance to future survey based mobility studies

Accelerating transition dynamics in city regions: A qualitative modeling perspective

textabstractIn this article, we take stock of the findings from conceptual and empirical work on the role of transition initiatives for accelerating transitions as input for modeling acceleration dynamics. We applied the qualitative modeling approach of causal loop diagrams to capture the dynamics of a single transition initiative evolving within its regional context. In doing so, we aim to address two key challenges in transition modeling, namely conceptualization, and the framing of empirical insights obtained for various case study regions in a consistent modeling framework. Our results show that through this systematic approach one can translate conceptual and qualitative empirical work into a transition model design. Moreover, the causal loop diagrams can be used as discussion tools to support dialogue among researchers and stakeholders, and may support a comparison of transition dynamics across case-study regions. We reflect on main limitations related to empirical model validation (lack of data) and to model structure (high level of aggregation), and describe next steps for moving from a qualitative single transition initiative to a quantitative multiple transition initiatives model

On the Development of a Sustainable and Fit-for-the-Future Transportation Network

Population growth in cities and expanding city territory as well as population decline in rural areas pose a challenge for the existing transport network. Consequently, we observe a rapid change in transport infrastructure and transportation technology within the last few years. Due to novelty or differentness, it will initially be challenging to integrate them into the existing network in Western European cities and to identify suitable corridors leading to especially beneficial effects on the overall transport network. The effects of new technologies and (high-performance) infrastructures are hardly examined. It remains unclear how these novel transportation technologies will change society, our understanding of spatial proximity, mobility, and consequently the logistics sector. In this work, we give an overview regarding first considerations and reflections on the impacts of the changes and developments in the field of freight transportation. Our work mainly focusses on the estimation of the impacts of high-performance transport technologies on the society, spatial proximity, and the logistics sector while extending the European transportation network accordingly. In our understanding, we refer to high-performance transportation technologies as mobility systems with either high throughput (fast and/or high utilization loads) or very flexible application. To be more specific, we focus on Hyperloop technologies, Cargo-Sous-Terrain, freight airships, and drones