INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN POLLUTION PREVENTION: TELECONFERENCING AND TELEWORK USED AS TOOLS IN THE REDUCTION OF WORK RELATED TRAVEL

The escalating use of Information and Communication Technology provides us with a number of new ways to meet and to communicate. Teleconferencing and telework are two fast-growing IT-applications that a company, or other organisation, can use to meet its communication needs. Both applications have the potential to substitute travel, and expectations are high that electronic communication will replace a large portion of commuter and business travel. However, although the technology is readily available today, the impact on transportation is still very limited. What keeps us from utilising this important savings potential? This dissertation discusses how teleconferencing and telework can be used as tools to limit work related travel. It also identifies a number of limiting and promoting factors to this approach. Environmental and economic implications of the technologies are analysed and different outcomes possible are illustrated in two scenarios. In the first scenario, business as usual prevails, with current management practices, while in the second scenario, the savings potential is realised to a larger extent. The results indicate that an organisation can significantly reduce its environmental impact and costs, by actively using the applications as tools to reduce travel. If not, the overall environmental impact may be negative and the economic gain is insignificant. (A) These report are available in full text as PDF files from: http://www.iiiee.lu.se/Publication.nsf.

• Record URL:
  http://www.iiiee.lu.se/Publication.nsf
• Corporate Authors:

  THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS. LUND UNIVERSITY

  BOX 196
  LUND,   Sweden  SE-22100
• Authors:
  • ARNFALK, P
• Publication Date: 1999

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 249p+a p.
• Serial:
  • IIIEE Dissertation
  • Issue Number: 1999:1
  • Publisher: Lund University, Sweden

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Calculation; Economic efficiency; Environmental protection; Estimating; Estimation theory; Industries; Pollutants; Proposals; Questionnaires; Scale models; Structural models; Sustainable development; Telecommunications; Telecommuting; Work trips
• ITRD Terms: 6464: Calculation; 237: Economic efficiency; 2442: Emission; 2444: Environment protection; 132: Forecast; 332: Industry; 9147: Interview; 621: Journey to work; 6205: Model (not math); 177: Specifications; 2427: Sustainability; 9117: Telecommunication; 9127: Teleworking
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Economics; Environment; Research;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00967669
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Jan 13 2004 12:00AM