Behavior based strategy modeling for energy and environmental planning using agent-based simulation (An application to technology diffusion in Philippines public transportation)

Date of Publication

2014

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering

College

Gokongwei College of Engineering

Department/Unit

Mechanical Engineering

Thesis Adviser

Jose Bienvenido Manuel M. Biona

Defense Panel Member

Alexis M. Fillone
Kathleen B. Aviso
Michael Angelo B. Promentillo
Aletta Yniguez
Raymond Girard R. Tan

Abstract/Summary

Transportation contributes to resource depletion and has other negative impacts on the environment. Air pollutant emissions from transportation sector derive mainly from the use of fossil fuels and make it to be a suitable choice for investigating opportunities to mitigate climate change. Over-aged vehicles play significant role in energy demand and air pollution in most unindustrialized countries. Since adoption of a new technology is not only based on technical properties, policy makers must also consider human behavior. Sophisticated modeling techniques can help policy makers examine technology interventions aimed at addressing climate change mitigation and other environmental issues. Furthermore, other studies have indicated that not only agent heterogeneity but also social influence and network configuration affect diffusion of innovation. Consequently, both social and psychological factors need to be considered when describing and predicting the behavior of consumers. Agent-based model (ABM), which is typically a bottom-up approach, is capable of capturing those factors. It starts from modeling consumer’s decision-making and simulates the diffusion as an aggregate process of individual adoption decisions. This is a suitable approach when information exchanges in a social network and individual heterogeneity play a role. Despite its capability, ABM has mostly been applied as an experimentation tool to demonstrate diffusion patterns resulting from simple decision rules followed by different artificial agents in the system. This study presents a generic agent-based model considering influence of diesel price fluctuations and rate of inflation on individual decision-making process and captures psychological, social and behavioral interactions among people to explore diffusion of technology aiming at energy and environmental planning and policy making. Moreover, strives for incentivize the stakeholders were taken into account. The most obstinate fleet, the old public utility jeepney (PUJ) fleet in Metro Ma

Abstract Format

html

Format

Electronic

Accession Number

CDTG005603

Shelf Location

Archives, The Learning Commons, 12F Henry Sy Sr. Hall

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS