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This thesis presents a novel approach to evaluating intercity travel demand given the introduction of a new travel mode. A joint RP-SP survey is designed to collect both experienced and hypothetical travel decisions. The stated preference aspect of the survey evaluates the level-of-service attributes that influence intercity mode choice. Emphasis is placed on the effects of local accessibility by adapting a geographical disaggregation at the Forward Sortation Area (FSA). Survey distribution collected data primarily through the use of online social networks such as Facebook and Reddit in addition to an online marketing research survey panel. Intercity mode choice was modeled with Random Utility Maximizing (RUM) discrete choice models and is represented by Multinomial Logit (MNL) and Nested Logit (NL) choice structures. Key finding is that access to transit stations significantly influences intercity mode choices.

This thesis presents a novel approach to evaluating intercity travel demand given the introduction of a new travel mode. A joint RP-SP survey is designed to collect both experienced and hypothetical travel decisions. The stated preference aspect of the survey evaluates the level-of-service attributes that influence intercity mode choice. Emphasis is placed on the effects of local accessibility by adapting a geographical disaggregation at the Forward Sortation Area (FSA). Survey distribution collected data primarily through the use of online social networks such as Facebook and Reddit in addition to an online marketing research survey panel. Intercity mode choice was modeled with Random Utility Maximizing (RUM) discrete choice models and is represented by Multinomial Logit (MNL) and Nested Logit (NL) choice structures. Key finding is that access to transit stations significantly influences intercity mode choices.

The emissions associated with food consumption make up approximately 20-30 percent of Scotland’s total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Reducing demand for high carbon footprint food products may provide an effective instrument for reducing GHG emissions. However, there is concern that using consumption based taxes may also have negative consequences on nutrition. Therefore, this thesis investigates the likely effect of carbon consumption taxes on GHG emissions and the resulting impact on nutrient consumption. The data used for the analysis are the Scottish part of Kantar Worldpanel data for the UK for the period 2006-2013 along with various sources of carbon footprint and nutrient data. This thesis models a carbon consumption tax which is based on the carbon footprint of the products of interest. The impact of the taxes on demand for food products were measured through the use of demand systems. Two forms of demand systems were used: Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) and an Exact Affine Stone Index (EASI) which allow for the estimation of price elasticities based on time series data. These Marshallian price elasticities were then used for estimating carbon footprint and nutrient elasticities which allow for the estimated change in GHG emissions (represented as carbon emissions) and nutrients. The price elasticities were particularly important for identifying the substitutes and complements of the different food products. This is useful as some food products such as poultry have a lower carbon footprint relative to beef products. The results suggest that applying carbon consumption taxes would likely reduce carbon emissions though the reduction is relatively small. The net effect of taxing all major food products would likely reduce emissions by 543,208.75 tCO2e/y which represents approximately five percent of the total emissions in Scotland attributed to food consumption (no land use change considered). However, taxing only meat and milk food products could reduce emissions by approximately 1.6 million tCO2e/y. While this reduction is much larger than when all food products are taxed, it is considered that modelling all the major food products offers a more realistic understanding of how households will change their demand for the different food products. The effect on nutrient consumption with regards to taxing all food products suggests that households with lower socioeconomic status would likely experience some favourable changes in terms of a reduction in sugar and energy. Though a negative distributional effect is likely to occur when considering the decreased consumption of vitamin D and the increased consumption of salt. Therefore, a carbon consumption tax is estimated to reduce food based GHG emissions by a relatively small amount. Despite the mainly positive effect on nutrient intake, policy makers are still likely to be cautious when considering this instrument because of the relatively small (compared to other studies) reduction in GHG emissions.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Economics / Steven P. Cassou / This dissertation consists of three chapters. The first chapter surveys recent studies on the stability of the money demand function in selected developing countries. This chapter presents specific details about modeling and estimating the money demand function. Also, reasons behind the mixed results in the literature on the stability of the money demand function are explored as well as providing a guideline for future research on the stability of the money demand function in developing countries. The second chapter empirically investigates the stability of the money demand function in South Korea and Malaysia. The conventional money demand specification and cointegration framework with a single unknown structural break are conducted. The results of the residual-based tests for cointegration reveal that the M1, M2, and M3 demand are stable in the long run in Malaysia. However, there is no evidence of the stability for all three measures of the money demand in South Korea. The results of the residual-based tests suggest that structural breaks in the cointegration vectors are important and need to be accounted for in the specification of the M1, M2, and LF demand in South Korea, where LF includes M2 in addition to the reserves of nonbanking financial institutions and long-term deposits. The third chapter complements the previous chapter. It aims to evaluate the stability of the money demand function in South Korea and Malaysia using a cash in advance model and cointegration framework with one unknown structural break. This theoretical model adds short-term foreign interest rates and real exchange rates in addition to short-term domestic interest rates and real income. Also, the Granger causality and currency substitution analysis are conducted in this chapter. The results of the residuals-based tests indicate that the M2 and LF demand in South Korea, and M1, M2, and M3 demand in Malaysia are stable in the long run. The structural breaks may not be fairly absorbed when a cash in advance model is used for M1 in South Korea. Thus, the residual-based tests suggest that the structural break is still important and needs to be included in the specification of the M1 demand in South Korea.

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Composite materials are widely used in various sectors such as aerospace, automotive and wind energy. Global increase of demand, particularly for fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) composites, unavoidably lead to high volumes of manufacturing and end of life waste. Currently, the most common disposal route for composite waste is through landfill. However, current and impending legislations such as Directive on Landfill of Waste (1999/31/EC) and End of Life Vehicle (ELV) Directive (2000/53/EC), have limited the amount of composite waste permitted for landfilling. In addition, production of virgin composite materials requires higher energy input in comparison to other counterpart materials such as steel and aluminium. This calls for an urgent need for composite waste to be recycled and reused in close loop and cross sector applications. The composite materials have a heterogeneous nature. Thermoset matrixes, which are used in most high grade applications, have three dimensional cross-linked structures which make melting and remoulding impossible. Such complex nature requires appropriate composite recycling technologies, a number of which are currently under research and development. At this early stage it is important to select and develop sustainable solutions in terms of economic performance and reduced environmental impact. Unfortunately at present, there is limited high integrity environmental related data in literature to help assess the life cycle benefits of composite recycling. This information is vital in exploring environmental credentials of composite recycling processes, and to ensure resource efficient use of manufacturing and end of life composite waste. The work reported in this PhD thesis deals with the investigation of energy demand of composite recycling processes. Composite waste and demand in the UK market was captured through Sankey diagrams. The diagrams, combined with environmental footprints of virgin material and recycling processes, were used to identify resource benefits of composite recycling initiatives. Furthermore, environmental data for mechanical recycling of glass fibre composites was derived through new and novel bottom up process science inspired mathematical energy modelling approaches. It was found that the process specific energy demand is dependent on the processing rate. The effects of key process variables in mechanical recycling on process energy demand and recyclate quality were also investigated. This study highlights the importance of selecting the right conditions for running recycling processes and generating recyclate with a high market value. Potential of new recycling techniques, namely high voltage fragmentation, was also assessed. Performance of the method, which was originally developed for fracturing rocks, was compared to the mature mechanical recycling process. The final part of this study used a life cycle assessment method to evaluate end of life options for an automotive composite product with the highlights on positive environmental impacts of recycling scenarios. Collectively, the findings from this study have brought together considerations on environmental and maturity status of composite recycling processes, into a comprehensive and updated analysis. The vision is that the knowledge integration between environmental and performance aspects will promote the concept of sustainable use of composite materials and a circular economy. The new datasets developed will enable end of life options for composite waste to be evaluated in life cycle assessment. In the absence of such information, the life cycle impact of composite material use in products cannot be fully or correctly evaluated.

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