Dr Christian Brand

About

Christian joined the Transport Studies Unit (TSU) as a PDRA 15 years ago. He is now a Senior Research Fellow and Associate Professor at the Environmental Change Institute (ECI) and the TSU. Since 2012 he has also been the Assad Kotaite Senior Research Fellow in Transport Studies at Linacre College Oxford. Before coming to Oxford he worked as a consultant at AEA Technology (now Ricardo Energy & Environment).

Christian holds a DPhil in Geography and the Environment from the University of Oxford (2006) on 'Personal Travel and Climate Change'. He also holds two MSc degrees, one in Physics and the other one in Environmental Technology.

Christian's research focuses on:

  • Transport, energy and climate change policy
  • Multi-scale decision support systems and integrated systems modelling
  • The role of active travel in meeting public health, climate change and sustainable urban development objectives
  • Reduced energy consumption, behavioural change and socio-technical transitions towards low-carbon, energy efficient transport systems
  • Implementation and evaluation of travel and energy demand management initiatives

Current Research

Connect2 Kenilworth Bridge

He is currently working on 4 research projects:

  1. Measuring and evaluating transport, health and carbon effects of walking and cycling interventions in Europe;
  2. Understanding and reducing the carbon footprint of home delivery in the UK;
  3. Modelling decision making and systemic change at the interface between energy and transport systems, with case studies in England and Scotland, to;
  4. Understanding and simulating future demand, supply and carbon impacts of vans in the UK.

Recent research projects

UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) Phase 2: Energy Demand Theme

UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) Phase 2: Energy Demand Theme

Focused on exploring how socio-economic and technical change affect transport energy demand and technology diffusion in the UK, and to apply this to the need for more radical change to respond to climate and energy security challenges. Funded by NERC; 2004-2014; Dr Nick Eyre and Dr Christian Brand. More information.

UK Infrastructure Transitions Research Consortium: Long term dynamics of interdependent infrastructure systems

The ITRC informs the analysis, planning and design of national infrastructure, including transport, through the development and demonstration of new decision support tools, and working with partners in government and industry. EPSRC (EP/I01344X/1). 2011-2015. Dr Nick Eyre and Prof Jim Hall. More information.

UK Infrastructure Transitions Research Consortium

Oxford Transport Laboratory (MobOx)

Feasibility Study (Phase 1) focusing on (a) minimising the impact of the closure of the city centre Westgate Car park, with loss of 800 car parking spaces, on the rest of the transport system, and (b) integrating transport systems and infrastructure, to improve user experience and increase economic activity within the Oxford ring road. Funded by TSB. 2014. Co-I Dr Christian Brand.

Future Roadmaps of Transportation Energy and Technology

Future Roadmaps of Transportation Energy and Technology

Explored and compared the composition, timing and scale of uptake of alternative transport fuels and technologies in Korea and the UK. Funded by the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER). 2013-2015. Led Dr Christian Brand. More information.

Understanding the social impacts of UK climate policies

Provided the understanding and analytical tools necessary to underpin socially just responses to climate change in the UK. Funded by Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 2009-2013. Co-I Dr Christian Brand. More information.

Longer summary: The project looked at the distribution of carbon emissions and abatement opportunities of households in England, and the implications for energy and climate change policy impacts. The UK government has a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% on 1990 levels by 2050. In addition there are statutory targets to ensure that no household is in fuel poverty by 2016. An understanding of how current and proposed policy approaches to meeting these targets are likely to impact differentially on domestic energy consumers is fundamental to ensuring policies are both fair and effective. This research project used advanced modelling techniques to develop and analyse the datasets needed to support and further understanding of:

  • the distribution of carbon emissions - from energy consumed in the home and through personal travel by car, public transport and aviation - across households in Great Britain;
  • the impact of existing government energy and climate policies on consumer energy bills and household emissions in England;
  • the potential for an alternative approach to reducing emissions in the domestic sector through a wide-scale retrofit of the housing stock.
Understanding the social impacts of UK climate policies

Impact of Constructing Non-motorised Networks and Evaluating Changes in Travel (iConnect)

iConnect

Focused on measuring and evaluating the travel, physical activity and carbon impacts of new high-quality walking and cycling routes in the UK. Funded by the ESPRC. 2008-2013. Led by Dr Christian Brand, with Dr Tim Jones, Lucy Mahoney and Andre Neves. More information.

iConnect: knowledge transfer to policy and practice for future active travel development

iConnect

Knowledge exchange project addressing the need of sustainable transport and health organisations at national and international levels to develop evidence-based strategies, policies and delivery programmes for future active travel development. Funded by EPSRC Impact Accelerator Account. 2014-2015. PI: Dr Christian Brand.

Towards an integrated carbon and health economic assessment tool (C+HEAT) for walking and cycling

Proof of concept project that explored, developed and tested a novel carbon economic assessment tool for measuring and valuing the carbon savings of increasing population level walking and cycling. Funded by OUP John Fell Fund. 2013-2014. Co-I: Dr Christian Brand.

Real-time vehicle monitoring for energy efficiency in transport

Proof of concept project that designed, created and tested a number of novel in-journey engine-monitoring systems for better energy efficiency in car use. Funded by OUP John Fell Fund. 2014. PI: Dr Nick Eyre, with Dr Christian Brand and Dr Russell Layberry.

Integrated travel emissions profiles

Developed and deployed so-called Integrated Travel Emissions Profiles covering annual travel activity and emissions of greenhouse gases and local air pollutants at the households and individuals levels. The results were widely reported in the international media, including New York Times, BBC News and The Guardian. Funded by ESRC. 2004-2006. Co-I Dr Christian Brand.

Teaching

Teaching

Graduate Research Students - current and recent

  • Mobility, Subjective Wellbeing and Health in Transitional China: towards socially sustainable cities, Wenbo Guo, started October 2016 (co supervisor, with Dr Tim Schwanen).
  • Technology innovation and policy instruments to advance low-carbon transport and renewable energy use in developing Asian economies, Toru Kubo, on-going (Co supervisor, self funded). Toru is working for the Asian Development Bank in Manila and plans to complete on a P/T basis in 2017.
  • Investigating the Interactions of Travel Behaviour and Wellbeing: A Longitudinal, Mixed-methods Case Study of Penarth and Cardiff, Wales, Lucy Mahoney, completed TT 2015 (Lead supervisor, funded by EPSRC). Lucy now works for Transport for London on public transport strategy.
  • The impact of new walking and cycling infrastructure on personal travel and carbon emissions: the case of Cardiff Connect2, Andre Neves, completed TT 2015 (Lead supervisor, funded by EPSRC). Andre now works for Transport for London on cycling strategy.
  • Electric Vehicles in China: Past, Present and Future, Zichen Zhang, completed TT 2015 (Co supervisor, funded by Chinese Government grant). Zichen now works for the World Bank in Beijing.
  • The road not taken?: a longitudinal and interdisciplinary examination of energy behaviours, Malek Al-Chalabi, completed HT 2014 (Co supervisor, self funded). Malek now works for Shell in Dubai.
  • Accelerating the uptake of low carbon vehicles, Craig Morton, completed 2013 (External co-supervisor, University of Aberdeen, funded by NERC UK Energy Research Centre Phase 2). Craig now works as Research Fellow at the University of Leeds.

Publications

Books

Journal Articles

Book Chapters

  • Mudu, P., Kahlmeier, S., Racioppi, F., Brand, C. and Goodwin, F. (forthcoming) Transport, energy and health. In, Menne, B., et al (ed.) Energy and Health. WHO Europe, Copenhagen.
  • Anable, J. and Brand, C. (2019) Energy, pollution and climate change. Chapter 3 in, Docherty, I. and Shaw, J. (eds.) Transport Matters. Bristol Policy Press. 452 pp. ISBN: 978-1447329565.
  • Eyre, N., Anable, J., Brand, C., Layberry, R. and Strachan, N. (2010) The way we live from now on: lifestyle and energy consumption. Chapter 9 in, Skea, J., Ekins, P. and M. Winskel (eds.) Energy 2050: Making the Transition to a Secure Low Carbon Energy System. Earthscan. 408 pp. ISBN: 9781849710848.

Reports

Conference Papers

  • Brand, C. and Anable, J. (2019) ‘Disruption’ and ‘continuity’ in transport energy systems: the case of the ban on new conventional fossil fuel vehicles. European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. eceee 2019 Summer Study on energy efficiency: Is efficient sufficient?.
  • Götschi, T., Brand, C., Kahlmeier, S., Mueller, N., Dons, E., de Nazelle, A., Anaya, E., Cole Hunter, T., Int Panis, L. and Gerike, R. (2015) Physical Activity through Sustainable Transport Approaches (PASTA): a pan-European project on determinants and impacts of active transportation. TRB Moving Active Transportation to Higher Ground: Opportunities for Accelerating the Assessment of Health Impacts conference, 13-14 April, Washington DC.
  • Killip, G., Eyre, N., Brand, C. and Patrick, J. (2015) Making the local economic case for low carbon – an Oxfordshire case study. Paper 3-253-15, eceee 2015 Summer Study on energy efficiency, Toulon/Hyères, France, 1st-6th June 2015.
  • Brand, C., Anable, J. and Tran, M. (2013) The role of fiscal car purchasing incentives in a future low carbon transport system. Proceedings of the World Conference of Transportation Research 2013, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 15-18 July.
  • Brand, C., Goodman, A., Rutter, H., Song, Y. and Oglivie, D. (2013) Associations of personal and environmental characteristics with CO2 emissions from motorised travel. Proceedings of the World Conference of Transportation Research, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 15-18 July.
  • Brand, C. (2009) Hockey sticks made of carbon: unequal distribution of greenhouse gas emissions from personal travel in the United Kingdom. Paper #09-2729., Washington DC, USA. Paper presented at the Transportation Research Board 88th Annual Meeting, January 2009.
  • Brand, C., Anable, J. and Tran, M. (2009) 20% transport - how we may get there., Manchester. Paper presented at the RGS-IBG Annual International Conference, August 2009.
  • Brand, C. (2007) Personal air and car travel - just dont do it! Proceedings of the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (eceee) 2007 Summer Study - Saving Energy - Just do it!, 4-9 June 2007.. 1935-1946. ISBN: 9789163308994.
  • Brand, C. and Preston, J. (2006) TEST--A Tool for Evaluating Strategically Integrated Public Transport. Proceedings of the European Transport Conference (ETC).
  • Brand, C. and Preston, J. (2004) Tools for evaluating strategically integrated public transport., Loughborough University, UK. Proceedings of the 2004 UTSG Conference, Loughborough University, UK. Also published as a TSU Working Paper Ref. 965, University of Oxford.
  • Brand, C. and Moon, D. (2000) Integrated modelling and decision support for environmental transport policy and technology choices across Europe. PTRC Education and Research Services TD on behalf of the Association for European Transport Proceedings of Transport Modelling: Seminar K of the European Transport Conference, 11-13 September 2000.. 189-202. ISBN: 0860503410.

Curriculum Vitae