Beer versus bits: CO₂-based accessibility analysis of firms’ location choices and implications for low carbon workplace development

Firm locations are a determining factor in shaping low carbon transport futures due to their influence on mobility practices. This paper proposes a methodology for assessing workplace locations based on commuting-related CO₂ emissions. The approach relies on accessibility in order to compromise validity and ease of use. Accessibility planning is increasingly acknowledged for enabling the development of sustainable land use and transport strategies, but has not been tailored to address the challenges of climate change so far. This application substitutes CO₂ emissions from car and public transport for travel time, the traditionally used indicator of travel impedance in accessibility analysis. The methodology is applied to the recent relocations of a brewery and a tech company in the Munich region. Opposing relocation directions emphasize that different firms have different requirements regarding their location, where employee mobility might not be a determining factor. Four different spatial typologies are compared in terms of CO₂-based accessibility: urban central, urban, urban fringe and suburban. The question of how these different workplace locations can cope with strict emission reduction targets and carbon budgeting is one special focus. The analysis reveals significant differences in the carbon footprints of central and peripheral workplace locations. In light of the urgent need to reduce negative impacts from transport activities, such an assessment could be useful for strategic decision-making in the fields of land use and transport planning.