This communication aims to provide a framework on how to integrate the concept of Circular Economy (CE) when addressing real-life urban challenges such as resource scarcity, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, waste, and high consumerism (Williams, 2019), through delivery of courses to students of various educational backgrounds. As part of the mission of Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS) to be at the forefront of promoting sustainability through education and research, the Faculties of Technology and of Business and Economics joined forces to launch a new minor namely Circular Amsterdam: Mission Zero Waste. This minor focuses on the challenges and opportunities towards the circular transition in Amsterdam as well as in other European cities, by applying system level of thinking and real-life practical cases.CE model is a shift from the traditional linear “take, make, and dispose” way of doing business, to promoting circularity of the waste product through the 3R principles (reduce, reuse, recycle), which is nowadays extended to using 9R principles (0-Refuse, 1-Rethink, 2-Reduce, 3-Reuse, 4-Repair, 5-Refurbish, 6-Remanufacture, 7-Repurpose, 8-Recycle, and 9-Recover) (Potting et al., 2017). Transitioning to CE model needs intervention and multidisciplinary approach at different levels, hence requiring systems level of thinking. This means that technical, organizational, economic, behavioral, and regulatory aspects should be taken into account when designing business models, policies, or framework on CE. In the case of the minor, a system change including the challenges and opportunities needed in the cities, will be approached from different perspectives. In order to do this, the minor requires collaboration on a real-life problem using multiple backgrounds of students that include technical, economic, creative and social domains, as well as various stakeholders such as businesses, policy makers, and experts in circular economy.This minor will provide in-depth knowledge and skills based on its two tracks. The first track is called Circular Design & Technology. It focuses on the role of technology in CE, technological design, material use, production, use of circular resources in production, and impact analysis. The second track is called Circular Governance & Management. This track focuses on viable business case development, circular supply chain management, finance, regulations, entrepreneurship, and human capital. The focus of this communication will be the second track.Multidisciplinary teams each consisting of approximately four students will work on different projects. Examples of real-world, practical cases related to Circular Governance & Management track include: (1) development of business models addressing resource shortages and waste in the cities, (2) influencing consumer mindset when it comes to recycling and use of circular materials and products, (3) development of financially viable circular businesses, with due consideration of different instruments such as traditional bank loans, green/social bonds and loans, crowdfunding, or impact investing, and (4) tracking and reporting their sustainability performance with the voluntary use of sustainability metrics and reporting standards in order to better manage their risk and attract capital. These projects are linked to research expertises in AUAS. The course activities include (guest) lectures, workshops, co-creation sessions, excursions, presentations and peer reviews. The learning goals in the Circular Governance & Management track include being able to:1. Understand the foundations of CE and theory of change;2. Apply systems thinking to show how different interventions, such as consumer products, logistics models, business models or policy designs, can affect the transition from the existing linear to a CE model;3. Design an intervention, such as a product, logistic concept, business model, communication strategy or policy design supporting the CE, using students‘ backgrounds, ambitions and interests;4. Understand the financial and regulatory framework affecting the management and governance of (financially viable) circular businesses, including government incentives;5. Evaluate the economic, environmental and social impacts of developed intervention design on the city and its environment;6. Provide justification of students‘ design according to sustainability performance indicators;7. Collaborate with stakeholders in a multidisciplinary team; and8. Present, defend and communicate the results in English.
Although urban agriculture as a way to come to sustainable urban food systems can be questioned and we have to be aware not falling into a ‘local trap’ regarding its benefits (Born & Purcell, 2006), initiatives for urban agriculture emerge all over the world. Some of these primarily focus on achieving social and educational goals while others try to become an (high tech) alternative to existing food supply chains. Whichever the goals of urban agriculture, in practice many of these initiatives have difficulties in their (logistics) operations. Research on urban agriculture and local‐for‐local food supply chains mainly focuses on environmental and economic benefits, alternative production techniques, short food supply chains (logistics infrastructure) or socio‐economic benefits of urban agriculture. So far, the alignment of urban agriculture goals with the chosen logistics concept – which includes more aspects than only infrastructure – has not gained much attention. This paper tries to fill this gap through an exploration of urban agriculture projects – both low and high tech – from around the world by using the integrated logistics concept (Van Goor et al., 2003). The main question to be answered in this paper is: to what extend can the integrated logistics concept contribute to understanding logistics drivers and barriers of urban agriculture projects? To answer this question, different urban agriculture projects were studied through information on their websites and an internet based questionnaire with key players in these projects. Our exploration shows that the ILC is a useful tool for determining logistics drivers and barriers and that there is much potential in using this concept when planning for successful urban agriculture projects.
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Network Applied Design Research (NADR) made an inventory of the current state of Circular Design Research in the Netherlands. In this publication, readers will find a summary of six promising ‘gateways to circularity’ that may serve as entry points for future research initiatives. These six gateways are: Looped Systems; Extension of Useful Lifetime; Servitisation; New Materials and Production Techniques; Information Technology and Digitization; and Creating Public and Industry Awareness. The final chapter offers an outlook into topics that require more profound examination. The NADR hopes that this publication will serve as a starting point for discussions among designers, entrepreneurs, and researchers, with the goal of initiating future collaborative projects. It is the NADR's belief that only through intensive international cooperation, we can contribute to the realization of a sustainable, circular, and habitable world.
The bio-transition will require mass mobilization of biomass for industrial feedstock, of which lignocellulose from agricultural residues is a promising sustainable source. Agricultural lignocellulosic residues (ALR) are available in varying densities across the EU and offer an opportunity to improve environmental outcomes in agriculture as well as in refining. While technologies are emerging, the future demands of industry for ALR are not understood, limiting the ability of biomass intermediaries to develop a supply chain. This project is a collaboration of Looop, BioGrowth Development (BD), and MNEXT, with the aim to quantify and characterize ALR in the EU and match it to expected demand from the refining industry. The spatial distribution of ALR, as well as the technical requirements of refineries, are critical components to developing a sustainable supply chain. Looop aspires to create circularity between ALRs and industry, and together with the biomass consulting experience of BD have approached MNEXT to leverage their knowledge of biorefinery applications. The focus of the project is to spatially model ALR availability across the EU and identify locations where mobilizing biomass for biorefining is most feasible according to technical, environmental, and logistical considerations. The one-year collaboration enables sufficient mapping, modeling, and exploration of parameters, with a focus on creating results applicable to a wide range of future scenarios. The project makes use of academic and industry knowledge to both create industry solutions and establish a starting point for further research.
Het doel van dit interdisciplinaire SIA KIEM project Fluïde Eigenschap in de Creatieve Industrie is te onderzoeken of en hoe gedeelde vormen van eigenaarschap in de creatieve industrie kunnen bijdragen aan het creëren van een democratischer en duurzamer economie, waarin ook het MKB kan participeren in digitale innovatie. Het project geeft een overzicht van beschikbare vormen van (gedeeld) eigenaarschap, hun werking en hoe deze creatieve professionals kunnen ondersteunen bij de transitie naar de platformeconomie. Dit wordt toegepast op een concrete case, dat van een digitale breimachine. Naast het leveren van een goede praktijk, moet het project leiden tot een groter internationaal onderzoeksvoorstel over Fluid Ownership in the Creative Industry, dat dieper ingaat op de beschikbare eigendomsoplossingen en hoe deze waarde zullen creëren voor de creatieve professional.
In the Netherlands, the theme of transitioning to circular food systems is high on the national agenda. The PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency has stressed that commuting to circular food chains requires a radical transformation of the food chain where (a) natural resources must be effectively used and managed (soil, water, biodiversity, minerals), (b) there must be an optimum use of food by reducing (food) waste . . ., (c) less environmental pressure, and (d) an optimum use of residue streams. The PBL also recognizes that there should be room for tailored solutions and that it is important to establish a benchmark, to be aware of impacts in the production chain and the added value of products. In the line of circular food systems, an integrated nature-inclusive circular farming approach is needed in order to develop a feasible resource-efficient and sustainable business models that brings shared value into the food chain while invigorating the rural areas including those where agricultural vacancy is occurring. Agroforestry is an example of an integrated nature-inclusive circular farming. It is a multifunctional system that diversifies and adapts the production while reducing the carbon footprint and minimizing the management efforts and input costs; where trees, crops and/or livestock open business opportunities in the food value chains as well as in the waste stream chains. To exploit the opportunities that agroforestry as an integrated resource-efficient farming system adds to the advancement towards (a) valuable circular short food chains, (b) nature-based entrepreneurship (nature-inclusive agriculture), and (c) and additionally, the re-use of abandoned agricultural spaces in the Overijssel province, this project mobilizes the private sector, provincial decision makers, financers and knowledge institutes into developing insights over the feasible implementation of agroforestry systems that can bring economic profit while enhancing and maintaining ecosystem services.
