Exeter

The Exeter event focused on the contribution Early Career Researchers could make to the research areas, which were expanded to include all areas of sustainability and digital technology. This event was set up as a mini conference where new members of the research community had an opportunity to present their current work and network with other community members from the GW4 universities.

The first set of presentations outlined the state of the field with Susan Lattanzio introducing the work of Bath University’s Centre for People-Led Digitalisation, who place emphasis on the importance of including people and culture in digital transformation. Shuang Shen then spoke about his research with the University of Exeter around using power system modelling techniques to study the impacts of the integration of renewable energies on the power system and the digitalised adaption of power networks towards Net-Zero. Qinglan Lui then presented a more in-depth look at her research into areas of digitalisation within the circular economy. Demonstrating the matrix she created to explore the intersection of the R framework and the different types of digital technologies that are the current subjects of different research papers.

Presentations of work in the areas of sustainability and digitalisation were given by:

» Vittoria Loviscek, Cardiff University – Circular economy for the built environment: a comparative study of London and São Paulo;

» Ursula Davis, Loughborough University – Circular Agriculture Knowledge Hub;

» Genevieve Shanahan, Cardiff University – Why reinvent the wheel? The value of sociotechnical revisability and concretizing multiplicity in alternative organizations;

» Thanos Goltsos, Cardiff University – The Circular Economy and Repurposing: Product Transformation & Connected Collaboration

Following this there was a lively panel discussion with Jennifer Russell (Virginia Tech), Nadine Leder (Cardiff) and Rick Lupton (Bath) this was chaired by Jennifer Jones. The discussion centred around sustainability education and circular implementation in the UK and the USA comparing the state of play in each country.

Cardiff

The day in Cardiff brought together academics, industry and third sector to share current ideas from the different areas. The workshop also showcased the work being done in the RemakerSpace at Cardiff University, with tours of the new facilities.

Dr Jennifer Johns leads the ‘Technology-enabled Circularity’ project funded by the GW4, bringing together expertise on digital technologies and circular economies. She is a Reader in International Business at the University of Bristol Business School with expertise in global value chains and digital business models. Her other grants include an EPSRC project on 3D printing and distributed manufacturing with colleagues in Engineering at the University of Bristol. Her research interest in industrial applications of 3D printing is also complemented with research on makerspaces, entrepreneurs and the local sustainability of making. She wrote the Guide to Setting up a FabLab for the Fab Foundation. Jennifer is interested in the localisation of manufacturing and how digitalisation will shift the geographies of production. Working with collaborators in the UK and US, Jennifer has a project examining eco-friendly SME disruptor firms in the fashion industry as they journey towards circular economy business models. Jennifer acts as Academic Advisor to the GTMA trade association and is on the Expert Advisory board of TCT.

Brian Mayne is a fellow of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management and the Royal Society of Arts, Chartered Environmentalist, and is recognised by the International Solid Waste Association as an International Waste Manager. Brian is a director of his own environmental consultancy that works with clients across the public, private and third sectors offering advice on the circular economy, wastes management, and sustainable development. He also lectures and delivers training courses, as well as writing a monthly newspaper column on environmental issues. He is an adviser to Sustainable Wales and regularly appears in the Resource Magazines Hot 100 waste and resource leaders.

Dr Elies Dekoninck is an Industrial Designer and a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Mechanical Engineering. Her research is in the areas of Design Creativity, Product Development and Innovation: specialising in user-centred eco-design, eco-innovation tools including TRIZ, and design practice in industry. Some of her most recent research ranges from: open-source hardware design, spatial augmented reality for co-design, interaction design for dementia, and design communication in complex projects. She developed and leads the MEng Integrated Design Engineering (IDE) programme at the University of Bath and teaches courses on product design and development.

Mike Wilson started his career as an engineer in traditional manufacturing before moving into the Electronics Industry and became the Regional CEO for Celestica, leading the $3.5bn European business and was part of the IPO, which at the time was the largest IPO in the Tech Sector. Following some time in Asia setting up Manufacturing and Supply Chains, he moved into Third Party Logistics and was The Global Head of Logistics for Panalpina, which was bought by DSV in 2019. He is currently Executive Vice President of Global Logistics Manufacturing Services and of Latin America for the $45bn turnover company. Mike holds a degree in Industrial Engineering, a MPhil in Operational Research and a MBA, from Cardiff University – where, in 2013, together with Aris Syntetos he founded the PARC Institute for Manufacturing, Logistics and Inventory at Cardiff Business School and where he is now an Honorary Visiting Professor.

The first exercise run by Rick Lupton looked at what the barriers are to circularity and where digital technology can help; generating ideas for further research and collaborations.

What are the barriers to circularity?Where can technology help?

» The cost of employing a circular model:

» Training staff,

» Updating or changing equipment,

» Finding and moving to circular resource and material sources

» Uncertainty around changes in business models makes investors more risk adverse

Economic

» If manufacturers take back responsibility/ ownership what happens to third party refurbishers?

» Stakeholder conflict at intersect

» e.g., producer is cost driven

» Unlocking and utilising different skill sets

» A lack of understanding about the circular economy

» Data fears around tech disposal

» Change the meaning of what is valuable or recognise the value in more than just money

» Workforce behaviour (resistance to change)

» Change in mindset needed to reject obsolescence and design for short “fashion” cycles in favour of longevity and repairability

Social

Data

» Need to think differently about work and leisure

» Lacking data at a local and national level

» No one sector has multiple successful case studies

» Identifying loops within loops

» Optimising = composite materials

» Fault diagnosis is a prerequisite for printing spare parts – who is going to do that? (business/ consumers?)

» Core equipment that drive technology:

» PCs, boards

» Need to address longevity/repairability

» Quality procedures/checking/audit

Product manufacture

» Standards & regulations limit change (cost/time) (esp med tech sector)

» Future proofing

» Uncertainty about outcomes

» Some reuse planning doesn’t pan out i.e. Nissan Leaf batteries

» Controllers of key mechanisms need to look at what they can do with them at end of life.

» Corporate responsibility/regulation?

» Can digital services replace physical products, and will this reduce the burden on the planet?

» How to strike a balance between the digital services needed and the creation of the devices to operate these services?

» Simulating budget plans to assess viability

» Digital and general training for employees

» Lifecycle assessments to identify where circularity could be improved or introduced

» Tracking products and materials through supply chain using blockchain

» Adapting supply chain to be more circular and employing reverse supply chain models

» Collaborative worker spaces for sharing problems and best practice through integrated digital frameworks

» Integrate users into tech/digital design

» Transparency in knowledge sharing across industry

» Digital solutions for addressing device hoarding. But also:

» Fulfilling needs on new ways

» e.g., Travel prevention or alternatives

» Bringing back old technologies – low tech solutions

» Making circular choices easier than non-circular choices (for businesses, employees, consumers)

» Lack of local data can be overcome with sensors, blockchain, citizen science (when people submit data?)

» Component index at point of production

» Catalogue of products

» Digital design

» VR environments

» + Cad design

» + User consultation

» Digital twins to help reduce prototyping

» Design for sustainability

» Enable universal responsibilities e.g. grade tech for recycling/reuse – A, B, C…

» Digital follow up

» Manufacturers responsibility – e.g. collection

» Phone based barcode scanner for use by dates (app)

» Apple Repairability Index

» Inter-sectoral waste information sharing through a digital platform

» Lower expectations of product

» Technical solutions towards Global Net Zero

The second exercise run by Daniel Eyers took advantage of the different sectors represented and asked “What does each sector needs from each other in order to enable a digital circular economy?”

Industry

» Design tools

» Local supply chains (in progress)

» Material data for different production methods:

» Printed/powder additive manufacturing etc.

» Parts certification:

» How long it lasts

» % performance data on standard parts

» Organisations to provide access to data

» More case studies to analyse in academia

» Commercial tool to support environmentally improved design at university level

» Effective consumer messaging/nudging

» Economically viable access to spare parts

» Life-cycle engagement when developing Product Service Systems

» Less consumer choice (de-customisation)

» Manage expectation

» Understanding of the circular economy

» Design training for single use materials

» Companies willing to collaborate with other sectors and implement circular solutions

Policy

» Understanding of CE across the board

» Concrete targets and clear strategy

» Policy for circularity platform in each industry

» Policymakers support with funding

» Demand by research, funders and government

» Right to repair policy

» Less plastic casing on products

» Need a Circular Economy Innovation fund

» Learn from good practice in different contexts

» Repair skills taught in school

» Close skills gap

» Extended producer responsibility

» Government grants for R&D for SMEs

» Better understanding of the concept and why it matters (ie. it's not just recycling)

» Public engagement

» Metrics to measure circularity

» New economic policy

» Moving away from GDP

Academia

» Design tools that quantify environmental impact at design stage

» Concrete targets:

» What to design to in terms of material use? I.e. x g of cobalt per Kw for an aerospace motor

» Transparency (data) from industry

» More data about material use and production

» Communication and shared knowledge/ ideas around concepts

» Funding to develop engineering solutions for material recycling

» Awareness of production methods and material availability

» Training:

» Skills

» Education

» Re-define waste:

» Not an economic concept

» Holistic definition of value (and adoption of definition)

» Clever people with great ideas that research councils will fund

» More academics from different disciplines to engage in circular economy

Other

» Change in people and public demand

» Total cost of ownership

» Customers testing circular prototypes

» Mindset/openness

» Communication in policy of benefits of circularity, and incentives

» Achievable but also optimistic target setting

» More money

» Recognise the benefits of CE

» GHG emissions

» Job creation

» Security

» Cost of living reductions

» Ensure CE includes social element

» Sustainability = economy, environment, social

» Training/upskilling at all education/career stages in digital skills and knowledge of CE