Design for Circular Economy

• Explain how Circular Economy contributes to sustainable development at the micro, meso and macro levels
• Discuss potential policy and regulatory instruments and their impacts to implement Circular Economy in practice
• Analyse the key value chain stakeholders and determine which mechanisms are essential for value chain management in circular economy transition
• Critically analyse the readiness of companies in transitioning to Circular Economy and recommend transition paths
• Apply modelling and assessment approaches in implementing the Circular Economy and appraise development needs
• Conceptualise innovative business models capable of decoupling value creation from resource consumption
• Design products and systems for circularity, according to a set of circular economy strategies
• Debate the role smart technologies can play in facilitating the Circular Economy
• Design closed-loop systems and discuss a holistic and sustainable resource management within them
• Manage the transition to circularity within an organisation, with respect to resources, capacity building, planning and internal motivation
• Collaborate to solve practical problems in a transition towards the Circular Economy, combining the knowledge acquired in the lecture part of the course

The course is built upon the following modules: defining Circular Economy (CE); macro-economic viewpoints on CE; CE from a value chain and life cycle perspectives; CE motivation for companies; CE business model innovation; circular product design; sustainability modelling of CE; smart circularity; closing the loop of resources; designing a transition path and tangible interventions.

• 2 – 4

42500/42502/42504/42505

Lectures, exercises and group discussions