Remanufacturing and product design: designing for the 7th generation

The following is taken directly from the research report. This report investigates Design for Remanufacture in terms of both detailed product design and the business context in which Design for Remanufacture may operate. Key Study Objectives • To understand the link between design and remanufacture • To understand how Design for Remanufacture can lead to increased innovation and Sustainable Development (SD) • To identify proactive strategies to further Design for Remanufactur

Sustainable innovation: key conclusions from Sustainable Innovation Conferences 2003–2006 organised by The Centre for Sustainable Design

The following is taken directly from the introduction. This booklet summarises the key conclusions from the 2003–2006 conferences on Sustainable Innovation organised by The Centre for Sustainable Design (www.cfsd.org.uk). The conclusions are drawn from the respective conference presentations, papers and discussions. The publication has been sponsored as part of a ‘Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Innovation & Design’ project awarded to The Centre for Sustainable Design by the South-East England Development Agency (SEEDA)

Remanufacturing and product design

This article is the result of long-standing research in eco-design, and builds directly on a report produced in 2007 for South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) on 'Remanufacturing and Production' and particularly 'Design for Remanufacturing' (DfR). Although DfR is an under-researched area, there is growing interest worldwide in 'cradle to cradle', 'closed loop' and 'circular economy' concepts, thinking and practice. While remanufacture has been a consideration of much of my research since the mid-1990s, not least within the areas of 'producer responsibility', legislation (such as the WEEE Directive) and eco-design, this article draws together a diverse body of research for the first time around this theme. Drawing on desk research, personal interviews and an expert workshop, undertaken as part of the aforementioned SEEDA project that I developed and led, the article focuses on DfR as a new business model that needs to incorporate a more holistic perspective, including design principles, reverse logistics, manufacturing, marketing and business strategy. On the basis of research undertaken through two DTI missions and an EC funded project concerned with eco-design, recycling, and electronics manufacture in Japan, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, the paper argues that DfR is a strategic rather than an operational design concept, one that has been implemented successfully by only a few global leadership companies. As the senior researcher, I led the conception, structuring and writing of this paper based substantially on my personal research activities, previous reports and presentations in this area. My co-author provided specific details derived from desk research

Circular economy business models

Paper published in the proceedings of the 21st international conference in this series organised by the Centre for Sustainable Design, and held at UCA Epsom, UK, 7-8 November 2016

Summary of the findings of port-related feasibility studies related to the collection and recycling of waste fishing nets and ropes in Greenland, Ireland, Norway and Scotland

This report is based on a series of unpublished national port-related feasibility studies focused on the collection and recycling of waste fishing nets and ropes (FNRs). The research was completed by Circular Ocean project partners in Greenland, Ireland, Norway and Scotland during 2016-17. This report includes an executive summary and then a review by each country of the key cross-cutting issues related to waste FNRs, port-related innovation systems and new opportunities

Repair cafes

Repair cafes have emerged as citizen-driven initiatives to enable the fixing (or repair) of products at a community level. Repair cafes are part of a broader movement of 'Makers, Modifiers, and Fixers' where individuals and groups of individuals that are 'making, modifying and fixing' products are coming together in physical places and spaces that include Hackerspaces, Makerspaces, Fab Labs and Tech Shops. Here we see the author's personal journey over many years and many countries and lots of data. This piece allows an in-depth exploration, investigating and sharing data

Marketing and sustainability

'Marketing and sustainability' is based on an original booklet written by Martin Charter in 1990. The text has been updated and re-written to take account of the changing and emerging debate of marketing’s role in relation to sustainable development. This booklet has been produced as a supporting publication for the Sustainable Marketing Knowledge Network (Smart: Know-Net) a web-based information and communication platform for marketers interested in sustainability, available at www.cfsd.org.uk/smart-know-ne

Lessons learnt from supporting SMEs through the FUSION project 2012 – 2014

Since 2009, The Centre for Sustainable Design (CfSD) at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in Surrey, UK has provided business support to six hundred and fifty three eco-innovative SMEs in South East England as part of three European Commission (EC) funded projects, EcoMind, SUSCIN and FUSION. Between 2009 and 2012 CfSD led and supported 566 eco-innovative SMEs through the Sustainable Supply Chains through Innovation (SUSCIN) project, funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) – now the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG). In parallel to SUSCIN between 2009 and 2011 CfSD supported 30 SMEs in more depth through the INTERREG IVA '2 seas' Environmental Market and Innovation Development (EcoMind) collaborative project. A detailed exploration of activities and learnings from SUSCIN and ECOMind is provided in 'Lessons learnt supporting SMEs on Eco-Innovation', 2012. Under the FUSION project between 2012 and December 2014, CfSD provided intensive support to 57 eco-innovative SMEs in Kent, East and West Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The work was co-funded under the INTERREG IVA '2 seas' FUSION collaborative project. This report summarises the activities undertaken by CfSD as part of the FUSION project and shares the findings and lessons learnt and draws on the learnings from SUSCIN and EcoMind

Grassroots innovation and the circular economy: a global survey of repair cafés and hackerspaces

This short report is a summary of the findings of research undertaken by Professor Martin Charter and Scott Keiller of The Centre for Sustainable Design. Interim data were previously presented at the workshop 'Makers & Fixers: The Circular Economy and Grassroots Innovation' held at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA), Farnham, UK on 3 June 2014