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Circular Cities: Mapping Six Cities in Transition
Abstract
Urbanisation and climate change are urging cities to chart novel paths towards sustainable futures. Many cities are turning to the alluring ‘circular economy’ (CE) concept to guide this redirection. The CE concept re-imagines how flows of resources moving through economies might be ‘closed’. Here, we explore this new ‘circular city’ agenda by asking: How are cities adopting CE as a strategy?. We found that political leadership, building adaptable future visions, using experimental approaches (such as living labs), developing contextual knowledge about resource use, and engaging with diverse stakeholders to be important. However, we also expose that there is a lack of consensus on what a circular city constitutes and a need to further untangle the how and why of the circular city concept. The research contributes to the field by outlining emergent cases, identifying a set of common policy strategies, conceptualising a circular city and identifying areas for future research.
... However, scholars caution that the prevalent business-technocentric approach to the circular economy cannot tackle the systemic challenges of urban resource management. This is because it does not consider the complex local infrastructural, societal and political specificities that hinder the recirculation of resources in a particular territory (Fratini, Georg, and Jorgensen 2019;Heurkens and Dabrowski 2020;Prendeville, Cherim, and Bocken 2018). ...
... Literature reviews on circular cities have examined definitions and core concepts (Paiho et al. 2020), societal impact considerations (Vanhuyse et al. 2021), the translation from theory to practice (Fratini, Georg, and Jorgensen 2019;Petit-Boix and Leipold 2018;Prendeville, Cherim, and Bocken 2018), and the epistemological and methodological positioning of circularity and urban design (Bortolotti, Verga, and Khan 2023). Urban planning -the coordination of practices and policies by public, private and civil society sectors to shape the urban built and natural environment -emerges as an important mechanism for translating knowledge to action in cities. ...
... Experimentation with spaces to enable circular economies. This approach includes creating temporary spaces for 'pop-up' activities (Cottino, Domante, and Franchina 2022;Williams 2021a), protected pilot projects for testing new rules in public properties (Lukkarinen, Nieminen, and Lazarevic 2023) and living labs (Arciniegas et al. 2019;Prendeville, Cherim, and Bocken 2018); establishing makerspaces (Elwakil, Schroder, and Steemers 2023); and allocating space for individuals to engage in DIY projects or live at different paces (Wuyts and Marjanović 2023). Urban design may be used to showcase innovations in public and privates spaces, such as design-for-disassembly, 3D printing and new material composites (Russo and van Timmeren 2022). ...
This thematic analysis explores how circular economy literature addresses the relationship between the urban circular economy, land use and urban planning. Our scoping review identifies three spatial transformation strategies to enable circularity: densification, regeneration and experimentation. These approaches, which are dependent on local context and the actors driving the process, are embedded in varying sustainability objectives, interpretations of value and lifecycles, and boundaries that define what is included or excluded in planning and assessment. We discuss the diversity of approaches, reflect on the planning contexts in which practitioners and researchers propose and study them, and outline avenues for future research.
... [17,33,34] Remanufacturing Rebuilding products to original specifications. [17,[34][35][36][37] Repurpose Finding new uses for products outside their intended purpose. [21,22,38] Recycling Processing materials to make new products. ...
... [16,39] Recovery Extracting usable resources from waste. [14,[40][41][42] Scholars have explored how CE principles can be adapted at the city level, conceptualizing circular cities from various perspectives (e.g., [8,37,[43][44][45]). This framework empowers cities with the capacity and determination to drive the shift toward a more sustainable and resilient future [23]. ...
... Macro-Level CE [11,15,52,70] Design and production for circularity Emphasizes designing products and infrastructure with recyclability, repairability, and longevity in mind, and using both new and recycled materials. Circular City [3,[27][28][29]37] Collaboration and policy support Encourages collaboration between stakeholders (citizens, businesses, and government) and policy incentives to promote sustainable practices in urban contexts. ...
Circular Economy (CE) and circular cities are recognized as essential approaches for achieving sustainability and fostering sustainable urban development. Given the diverse definitions and principles, multidimensional complexities, and lack of a comprehensive list of CE indicators, this study aims to propose an innovative method for identifying macro-level indicators to assess urban circularity. This methodology combines a systematic literature review (SLR) with advanced machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) techniques. A multi-algorithmic approach, incorporating BERT, TF-IDF, Word2Vec, graph-based and clustering models, is employed to extract a comprehensive set of indicators from reputable scientific articles and reports to compare frequency and similarly based on each model. The overlap and accuracy of results from these five methods are analyzed to produce a refined list of indicators with high precision and alignment with core CE principles. This curated collection serves as a valuable tool for policymakers, urban planners, and designers, enabling the prediction of future trends in urban circularity. Additionally, it provides guidance for research and practical projects at various scales, from buildings and neighborhoods to entire cities, facilitating a more precise assessment of sustainability and circularity in modern urban environments.
... The urban context is of interest as at present 55% of the world population live in cities and this number is expected to grow to 68% by 2050 (Martins et al., 2022). This unprecedented growth offers opportunities for developing and scaling up circular initiatives (Raven et al., 2012;van Winden and van den Buuse, 2017;Prendeville et al., 2018). Although urban regions only cover 2% of the global surface, cities are important and fast-growing clusters of human activity that account for 70-75% of global resource consumption, 50% of global garbage generation and 80% of global energy usage (Prendeville et al., 2018;Bîrgovan et al., 2022). ...
... This unprecedented growth offers opportunities for developing and scaling up circular initiatives (Raven et al., 2012;van Winden and van den Buuse, 2017;Prendeville et al., 2018). Although urban regions only cover 2% of the global surface, cities are important and fast-growing clusters of human activity that account for 70-75% of global resource consumption, 50% of global garbage generation and 80% of global energy usage (Prendeville et al., 2018;Bîrgovan et al., 2022). On average, cities produce 76% of global emissions, but if imported consumption-based goods and services are taken into account, carbon emissions for cities in industrialized countries are much higher (Sung et al., 2019a,b). ...
... The city provides important context conditions required to face major challenges in a transition to a circular economy such as the concentration and growth of available resources, municipal and regional policy instruments, availability of experimental living labs, demographic aspects (age, income, education) and the rate of municipal recycling (Barbero and Pallaro, 2018;Prendeville et al., 2018;Futurium, 2019;Arsova et al., 2022;Neves and Marques, 2022). ...
... Despite its roots in UM, CE-related policies initially mostly ignored the accounting of effects of CE on the (urban) space and vice versa [19]. Noting this gap, scholars have argued that the spatial dimension of CE needs to be stressed when handling flows in urban areas since every action undertaken inevitably implies changes to the land(use) [20,21]. Girardet [20] connects the concept of CE with urban development approaches in his regenerative city concept. ...
... Recent work in the field discusses the process of implementation of CE strategically in cities and links it to the question of how to assess these processes [21,25]. The accountability framework is one method that has been used to assess strategic planning related to climate action. ...
... This thematic and spatial focus was regarded as a key success factor, especially compared to customary actions of the different stakeholders that often are isolated and not adapted to specific spatial conditions. This corresponds with the findings of Williams [23] and Prendeville et al. [21], which show that, in order to achieve circularity objectives, spatially adapted solutions should involve stakeholders in their development and implementation and shared responsibility with citizens. ...
The paper presents an evaluation of the strategic experimental project “WiedergeBORN”, conducted by Stadtreinigung SRH, Hamburg’s public waste management company, with stakeholders and citizens in the Osdorfer Born large housing estate. Based on an analysis of the case study, which included document analysis, observation and interviews, the article delineates the genesis of the project, its main stakeholders, and its objectives, measures, and outcomes. Success and failure factors of the project and the possible transfer of lessons learned are then categorized and discussed using the four pillars of accountability as an analytical framework. The place-based approach, which considered local conditions, the close cooperation between key stakeholders, and the early involvement of local actors and citizens, supported the successful development and implementation of measures to improve waste management and cleanliness. Furthermore, the integration of environmental, social, and educational aspects in the measures and the cooperation with actors from these fields were demonstrated to lead to positive outcomes. The transfer of the project’s results and approach remained limited due to a lack of involvement of strategic actors in the project; this hindered an integration of the participating stakeholders into strategies and into policies at the district or city levels.
... De forma a buscar soluções que amenizem os problemas e reforcem os benefícios elencados, é primordial que as cidades adotem abordagens holísticas e interdisciplinares em seus planejamentos, governanças, alianças e parcerias (Prendeville et al., 2018& Lakatos et al., 2021. De acordo com Bolger e Doyon (2019) e Lakatos et al. (2021), os governos municipais têm papel central neste processo de transição para uma cidade mais sustentável e circular, operando no nível meso da EC. ...
... De acordo com Bolger e Doyon (2019) e Lakatos et al. (2021), os governos municipais têm papel central neste processo de transição para uma cidade mais sustentável e circular, operando no nível meso da EC. Outrossim, as iniciativas de EC podem fluir em dois sentidos: bottom-up, liderada pelos cidadãos, e top-down, dirigida por governos (Prendeville et al., 2018). Os conceitos supracitados são ilustrados na figura a seguir. ...
... Fonte: Elaboração própria, com base em Prendeville et al. (2018) e Lakatos et al. (2021). ...
O estudo visou apresentar os conceitos gerais da Economia Circular e sua aplicação em contextos urbanos, denominada Cidade Circular. Foi utilizada revisão bibliográfica, por meio da base Google Scholar e demais fontes governamentais, acadêmicas e de notícias, aliada à técnica de snowball, para a busca e seleção de artigos e fontes de informação. O presente artigo constitui-se de uma revisão teórica das temáticas de Economia Circular e Cidades Circulares, explorando suas características, formas de implementação, stakeholders, benefícios, desafios e indicadores afins. Em seguida, como estudo de caso, utilizam-se como exemplos de análise as capitais Amsterdã e Paris, as quais fornecem subsídios no contexto de implementação das teorias de cidades circulares, estando na vanguarda da temática, mesmo que as metas propostas nos planejamentos estratégicos iniciais não se encontrem totalmente satisfeitas. Conclui-se que as Cidades Circulares são plataformas interessantes para concretizar ideais ecológicos no contexto urbano, envolvendo as partes interessadas. Entretanto, desafios relacionados a políticas públicas, tecnologia, governança e produção se fazem presentes.
... After extracting nodes' deployment locations from smart cities, IoT topology is simulated using MATLAB. It helps the cities to become smart and economical by adopting a circular design [146]. Hence, in order to simulate a smart city, the circular region is selected with 500 meter diameter. ...
... If the users request it for additional processing, it will give them access to the stored data. It is observed by S. Prendeville et al. [146] that modern cities will become efficient and economical by implementing a circular disc shape design. To make our network smarter and more economical, we have implemented the topology in a circular disc shape design. ...
... Based on the extracted coordinates, we simulate the IoT network in MATLAB. The modern cities become more economical and smarter by adopting disc shaped design[146]. To simulate the concept of the disc shaped smart cities, we deployed the IoT network in the circular field, a diameter Field dia of 500 meter, as shown inFigure 4.6. ...
Increase in growth of Internet of Things (IoT) enabled applications; lead to rapid increase in IoT empowered devices. This rapid growth of devices will contribute to complexity of IoT network. Increase in network complexity will intensify the risk against topology robustness. IoT act as a core enabler; for converting conventional city to smart; having multiple type of devices. These devices produce large amount of variant data types; including node sensing information, node geographic location data and connected neighbors, etc. Improving topology robustness of emerging IoT networks for smart cities by using big data against cyber, intentional, targeted and malicious attacks has become a prime issue. To cater the topology robustness issue by using big data, seven algorithms, i.e., Enhanced Angle Sum Operation EASO-ROSE, Enhanced ROSE, Adaptive Genetic Algorithm (AGA), Cluster Adaptive Genetic Algorithm (CAGA), Enhanced Differential Evolution (EDE), Adaptive EDE (AEDE) and Elephant Herding Robustness Evolution (EHRE) algorithm are proposed for smart cities. Proposed solutions keep the node initial degree distribution or edge density of deployed nodes unchanged, along with maintaining the scale-free property of the topology. IoT sensors are relieved from the computational overhead of algorithms by using a robust proposed system model. Enhanced ROSE, EASO-ROSE, CAGA and AGA performs 61.3% and 48.3%, 45.5% and 34.95% better as compare to simulating annealing. The EDE performs 7.13%, 31.6% and 41.8% better as compared to GA, SA and HA, respectively. The AEDE outperforms the GA, SA and HA with 11%, 35.3% and 45.4% better efficiency, respectively. EHRE achieves 95% efficiency after 60 iterations and 99% efficiency after 70 iterations. Moreover, EHRE performs 58.77% better than EDE, 65.22% better than GA, 86.35% better than SA and 94.77% better than HA. The thesis is based on the evolutionary research.
... The surrounding living environment creates a specific frame for different lifestyles. A circular city (CC) is a concept used to describe the implementation of the CE within the boundaries and scales of cities [7][8][9]. For instance, Williams [7] describes circular cities places where resource looping, adaptation, and ecological regeneration are implemented. ...
... The alternative view approaches citizens in a passive manner, as creating a CC requires modifications in infrastructure and considerations of how to integrate the CE into the everyday lives of citizens, which is not about individual choices but a matter of continuous "production and reproduction of normality" [14 p. 3]. Cities across Europe have concentrated especially in projects that deliver the latter one, such as enhancing circular construction through building material requirements and facilitating or building of circular waste infrastructures [9,15]. However, actions considering the citizen as an active decision maker remain fewer. ...
... To date, CC research has concentrated on the role of public actors (such as city government) [7,9,18] and the private sector (such as circular product producers and localized loops) [19,20] in enhancing the CE within the scales of cities. Even though citizens' consumption represents the largest share of carbon footprint in cities [19], their role in shaping a CC remains rarely and narrowly researched [14]. ...
Although individual consumption is the biggest contributor to cities’ carbon footprints, the link between personal actions and building a circular city remains narrowly researched. Similarly, the implications of the circular economy in individuals’’ everyday lives are not yet well known. This study bridges these research gaps by examining the impacts of circular consumption on urban neighborhood inhabitants’ everyday lives and by considering the relationship between individual consumption and the creation of a circular city. This qualitative research relies on interviews conducted with inhabitants, companies and a school of Tammela neighborhood. Results derived from a directed content analysis suggest that circular consumption is an advisable instrument for living in accordance with environmental values and promotes economic inclusion for individuals. However, circular consumption requires more consumption work from consumers compared to linear consumption. In conclusion, at the city level mainstreaming circular consumption might be achieved with policies aiming at (a) increasing environmental awareness and teaching circular skills and (b) enhancing convenient circular systems of provision to attract people with various values to engage in circular consumption, while considering the amount of consumption work required by the consumer.
... Within the CE literature, there is discussion regarding appropriate geographic scales both in terms of policy CE and the adoption of circular delivery models (see, for instance, Prendeville et al. (2018), Aranda-Usón et al. (2020)). These contributions typically share a focus on how cities and regions are the scale at which the majority of circular innovations emerge and the way in which regional and local flows of materials and products, in order to extend the life-cycle of products, can reduce waste generation and the consumption of resources (Virtanen et al., 2019). ...
... They represent centres of both production and consumption as a key nexus in the emergence of circular innovations, with a deep understanding of local environmental, social, and economic issues (MacKinnon et al., 2019). The regional scale can be particularly effective for measuring circularity dimensions and promoting initiatives such as circular economy entrepreneurship and waste management (Prendeville et al., 2018). ...
... Infrastructure networks such as electricity, gas, water, transport, data and waste networks are embedded in specific geographies (Goldthau, 2014). Local food production, local energy systems of production and provision as well as green mobility and waste recovery are some of the examples emerging as cities and regions experiment with the circular economy concept (Aranda-Usón et al., 2020;Prendeville et al., 2018). In summary, it can be argued that city and regions are appropriate scales for CE policy interventions as: (i) They facilitate the development and testing of new approaches that can be scaled up and replicated; (ii) They enable a unified approach with different local actors working towards a common goal; (iii) They provide opportunities for community engagement and leveraging local potential; (iv) They allow for coordination of policy agendas and (v) They enable tailored policy development for specific local contexts. ...
This paper investigates how top-down policy direction setting is interpreted and implemented within horizontal networks of practice. This is an under-investigated issue, yet vital for delivering ultimately transformative outcomes. It seeks to unpack how actionable directionality can influence progress and introduces the idea of nascent or partial missions. Options for identifying and nurturing these missions to expand in scale and scope are then discussed. Utilising Wales as an illustrative case study, we draw upon a unique dataset of circular economy (CE)-related interventions, networks and participants. Finally, the paper outlines implications for policy-making and proposes avenues for future research.
... These new targets serve as influential governance mechanisms that can enhance circularity within economic systems and expedite the transition to CE across various strategies. The article of Prendeville et al. [74] is in the 3rd place with 234 citations. It concludes that political leadership, adaptable visions, experimental approaches, contextual knowledge, and stakeholder engagement are vital in CE transition in urban areas. ...
... Governing CE transition also requires extensive collaboration and engagement of various stakeholders. Prendeville et al. [74] highlighted the importance of engaging with diverse stakeholders in conceptualizing a circular city. Accordingly, it is essential to bring local stakeholders including government, communities, companies and universities to solve collective problems for the development of CE systems [39]. ...
The formulation of circular economy policies in urban contexts is an emerging field of studies, with cities playing an increasing vital role in driving the transition toward circularity. However, there is a lack of systemic understanding in academic literature on governing urban circular economy transition. The primary objective of this study is to offer a comprehensive analysis of the prominent trends, key characteristics, future research directions, and the evolution of the research field on governing urban circular economy transitions between 2002 and 2023. Drawing from 304 peer-reviewed articles sourced from the Scopus database, we propose a bibliometric analysis that builds on the PRIMA protocol and VOSviewer. Our findings show that the adoption of circular economy in urban areas is in its infancy and relatively underexplored. Moreover, most of the literature originated from China and European countries, with limited publications from developing nations. Current research streams cover urban governance, industrial ecology, energy transition, measurement, and digitalization. The novelty of this research lies in its ability to provide a systemic understanding of current developments in academic literature on governing urban circular economy transition. Additionally, it proposes a governance framework for urban circular economy transition. This study also enhances the current understanding of urban circular economy transition and offers insights for guiding future research.
... By 2050, cities will host two-thirds of the global population [1], making them hotspots of economic, environmental, technological, and social development [2]. To take progressive steps in urban circular economy (CE) transitions, public policymakers need to understand the preconditions cities face that affect their ability to implement changes to improve resource efficiency, enable new CE business models and, ultimately, close the critical raw material (CRM) 1 loop [3][4][5]. ...
... For instance, minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and copper are essential for digitalisation, renewable energy technologies, and electric vehicles. 2 The CRMA was passed by the Council of the European Union in March 2024 as a part of the Green Deal Industrial Plan. One important target of the CRMA, with a strong relevance for the local governments as well, is to reduce the consumption of virgin CRMs. ...
This article contributes to expanding the literature on and understanding about urban circular economy (CE) transitions towards circular cities, with a particular focus on the circularity of critical raw materials (CRMs), by identifying barriers in the transition’s exploration phase. We collected our empirical research data from 7 Finnish cities by interviewing 14 administrative officers responsible for procurement and for CE development and strategies. According to our findings, financial, institutional, policy and regulatory, technical, knowledge, and social factors are both internal and external barriers that city governments face in preventing urban CE transition of CRMs. Our findings suggest that an overarching problem with the identified barriers is regarding knowledge. Furthermore, we argue that intervening in local transformation paths towards circular cities requires the understanding and development of multilevel interactions between actors and their possibly conflicting interests. This contributes to the current understanding of early phases of urban CE transitions, that is, how knowledge deficits between multilevel systemic urban CE transitions should be addressed.
... The formation of EIPs has proved to be one of the ways in which local governments aim to realize the CE [14,15]. Prior research has shown that local governments are important actors in a CE transition [32][33][34][35][36]. Perhaps the key reason is that the CE has risen as a strategic objective in local policy, and this implies that local policymakers need to find ways to fulfill objectives by somehow actualizing the idea of CE [36][37][38]. ...
... The formation of EIPs has proved to be one of the ways in which local governments aim to realize the CE [14,15]. Prior research has shown that local governments are important actors in a CE transition [32][33][34][35][36]. Perhaps the key reason is that the CE has risen as a strategic objective in local policy, and this implies that local policymakers need to find ways to fulfill objectives by somehow actualizing the idea of CE [36][37][38]. As primary land use planners, local governments have a focal role in the establishment of EIPs. ...
In this paper, we discuss an eco-industrial park (EIP) formation process and its role in promoting regional circular economy (CE) policy from a stakeholder perspective. This case study adds to the knowledge of stakeholder engagement and the role of intermediation in EIP formation and related urban–regional CE policies. By reviewing the case of the ECO3 bioeconomy and CE industrial park in Tampere Region, Finland, we analyze the role of a city-owned development company in the EIP development as an intermediary between public and private stakeholder interests. Intermediation proved to be fruitful in the EIP formation process, as the intermediator sufficiently catalyzed the alignment of stakeholder interests, and various stakeholders thus contributed resources (stakes) to the development process, which furthered the growth of the EIP. The case illustrates how a hybrid actor, such as a city-owned development company, may serve as an important catalyst in regional CE promotion.
... Prendeville et al.'s research aims to investigate ways in which circular economy principles have been applied in urban contexts, particularly about land use planning with a focus on critical attributes influencing movement towards circularity, such as adaptive reuse of buildings and infrastructure through urban design, that includes waste management systems [14]. Thus, Williams (2019) [15] expanded on "circular cities", showing how circular economy principles could be incorporated into urban planning and design. ...
This research investigates critical land use governance and urban planning concerns, focusing on sustainable development, information technology incorporation, and global change adaptations. These questions are: How can national land use policies be mainstreamed sustainably? How can local leaders better appreciate comprehensive land use planning? What are the ethical implications of using AI in urban planning? And how can public awareness of land use management be increased? The study adopts a comprehensive literature review methodology that combines findings from various urban planning disciplines. It argues that sustainable and inclusive land-use governance must take an integrated approach focusing on sustainability, social equity, technological advancement, and local context. Current practices usually fall short of addressing intricate urban issues, necessitating new paths to resilient, sustainable, and just cities. This study is driven by the pressing need for adaptive governance systems and novel approaches to urban planning amidst rapid urbanization, climate change, and technological disruptions. Key words: urban planning, smart cities, sustainability, governance, environmental planning
... They focus on narrowing loops by using less primary raw materials, on slowing down the circulation of materials by adopting extended-use strategies, on closing loops by reusing materials, and on regenerating them with the use of renewables (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2013;Ndiribe, 2023). By adopting these circular economy principles, cities may gain several advantages, such as decreasing ecological footprints, enhancing urban resource security, improving urban population health, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (Prendeville et al., 2018;Williams, 2019). ...
... No obstante, las zonas urbanas proporcionan el metabolismo perfecto para que las iniciativas de EC sean pragmáticas, dada la concentración de recursos, conocimiento y actividad económica en un espacio geográfico limitado (Seto et al., 2010). Gobiernos locales y urbanistas podrían ser los que liderasen los temas de sustentabilidad urbana, ya que poseen poder de decisión y un amplio conocimiento sobre el funcionamiento de su entorno urbano (Prendeville et al., 2016). ...
Economía circular. El camino hacia la sostenibilidad pretén aproximar al lector a l'economia circular (EC), una de les estratègies clau del segle xxi que afavoreixen el desenvolupament sostenible, i plantejar si serà una realitat o un desig a curt termini analitzant factors polítics, econòmics, socials i ambientals. El sistema econòmic actual és insostenible: només el 7,2 % dels productes i serveis són circulars, i totes les projeccions indiquen que l'impacte socioambiental del consum continuarà creixent en els pròxims anys. Front aquesta problemàtica, l'economia circular és una necessitat i està començant a ser una realitat gràcies a una major sensibilitat dels consumidors i a un marc regulador ambiental més estricte. La EC pretén aconseguir uns sistemes de producció i consum més eficients i resilients, que preservin els recursos dins d'un cicle continu optimitzant el seu valor i minimitzant la generació de residus. En aquest llibre es presenten polítiques, indicadors, eines i estratègies d'innovació, prevenció i minimització de recursos, així com exemples d'ecodisseny circular i millora global de productes i serveis, des del seu disseny fins a la seva gestió final, que mostren que un futur més circular i sostenible és possible.
... The city of Amsterdam is one such experimenting "Doughnut city" with ambitions aligned with sufficiency such as reducing overall urban consumption, using what the city has more sparingly, and making the most of discarded products (Amsterdam., 2022). Similar to the Doughnut city trend, there are related concept such as Sharing Cities Sweden (2021), Circular Cities (Prendeville et al., 2018) and the older concept of Transition Towns with the aim to create sustainable communities for a future with a changing climate and resource constraints (Richardson et al., 2012). For each, ample local experimentation examples have emerged. ...
... While appreciable research has focused on the technical and environmental aspects of circular economy adoption in the construction industry (Talla and McIlwaine, 2024;Atapattu et al., 2024), there are limited studies that examine the role of policymakers and the regulatory challenges they face, particularly in developing countries (Zuofa et al., 2023;Ababio et al., 2023;Wijewansha et al., 2021). Policymakers have been central to CE adoption's success in developed countries by introducing comprehensive regulatory frameworks and public procurement policies that incentivise sustainable construction practices (Giorgi et al., 2022;Prendeville et al., 2018). However, in the context of Nigeria, the landscape of policymakers in adopting CE in the construction industry remains underexplored, representing a significant gap in the literature. ...
Purpose
The construction industry faces significant challenges in managing waste and resource inefficiency, contributing to environmental degradation and unsustainable practices. Despite the potential of circular economy (CE) practices to address these issues, there is limited understanding and inadequate policy support for their effective implementation. This study investigates the perspectives of policymakers on achieving CE in the Nigerian construction industry. Specifically, this study examines policymakers’ understanding of CE, key influencing policies, the challenges encountered in implementing CE practices and how policies can support the transition to CE.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a qualitative approach to explore the perspectives of policymakers towards achieving CE in the Nigerian construction industry. About 50 participants were purposively selected to participate in this study to provide comprehensive data for the study. Saturation was attained on the 34th participants. The data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify key themes and insights.
Findings
This study identified significant gaps and challenges hindering policymakers' effective implementation of CE practices. The challenges include financial constraints, resistance to change, inadequate regulatory frameworks, lack of infrastructure, skill gaps and weak enforcement mechanisms. Recommendations for improvement include financial incentives, updated building codes, enhanced enforcement, mandatory education and training programmes and increased collaboration between government, industry and academia. A conceptual framework was developed to promote the implementation of CE in the construction industry.
Originality/value
This study is the first to examine the perspectives of policymakers on CE in the Nigerian construction industry, offering unique insights and practical recommendations. The conceptual framework adds a structured approach to implementing CE practices, contributing to the limited research on CE in developing countries and providing a robust foundation for future studies to expand the scope and employ quantitative methods to measure the impact of CE practices.
... Urban Metabolism (UM) provides a valuable interdisciplinary lens for analyzing urban environments from a sustainability perspective. By integrating frameworks from socio-ecological systems (Liu et al., 2020;Ostrom, 2009), environmental impact assessment (Kennedy et al., 2015;Pincetl et al., 2012), and circular economy (Prendeville et al., 2018), UM can offer a comprehensive understanding of urban sustainability. Our findings reveal that UM is an emerging field with a strong connection to sustainability and a relatively low gender bias compared to other disciplines. ...
Understanding the quantitative patterns behind scientific disciplines is fundamental for informed research policy. While many fields have been studied from this perspective, Urban Science (USc) and its subfields remain underexplored. As organisms, urban systems rely on materials and energy inputs and transformation (i.e. metabolism) to sustain essential dynamics. This concept has been adopted by various disciplines, including architecture and sociology, and by those focused on metabolic processes, such as ecology and industrial ecology. This study addresses the structure and evolution of Urban Metabolism (UM) and Sustainability research, analyzing articles by disciplines, study subjects (e.g., cities, regions), methodologies, and author diversity (nationality and gender). Our review suggests that UM is an emerging field that grew until 2019, primarily addressed by environmental science and ecology. Common methods include Ecological Network Analysis, and Life Cycle Assessment, and Material Flow Analysis, focusing flows over stocks, ecosystem dynamics and evolutionary perspectives of the urban system. Authors are predominantly from China and the USA, and there are less gender gaps compared to general science research. Our analysis identifies relevant challenges that have become evident in the statistical properties of this scientific field and which might be helpful for the design of improved research policies.
... • Knowledge: Analysing the local conditions as a basis for developing a strategy, monitoring and evaluating circular projects continuously, and educating stakeholders about circular economy. Prendeville et al. (2018) discussed how cities were adopting circular economy as a strategy to embrace sustainability transitions. They found that political leadership, visioning, agility, experimentation, developing place-based responses, and engaging with diverse stakeholders were critical to supporting circular economy transitions. ...
Australia’s journey towards a circular economy is in its initial stage. Demand for resources is putting pressure on Australia’s urban environments, which house over 75% of the country’s population and account for over 80% of national GDP. Until 2018, recyclable waste was largely exported to other countries for processing. This has now changed and has led to national and state-based discussions on more effective reprocessing of waste resources.
This chapter aims to present findings based on research conducted to understand the current circular economy ecosystem in the state of Victoria (Australia) to support its plans for waste reduction and transition to a circular economy. A mixed-methods approach was taken, comprising desktop research, interviews with key actors, and a survey targeting a wide range of businesses. It was found that there was no consistent or systemic understanding of the concept of the circular economy; rather, the narrative revolved around waste management and recycling. For transitioning to a circular economy, a systematic shift is needed, supported by a clear policy directive, financial outlay, technical know-how, education, awareness, engagement, and collaboration across traditional isolated sectors.
... Currently, cities and regions that embrace the CE are emerging as pioneers in environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive economic development (Prendeville et al., 2018). They are setting the stage for more resilient societies capable of prospering in a resource-constrained world (Kennedy & Linnenluecke, 2022). ...
... However, various studies claim that the implementation of the circular economy by local authorities has been explored in a fragmented way (Dagilienė et al., 2021;Cainelli et al., 2020). International literature is dominated by articles on the circular economy in relation to local government in large cities, while research on small towns and the countryside is limited (Cramer, 2022;Prendeville et al., 2018;Wang et al., 2018). Low emphasis has been placed on the examination of the role of local government in shaping a culture of circular economy issues among citizens, households and enterprises (Dagilienė et al., 2021). ...
This research examines the effectiveness of local government policies regarding the circular economy in two directions: in shaping an ecological culture for households and enterprises and in creating a favourable environment for incentives. It also identifies inefficiencies, failures and good practices. A qualitative research was carried out via semi-structured interviews of twelve local self-administrative officials responsible for policy making on circularity. Findings indicate the impact of local-self administrative authority policies on citizens, households and enterprises, identifying strengths and weaknesses. It also suggests interventions towards the formation and consolidation of a strong ecological culture on circular economy issues, with emphasis on information networks and proposes interventions that are related to strengthening incentives for households and enterprises to participate in circularity. The results of the research can be used by European, national and local bodies who have the responsibility of developing policies for the circular economy.
... Over the past decade, numerous criticisms have emerged regarding the notion of CE as "an essentially contested concept" with multiple and slippery interpretations (Corvellec et al., 2021;Korhonen et a., 2018). There is indeed a widespread lack of consensus among scholars and stakeholders on CE definitions and objectives, which are predominantly skewed toward economic prosperity, occasionally toward environmental conservation, and rarely toward social justice (Homrich et al., 2018;Kirchherr et al., 2017;Petit-Boix and Leipold, 2018;Prendeville et al., 2018). In terms of content, the concept can paradoxically prove counterproductive. ...
The ‘closing of the circle’ has been advocated since the early environmental movements as a way to reconcile man and woman with nature by mitigating the destructive effects of modern technology, which threaten the very survival of humanity on the planet. More recently, the concept has been integrated into public policies and programs, leveraging the narrative of a circular economy capable of decoupling growth from resource consumption and pollution. In light of the practical and conceptual difficulties of closing the circle, this article investigates four moves to “open” rather than “close” the circle of the circular economy. The openness it proposes encourages new constructive encounters between critical theory and experimental practice, and between technical and social disciplines, in order to advance toward an epistemologically diverse understanding of circularity.
... This shift is attributable to the role that business models play in determining a product's impact on customer success [57] and its environmental footprint [58]. Moreover, design is increasingly recognized for its potential to facilitate the transition of broader ecosystems toward circular cities, achieved through the redesign of products and business models, and the application of design thinking to implement innovative projects [59]. ...
Design thinking is an innovative methodology that may be applied by small and medium enterprises which emphasizes a human-centered approach to problem-solving, facilitating the creation of novel solutions for complex and open-ended challenges like the development of new products. Despite its recognized importance in business and academia, many industrial SMEs struggle with applying design thinking in their product development processes. This research aims to identify the central characteristics of design thinking and its critical success factors to enable effective application by industrial SMEs. Based on a systematic search in the Scopus database (last searched 14 May 2024) for the relevant literature, which resulted in a selection of 30 published papers, with titles and/or abstract fields containing words of design thinking and small- and medium-sized enterprises in industrial sectors, and a bibliometric analysis of co-word occurrence using VOS Viewer (1.6.20 version), we construct a framework that identifies central characteristics, design thinking principles, criteria, phases, and tools, as well as four dimensions of critical success factors: strategy, culture, competences, and implementation. This finding is new as it applies to industrial SMEs, as compared to extant research’s more general orientation. The framework is presented in visual form to facilitate use in developmental workshops with SMEs and supporting actors. This paper ends with notes on limitations and proposals for further research.
... The rapid growth of urban areas and the exponential consumption of resources have made waste management a central issue for environmental sustainability. In this context, the circular economy (CE) has emerged as a strategic lever for reducing ecological footprints while optimizing resource use (Williams, 2022;Prendeville et al., 2018). However, despite the promising theoretical framework, implementing CE at an urban level remains complex, faced with the diversity of stakeholders, infrastructural limitations, and local cultural specificities. ...
... Researchers state that ecological innovations or eco-innovations are important for the development of new business models that lessen the environmental impact of production and consumption activities [19]. As a unique way to address environmental issues, eco-innovations play a huge role in developing innovative products and services, new jobs, and a change in the behavior of individuals towards environmental issues [20]. Eco-innovations create environment-friendly and sustainable products and hence provide business opportunities in areas such as technological, non-technological, and innovative products, its services, and business practices [21]. ...
Amidst the adverse effects of the existing linear model on economic, social, and environmental aspects, the circular economy has emerged as a more sustainable alternative for economic growth and environmental sustainability. Further, the increasing significance of the circular economy as a means to achieve sustainability has prompted researchers to suggest various approaches. In this study, we employed a systematic literature review to present a unified perspective on the concept of circular economy and emphasize the connection of it with eco-innovation. We found that the last three years have witnessed a sudden rise in the publications related to a circular economy, stating the rise in interest of researchers towards a circular economy. While in its nascent phase of execution, much research has been carried out on the importance of adopting a circular economy for achieving sustainability. However, most researchers have failed to explore the contribution of the circular economy in the UN sustainable development strategies (SDGs) and the role of eco-innovation in the circular economy. Therefore, this research is novel, and we explored the role of circular economy and eco-innovation towards sustainability through a systematic literature review. This research indicated that while developed countries have shifted to a circular economy, developing countries need to transition to a circular economy for sustainable benefits. A correlation was also found between the circular economy and some SDGs. The results emphasized that the incorporation of eco-innovations can help in mitigating the environmental consequences of production and consumption activities. It also sheds light on notable instances of eco-innovations that have been developed for deployment in the circular economy. This research will be helpful to industries, universities, and other major sections of society in developing circular economy practices in their core processes and ensuring the attainment of sustainable development goals.
... While definitions for circular cities are not as abundant, several recent works attempted to bring clarity to the term. A circular city is defined in [12] as "a city that practices CE principles to close resource loops, in partnership with its stakeholders (citizens, community, business and knowledge stakeholders), to realize its vision of a future-proof city". In addition, the European Investment Bank argues in [13] that "(a circular city) is not the sum of its circular activities. ...
Smart cities have been a very active research area in the past 20 years, while continuously adapting to new technological advancements and keeping up with the times regarding sustainability and climate change. In this context, there have been numerous proposals to expand the scope of smart cities, focusing on resilience and sustainability, among other aspects, resulting in terms like smart sustainable cities. At the same time, there is an ongoing discussion regarding the degree in which smart cities put people at their centre. In this work, we argue toward expanding the current smart city definition by integrating the circular economy as one of its central pillars and adopting the term smart (and) circular city. We discuss the ways a smart and circular city encompasses both sustainability and smartness in an integral manner, while also being well-positioned to foster novel business activity and models and helping to place citizens at the heart of the smart city. In this sense, we also argue that previous research in smart cities and technologies, such as those related to Industry 4.0, can serve as a cornerstone to implement circular economy activities within cities, at a scale that exceeds current activities that are based on more conventional approaches. We also outline current open challenges in this domain and research questions that still need to be addressed.
... Software tool Platform (Kauffman and Naldi, 2020;Guldmann and Huulgaard, 2020;Kalmykova et al., 2018;Prendeville et al., 2018;Gusmerotti et al., 2019;Succar and Poirier, 2020;Salonitis and Stavropoulos, 2013;Blomsma et al., 2019;Accorsi et al., 2015;Kim and Lee, 2021;Edbring et al., 2016;Joensuu et al., 2020;Leising et al., 2018;Pieroni et al., 2018;Singh et al., 2019b;Halada, 2020;Singh et al., 2019a) Circularity assessment (Favi et al., 2019;Zhang et al., 2018) Key activities of platform Knowledge hub e.g. training, education (Singh et al., 2019b) Co-creation (share knowledge and information, open innovation) Ghisellini and Ulgiati, 2020;Succar and Poirier, 2020;Salonitis and Stavropoulos, 2013;Kim and Lee, 2021;Spring and Araujo, 2017;Rios and Charnley, 2017;Leising et al., 2018;Singh et al., 2019b;Halada, 2020;Singh et al., 2019a;Ingle et al., 2020) Market Innovation driver Copani and Behnam, 2020;Wiesner et al., 2017;Accorsi et al., 2015;Spring and Araujo, 2017) Operational support Salonitis and Stavropoulos, 2013;Spring and Araujo, 2017;Singh et al., 2019b) Value retention (e.g. ...
Fashionable, cheap furniture of questionable quality is often used for short-term economic gain. If the furniture is not liked, it is quickly discarded. The need to reduce CO2 emissions, dwindling resources and social and political demands contradict this practice and require the implementation of closed-loops material cycles and the introduction of circular business models. A systematic literature review and a case study were conducted to provide a comprehensive overview of current circular economy strategies (e.g. reuse, refurbishment and recycling) implemented in the furniture industry in relation to various key activities of platform companies. As part of the case study, interviews were conducted with stakeholders and experts from the furniture and interior design industry. The European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform was also consulted. The literature review and the case study show that the furniture industry is in a state of transition. By incorporating designs that allow for improved remanufacturing, refurbishment and reuse, companies in the industry are increasingly starting to consider circular economy patterns. Increasing digitization and servitization are driving new circular business models. Another key finding is that digital platforms are suitable for connecting stakeholders such as manufacturers, service providers and consumers, taking into account the relevant business models. The study also identified motivations, barriers and requirements for the implementation of circular and digital business models in the furniture and interior design industry. There is still a large gap between what can be achieved with a circular economy and its actual implementation.
... While geographical aspects of the Circular Economy are still relatively neglected (Williams, 2019a(Williams, , 2021(Williams, , 2023, there is a burgeoning strand of literature on elevating geographical concerns (for example, Arsova et al., 2022;Bolger and Doyon, 2019;Bourdin et al., 2022;Calisto Friant et al., 2023;Fratini et al., 2019;Obersteg et al., 2019;Prendeville et al., 2018;Tapia et al., 2019;Veyssière et al., 2022). Building on this emerging strand of literature, the contributions to this themed issue deepen our insights in relation to: context, proximity, flows/scale and the role of spatial planning, through a variety of critical lenses. ...
... Today they are part of the problem and solution at the same time. The growing pressure on urban resources, infrastructures, services and housing caused by half of the global population living in cities (OECD and European Commission 2020); almost two-thirds of global energy demand; 70% alarming level of production of greenhouse gas emissions, 50% global waste (OECD 2020) need urgent policy measures and actions (CSCP 2018;EMF 2017;EMF and ARUP 2019a, b;EIB 2018EIB , 2019Eurocities 2017;Prendeville et al. 2018;World Economic Forum 2018). The Global Resources Outlook provided in 2019 key insights regarding consumption and production impact and found that "resource use has more than tripled since 1970 to reach 92 billion tons in 2017…Resource extraction and processing cause over 90 per cent of global biodiversity loss and water stress, and more than half of global climate change impacts… Environmental impacts of material consumption are 3 to 6 times greater in highincome countries than in low-income countries. ...
After World War I, an architectural and urban movement for protecting heritage emerged. An important turning point for urban conservation was when the focus shifted from the process itself towards questioning why to conserve (what are the values being safeguarded) and for whom? Adaptive Reuse of Cultural Heritage became a two faceted tool which tackles contemporary needs with high quality reuse projects and provides evidence of the multilayered positive impacts. Although there is no commonly agreed upon definition of cultural entrepreneurship, the authors define it as a set of activities aimed at harnessing a cultural business opportunity. The novelty stands in being innovative in transforming cultural values into economic values. The process of creating new adaptive reuse of heritage buildings is about the business of transforming abandoned, underused or not in use cultural heritage into common goods which reflect needs and aspirations of the contemporary local community with respect to environment and social practices and interactions. It is timely for cultural entrepreneurs to embrace circular and innovative organizational forms of business and finance for managing their cultural activities. Cultural entrepreneurship is auspicious because it endows innovative concepts on quantity, quality and manipulation of resources in tandem with novel ways of empowering consumers, prosumers and the community at large in governing the common goods. This paper illustrates the process of developing a circular business model for adaptive reuse of cultural heritage in line with the guidelines of the Historic Urban Landscape approach. It also delineates how the circular business model workshops were conducted throughout H2020 project CLIC and what were the main results.
... Capacity building is closely linked to partnerships, and there is need to establish strategic and sustainable partnerships for capacity building at the Mtapa Open Market [22,48,56]. The stakeholders interviewed all agreed that capacity building is essential for successful implementation of circularity at the market. ...
The research developed a circularity framework that can be adopted at Mtapa urban open market in Gweru, Zimbabwe. The market has experienced a significant increase in vendors since many smaller open markets were closed in 2020 during covid-19 pandemic in a bid to clean up the city. However, rapid development and overcrowding have led to challenges in waste management which pose health risks to vendors. To address these challenges, the research utilised a descriptive case-study design combining both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. Data was collected using questionnaires, semi structured interviews and direct-field observation. Analysis was conducted using soft wares such as Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. A relationship between level of education and participation in circular initiatives was tested, yielding a chi-square p-value of 0.001. This indicates that a lack of knowledge among vendors is a significant barrier to the adoption of circularity practices. The lack of waste recycling infrastructure was also a major barrier for waste management and waste recycling at Mtapa Open Market. The study highlights the importance of implementing circularity through developing a framework which lays out measures that can be adopted to enhance sustainability and address waste management. Therefore, the study concludes that there is need for circularity at Mtapa Open Market, that has opportunity for market growth and revenue generation. The study recommends the need for waste utilisation, recycling and adoption of circular economy with involvement of major stakeholders such as the Gweru City Council, Environmental Management Agency and Mtapa Open Market vendors.
... Recently, this model has been and continues to be implemented by some city administrations and urban programs in various European cities (e.g., Amsterdam, Paris, Therefore, planning a city sustainably becomes the real challenge [14][15][16], not only for proper urban growth but also concerning climate change [17,18]. Today, various strategies and studies in the scientific literature address circular cities [8,[19][20][21]. The focus has largely been on creating circular economies, resource flows of individual supply chains, or specific circular economy projects. ...
The topic of the circular economy and its potential applications to urban areas is currently widely discussed as it is seen as a possible solution to the state of environmental, economic, and social unsustainability resulting from the previous consumption model. However, although many contributions focus on one or more key sectors affecting the urban environment (Mobility, Waste, Built Environment, Water, Energy, and Food), few attempts address the topic comprehensively, promoting a broad vision that encompasses all sectors and evaluates their interrelation. This paper aims to meet this need by first providing an overview of the topic of circular cities, best practices, and circular actions, and subsequently defining a synergistic methodological framework of intersectoral circular actions that considers the interrelation of the various key sectors and that can be used as a tool to contribute to the overall closure of the urban cycle of a city. The city of Genoa is proposed as a case study for a first application. This research should be incorporated into a possible Urban Circular Action Plan aimed at implementing current international strategies.
In the southern outskirts of Milan, a manufacturing area that has undergone multiple cycles of exploitation is now faced with a radical transformation perspective: from small and medium-sized manufacturing partially dedicated to recycling to new land uses and residential functions. Here, the coexistence of structures slated for demolition alongside a construction and demolition (C&D) waste recycling plant makes it an ideal case for investigating the alignment (or lack thereof) between urban circularity policies and urban planning. The paper employs urban mining and material flow analysis adapted to the scale of the urban project. Firstly, it reviews policy programs and plans related to two key aspects: the implementation of
the circular economy in the construction sector in Milan, and the regeneration of this particular urban manufacturing area. Secondly, it presents an original estimate of the
potential material flow generated within the case study. It then outlines two different transport scenarios for their recycling and assesses their impact in terms of carbon
emissions and energy consumption. The analysis aims to address the gap in the discussion surrounding the future of Milan’s urban waste recycling infrastructure and the implications of urban regeneration in terms of C&D waste arising. Available at: https://shs.cairn.info/revue-flux-2024-4-page-37?lang=fr.
The circular economy (CE) serves a practical pathway to facilitate sustainable development (SD) and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Current frameworks for assessing city sustainability and circularity often lack comprehensibility and multi-dimensional indicator-based approaches, also fail to include city-level CE indicators. This study defines an innovative structure for defining the circular city indicators (CCIs) addressing critical gaps in existing methodologies and CCIs coverage of sustainability and SDGs, especially SDG11. The methodology encompasses an extensive literature review, integrating CE principles, macro level of CE parameters and current CCIs, resulting in a comprehensive list of 241 indicators. Using advanced machine-learning techniques—semi-supervised learning, text analysis, and clustering algorithms—enhances the accuracy, comprehensiveness of the indicator classification. The indicators are categorized into 3D space across environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainability. This multi-dimensional approach also reveals the relationships between CCIs and 16 SDG11 classes. The analysis shows 75% of CCIs are multi-dimensional, but, five SDG11 classes show the lowest coverage in the heatmap of CCIs probability distribution across SDG11 classes, indicating a need to revise SDG11 classes and the social indicators of CCIs. The findings offer urban planners and stakeholders a practical list of CCIs to evaluate sustainability and CE level in cities.
The paper explores the complex relationship between digital and ecological transitions, particularly focusing on their interdependence and potential to drive sustainability. It acknowledges that digitalization, while offering numerous benefits such as efficiency and scalability, does not inherently lead to sustainability. The text highlights three critical aspects influencing digitalization's impact: the design of digital solutions, access to these solutions, and the complexity of systems integrating digital technologies. Challenges such as the risk of exacerbating inequalities and the necessity for comprehensive governance to mitigate negative effects are discussed. The paper also delves into the digital transition within the agri-food sector, emphasizing the contrast between conventional agriculture and agroecological approaches, which prioritize diversity and resilience. It argues that digital tools can support more sustainable and diverse agricultural practices if correctly aligned with ecological principles. Finally, the text calls for targeted innovation policies to ensure that digital transition contributes effectively to ecological goals, suggesting that a thoughtful and directed approach is essential for realizing the transformative potential of digitalization in fostering a sustainable future.
Çevresel sorunların, kaynakların tükenmesinin ve ekonomik krizlerin damgasını vurduğu bir çağda döngüsel ekonomi, sürdürülebilir büyümeyi başarılı bir şekilde gerçekleşmesine yardımcı olmayı amaçlayan dönüştürücü bir model olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. Sanayi devriminden sonra ekonomik büyüme ve kalkınma sınırsız bir olgu olarak görülmüş ve kapitalist sistemin sınırsız kâr arzusu doğrusal bir ekonomik anlayışla desteklenmiştir. Bu anlayışta su, fosil yakıtlar ve mineraller gibi belirli doğal kaynaklar alınıp işlenmekte ve dönüştürüldükleri ürünün kullanım ömrünün sonunda atık haline gelmektedir. ‘Al-yap-at’ yaklaşımını izleyen geleneksel doğrusal ekonomik anlayışın aksine döngüsel ekonomi kaynak verimliliği, atık azaltımı ve malzemelerin sürekli kullanımını vurgulayarak ekonomik büyümenin doğal kaynak kullanımından mümkün olduğunca bağımsız bir şekilde gerçekleştirilebileceği fikrine dayanmaktadır. Döngüsel ekonomiye geçisin sağlanabilmesinde ise kentlerin önemli bir yeri ve önemi bulunmaktadır. Çünkü kentler insanların çoğunun içerisinde yaşadığı üretim-tüketimin gerçekleştiği temel mekânlardır. Bu doğrultuda hazırlanan çalışmanın amacı, döngüsel kent kavramına yönelik literatürdeki eğilimleri tespit etmek, ele alınan ana konuları belirlenmek, ön plana çıkan çalışmaları incelemek ve konu ile ilgilenen araştırmacılara-uygulayıcılara-politika yapıcılara gelecekte hazırlayacakları çalışmalar için rehberlik etmektir. Çalışma kapsamında, Scopus ve Web of Science veri tabanlarında yapılan aramalar yoluyla bilimsel alanda döngüsel kent kavramıyla ilgili makale türünden yayınlar, bütünleştirici literatür taraması yöntemiyle analiz edilmiştir. Yapılan aramalar sonucunda döngüsel kent konusunda 1970 - 2023 yılları arasında tabanında yer alan 88 yayının hazırlandığı tespit edilmiştir. Konu hakkında en fazla akademik çalışma Sustainability adlı dergi tarafından yayınlanmıştır. Ayrıca, hazırlanan makale türündeki tüm çalışmaların daha çok Bilim ve Teknoloji araştırma alanı ile ilgili olduğu görülmüştür. Döngüsel kent, tarihsel kökenleri olan ve hala çok güncel bir çalışma alanı olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır.
A economia circular (EC) surge como um tópico mediático, mobilizador e apelativo para múltiplos stakeholders, dado o consenso existente à volta da problemática da sustentabilidade e das alterações climáticas. Contudo, as decisões empresariais nesta área revestem-se ainda de um carácter voluntário, numa série de áreas e medidas. A relevância estratégica do setor turístico n, assente numa dinâmica de colaborações e de sub-contratação de serviços, sugere que o mesmo pode desempenhar o papel de role-model, no sentido da adoção generalizada da EC, desde que salvaguardada uma intervenção por parte dos governos regionais e locais. Com base numa amostra de 90 estabelecimentos hoteleiros da Grã-Canária e da Madeira, são identificados os fatores explicativos da taxa de adoção de medidas em quatro sub-áreas distintas de forma a identificar áreas de relevo para a intervenção por parte da administração pública. Os resultados destacam o papel do grau de comprometimento por parte dos diretores hoteleiros, e das barreiras percecionadas e do acesso a recursos disponibilizados pelas autarquias, o que releva o papel das Camaras Municipais e dos governos regionais. Identicamente importante os fatores estatisticamente insignificantes, nomeadamente a ausência de pressão por parte de clientes e fornecedores.
The European Union sees its cities as potential frontrunners in the transition to the Circular Economy (CE), which is a tool to achieve targets set in the European Green Deal (EDG). The various Circular City Visions (CCV) published in different EU regions are based on the CE definition. However, more investigation needs to be done to discover how the differences in culture, politics, spatial management, and economy between Member States affect CE implementation strategies for cities, as well as the common understanding and definition of CE and CCV. Moreover, the CCV is a rather new topic among scholars, and the plurality of CE definitions creates the risk of blurring the concept. This article aims to verify the consistency of definitions used in different policies – especially in EU Member States, with a particular focus on the multi-speed Europe concept. To verify the differences and similarities between the policies on which the spatial policies of the EU Member States are based, a two-stage research was carried out. The case studies were selected among the EU cities. A representative from the Netherlands – Amsterdam – was selected for the so-called "Inner Six" of the EU. On the other hand, Łódź, Poland, was chosen as a representative of the Visegrad Group countries (V4).
Circular procurement (CP) represents the complex process of acquiring and managing goods, services, and works in a manner that supports circular economy principles, emphasizing waste reduction, material reuse, and resource regeneration. As an emerging paradigm, its success is modulated by several stakeholders, requiring cross-functional collaboration and a clear understanding of each stakeholder’s roles and capabilities that can effectively navigate its intricacies. In this paper, we identify crucial stakeholder roles under the new CP paradigm
and consolidate interrelationships among stakeholder groups. Using MoSCoW prioritization by six CP experts, the study conceptualizes capabilities that induce collaboration between different stakeholder roles for effective CP implementation. The findings of the study reveal critical stakeholders at each phase of CP implementation based on their power, legitimacy, urgency. Government agencies, design teams, circular audit experts, and end-of- life management professionals are among the definitive stakeholders identified within the CP implementation process. In addition, their key collaborative capabilities for effective CP implementation were revealed as trust, coordination, decision-making power, technical knowledge, and information sharing capabilities. The study further identifies key areas to enhance collaboration for CP implementation among stakeholders, driving sustainable
innovation and reducing environmental impacts. The findings and propositions provide decision support for practitioners and policy makers to enhance collaboration effectiveness, promote stakeholder satisfaction, and achieve successful sustainable outcomes.
The construction industry is highly resource intensive. The world is witnessing a situation where a major population, including India, will live in cities by 2050. The intensity of resource consumption will increase manifold in the construction industry across the globe and in India in the coming two decades. Consequently, nations worldwide have made a transitional shift in the development process from linear to circular models. The circular model aims at eliminating waste and regenerating the ecosystem. This article studies circular economy initiatives in the construction industry across the globe through a literature review that focuses on the understanding developed in the four broad areas of the circular built environment. The study further presents India's initiatives for circular construction. In conclusion, the article highlights the gap in circular construction practice in India based on the global state-of-the-art understanding. In the end, recommendations for circular construction in India are suggested, paving the way for a sustainable future of the built environment.
Cities worldwide are recognised as major consumers of global natural and energy resources. Amidst pressing environmental, climate and urbanisation challenges, cities play a pivotal role in the global transition towards sustainability. Traditionally, circular economy (CE) principles have been embraced by businesses and governments to enhance resource efficiency and foster sustainable development. However, it is crucial to extend these principles to the city level, creating more resilient and sustainable urban environments and building a circular city brand. This study identifies several circular initiatives in Swedish cities, opening the opportunities for using circularity in city branding. These examples showcase holistic system thinking, like sewage and energy systems, and industrial symbiosis between companies. They also highlight the sustainable kitchen, covering food waste, transportation, values, and behaviours. The social dimension is crucial, especially for fostering a diverse and inclusive knowledge base for circular city brand.
The aim of this study is to discuss to what extend CE principles can be utilised in city branding strategies.
There is a vast movement to transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient, and competitive economy by 2050, with ambitious objectives already set at the EU level for 2030 and 2035. Initiatives such as the EU Climate Pact offer examples of EU-wide undertakings that invite people, communities, and organizations to participate in climate action and build a greener Europe. At the heart of such is the notion that top-down sustainability and climate approaches (e.g., UN, EU, or national level) need to be complemented with evidence-based and coherent bottom-up initiatives, which turn local authorities, different stakeholder/civil society groups, and individual citizens into key actors in achieving the green transition. In recent years, significant steps have been taken to generate new data and information in both the public and private sectors linked to sustainability performance and the green economy. However, maximizing the potential benefits from the smart reuse and combination of this data (“information asymmetry”) remains an issue. The need for new and improved sustainability performance metrics, which build on existing global and local best practices and methodologies and achieve better integration of different data sources to develop higher quality and more accurate indicators, is recognized. The chapter aims to show that the development, implementation, and scaling of country- and region-specific framework for integrated, multi-level stakeholder engagement to accelerate the green transition in regions, using an adapted doughnut economics approach, will help local authorities to become green and sustainable. As a result of analysis and practical examples from worldwide on doughnut methodology implementation, framework is proposed that can help local authorities plan, implement, and monitor the green transition in their regions (using an adapted doughnut economics approach as a starting point), as well as help local authorities develop and implement an integrated, interlinked set of measures, which create a direct connection with the EU’s Green Deal objectives and associated policies at the national level to ensure that local authorities, stakeholder groups, and citizens can effectively contribute to achieving the green transition holistically.
Symbiotic relationships between enterprises help mitigate resource and environmental impacts of industrial activities via exchanging waste or by‐products as material inputs among each other. However, the emergence of such symbiotic relationships under complex driving factors across different geographical scales remains hitherto not well understood. Here, we provide an analytic framework including a random forest model and Shannon index, to systematically describe and explain the scale effects of driving factors underlying the symbiotic relationships. Based on a questionnaire survey for 324 enterprises in Chun'an, a typical industrial city in eastern China, we applied this analytical framework. The results show that, first, the quantity of symbiotic relationships exhibits an inversely proportional function across various geographical scales. Second, there exist significant differences in the dominant factors at different scales. Finally, the diversity of importance of factors and the emergence of symbiotic relationships exhibit a consistent trend of fluctuation, providing evidence for the explanatory potential of our proposed analytical framework for the driving mechanisms of emergence. We find that when enterprises are simultaneously affected by multiple driving factors with potent forces (referred to as the diversity of importance), symbiotic behaviors are more likely to occur. Moreover, our results suggest that fostering symbiotic relationships necessitates considering the variations in driving factors across different scales comprehensively and formulating targeted promotional measures tailored to the specific driving factors of different enterprise types. Our proposed framework would help to maximize industrial symbiosis potentials in a specific region.
Il riferimento metaforico alla "chiusura del cerchio" accompagna ormai costantemente il riformismo ambientale ed il dibattito sull’economia circolare nei paesi ad economia avanzata. In questo articolo si richiamano le criticità teoriche e pratiche che caratterizzano questa metafora e si argomenta la necessità di elaborare una modellizzazione aperta, capace di includere modulazioni del nesso produzione/consumo diversificate ed eterogenee. Attraverso un incontro fra il dibattito scientifico, le istanze dell’ecologia politica e le pratiche sperimentali, si intende riaprire “il cerchio” per una comprensione fondata sulla diversità epistemologica piuttosto che su modellizzazioni confermative (dello status-quo).
Circular economy (CE) is a term that exists since the 1970s and has acquired greater importance in the past few years, partly due to the scarcity of natural resources available in the environment and changes in consumer behavior. Cutting-edge technologies such as big data and internet of things (IoT) have the potential to leverage the adoption of CE concepts by organizations and society, becoming more present in our daily lives. Therefore, it is fundamentally important for researchers interested in this subject to understand the status quo of studies being undertaken worldwide and to have the overall picture of it. We conducted a bibliometric literature review from the Scopus Database over the period of 2006–2015 focusing on the application of big data/IoT on the context of CE. This produced the combination of 30,557 CE documents with 32,550 unique big data/IoT studies resulting in 70 matching publications that went through content and social network analysis with the use of ‘R’ statistical tool. We then compared it to some current industry initiatives. Bibliometrics findings indicate China and USA are the most interested countries in the area and reveal a context with significant opportunities for research. In addition, large producers of greenhouse gas emissions, such as Brazil and Russia, still lack studies in the area. Also, a disconnection between important industry initiatives and scientific research seems to exist. The results can be useful for institutions and researchers worldwide to understand potential research gaps and to focus future investments/studies in the field.
We develop a conceptual framework that allows us to define the sharing economy and its close cousins and we understand its sudden rise from an economic-historic perspective. We then assess the sharing economy platforms in terms of the economic, social and environmental impacts. We end with reflections on current regulations and future alternatives, and suggest a number of future research questions.
One of the strategies used by cities to counter urban planning challenges is to transform the city into a ‘smart city’. The question then becomes what such a ‘smart city strategy’ would like. Through consolidating recent smart city strategy research along with the most recent additional resources and developments available, this study discusses the considerations in designing a smart city strategy as well as its relation to the possibilities of upscaling smart city pilot projects. This theory is subsequently applied to the cities of Amsterdam (the Netherlands) and Barcelona (Spain), two fast growing cities which have both approached the smart city concept in different ways, leading to contrasting results in the degree of large scale smart city project implementations.
Through its solid technical infrastructure and a comprehensive top-down smart city plan, Barcelona has achieved numerous technological advancements such as its renewal of the transit system, the use of smart lighting and the placement of sensors used for optimizing water irrigation and waste collection. Amsterdam, in contrast, has taken a participatory bottom-up approach, connecting parties through its platform, resulting in an extensive amount of smart city pilot projects rather than larger scale implementations throughout the city. The pilot projects are generally aimed towards environmental sustainability whereas Barcelona’s implementations thus far were focused on improving the services to its citizens through a technology-push orientation. Through its renewed digital city strategy, Barcelona is shifting towards social and environmental sustainability, taking the citizen as a central player. Amsterdam, in turn is looking for ways to balance its bottom-up approach with changes in the vision of the government on the development of smart city initiatives. This indicates both cities are moving closer together in terms of their strategic approach to smart cities.
As a result of applying smart city theory on practical developments in the two cities, several conclusions can be formed. There is no one-size-fits-all framework, but there is room for guidelines and standards. Each individual strategy leads to different results in the implementation and upscaling of smart city projects. Technology is not considered to be the issue, but rather the viability of business and governance models, along with the context sensitivity that projects face. Recommendations based on this research are to examine upscaling possibilities at the very start of a project, considering the viability of its business model, funding possibilities specific to upscaling, the use of standards and ways to counter context sensitivity. Moreover, the overall vision of the planning process of public institutions should transition towards an iterative and short-cycle approach. Finally, the empowerment and inclusion of the citizens is shown to become increasingly important and should be considered in smart city strategy development.
The emergence of advanced manufacturing technologies, coupled with consumer demands for more customised products and services, are causing shifts in the scale and distribution of manufacturing. In this paper, consideration is given to the role of one such advanced manufacturing process technology: additive manufacturing. The consequences of adopting this novel production technology on industrial sustainability are not well understood and this exploratory study draws on publically available data to provide insights into the impacts of additive manufacturing on sustainability. Benefits are found to exist across the product and material life cycles through product and process redesign, improvements to material input processing, make-to-order component and product manufacturing, and closing the loop. As an immature technology, there are substantial challenges to these benefits being realised at each stage of the life cycle. This paper summarises these advantages and challenges, and discusses the implications of additive manufacturing on sustainability in terms of the sources of innovation, business models, and the configuration of value chains.
Abstract Circular economy has gained increasing attention the last decade, and more often the main focus is on the large global circles addressing recycling of materials rather than the “inner circles” that address maintenance/repair and reuse. In this article we investigate one such inner circle ofthe circular economy namely repair of smartphones which extends the lifetime of products and adds to a local economy. Local repair of smartphones has increased in the resent years in Denmark. These loop-closing businesses not only extend the useful lifetime of smartphones; they also entail both environmental benefits and economic value creation. We map the extent ofthe repair sector and investigate the drivers and barriers for its emergence. The study builds on desk studies for identification of repair companiesand telephone interviews with 33 out of 90 identified companies. The mapping of the businessesshows that the repair of smartphones constitute viable business opportunities, and that the main driversarerelated to the economic business potentials as well as motivated entrepreneurs who spot a market potential.The study concludes that the local circular economy within smartphone repair is due to large consumer willingness-to-pay for repair and maintenance services, and this can extend the lifetime of the smartphones. There are some special characteristics that limit the possibility to apply the results directly to other product groups, but further analysis of how to facilitate repair shops within other product groups are interesting in order to facilitate the development of local circles in a circular economy not only in Denmark but also in other countries. Keywords: Circular economy; Smartphone;Repair; Remanufacturing.
Contemporary self-production (i.e. DIY) phenomena are envisaged as a 'window of opportunity' to foster sustainable and satisfactory practices of consumption and production. This research addressed self-production to save products and prolong their lifespan once the end-of-life is reached by re-using, re-pairing, re-purposing, and re-appropriating. The resulting 'RE-DIY' practice was investigated through qualitative interviews with 15 practitioners in Italy and England (UK). Sociological theories of practices have been used to investigate the skills, material and meaning elements sustaining the practice under examination. Four different groups of practitioners were identified according to motivations and levels of commitment and interest. However, all interviewees seemed to perceive comparable levels of satisfaction from practising RE-DIY. Furthermore, some elements for a flow condition have been identified. Finally, the role of design professionals in boosting the sustainable potential of RE-DIY will be proposed. To this purpose the scale of action and typologies of collaboration for design are mapped.
This paper discusses the significance of biomimicry as a design methodology within the context of urban infrastructure planning and design. The application of biomimicry principles to urban infrastructure problems is examined by analysing case studies that used biomimicry inspired designs rather than ‘mainstream’ infrastructure approaches. Biomimicry is presented as an ontology of the city that fosters innovative and collaborative urban infrastructure design and management, supplements dominant future city paradigms like the ‘smart’ city, and is worthy of further, detailed study.
Calls for a transformation towards more sustainable consumption and production (SCP) have been intensifying. As urban populations swell across the planet, cities are faced with incresing pressure on infrastructure, economic and ecological systems. Yet, with their high population densities and ubiquity of information and communication technologies, cities are becoming breeding grounds for a new, circular economy driven by emerging and long-standing sharing activities. This research provides a comprehensive view of SCP systems in cities by integrating and examining sharing economy activities in the context of two continuums, i.e. SCP and private/public orientation. Based on these two analytical dimensions, the paper evaluates and plots five groups of 18 sharing activities to create a Sharing Cities- SCP Typology comprised by five ideal types. Each of these five types represents a unique form of SCP activity, with the potential to directly impact SCP systems in the context of urban environments. By enabling diversity and hybridity in the SCP analysis, we allow for a theoretical expansion of SCP models and a new way of understanding how they may play out in cities.
This long abstract was presented at Vespucci seminar 2015 (week 2)
There have long been calls from industry for guidance in implementing strategies for sustainable development. The Circular Economy represents the most recent attempt to conceptualize the integration of economic activity and environmental wellbeing in a sustainable way. This set of ideas has been adopted by China as the basis of their economic development (included in both the 11th and the 12th ‘Five Year Plan’), escalating the concept in minds of western policymakers and NGOs. This paper traces the conceptualisations and origins of the Circular Economy, tracing its meanings, and exploring its antecedents in economics and ecology, and discusses how the Circular Economy has been operationalized in business and policy. The paper finds that while the Circular Economy places emphasis on the redesign of processes and cycling of materials, which may contribute to more sustainable business models, it also encapsulates tensions and limitations. These include an absence of the social dimension inherent in sustainable development that limits its ethical dimensions, and some unintended consequences. This leads us to propose a revised definition of the Circular Economy as “an economic model wherein planning, resourcing, procurement, production and reprocessing are designed and managed, as both process and output, to maximize ecosystem functioning and human well-being”.
Circular economy (CE) is a sustainable development strategy proposed by the central government of China, aiming to improve the efficiency of materials and energy use. This strategy, formally accepted in 2002, has been implemented and developed in a number of pilot areas in China. Scholars have produced rich studies in regard with the CE from its fundamental concept to its practical implementation. Successful enforcement of a CE can be seen as a way for China to tackle its urgent problem of environmental degradation and source scarcity. Given its importance, we provide a holistic literature review on the CE, aiming to provide a panorama of how this strategy has been developed and implemented. The review covers the concept, current practices, and assessment of the CE. To have a more numeric concept of how it has developed, we look at the performance of the CE in Dalian after its implementation of relevant policies and compare the changes with three other pilot cities, Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin. Based on an examination of the statistical results, we identified the underlying problems and challenges for this national strategy. Finally, we offer a conclusion regarding CE's development as well as policy recommendations for future improvement.
nicky.gregson@durham.ac.uk m.a.crang@durham.ac.u sara.fuller@mq.edu.au h.holmes@sheffield.ac.uk Biographical notes: Nicky Gregson is a Professor of Human Geography at Durham University. She led the ESRC-funded Waste of the World programme and has published extensively on waste and recycling in economies. Mike Crang is a Professor of Geography at Durham University who has worked on waste, cultural values and landscape. He has published several books and is currently finishing 'Unbecoming Things' with Nicky Gregson and a work on Wastescapes in photography. Helen Holmes is a Research Assistant at the University of Sheffield, currently working on the EPSRC-funded interdisciplinary project 'Solar Energy for Future Societies'. As the project's ethnographer, Helen's role builds upon her interest in practice by exploring interdisciplinary practices among the research team. Sara Fuller is a lecturer in the Department of Environment and Geography at Macquarie University, Australia. Her research explores concepts and practices of justice and democracy in the field of environment, with empirical focus on grassroots, community and activist responses to climate change. Prior to joining Macquarie, she worked and conducted research in the UK and Hong Kong. Abstract The concept of the circular economy has gained increasing prominence in academic, practitioner and
Eco-cities are increasingly being marketed as solutions to a range of pressing global concerns, such as environmental and climate change, hyper-urbanization, demographic shifts, energy security, and the Peak Oil scenario. In response to these issues, eco-cities are being conceptualized as 'experimental cities', new urban areas in which new technologies and ways of organizing urban and economic life can be trialled, and where transition pathways towards low-carbon economies can be tested. The author examines the two most advanced eco-city projects under construction at the time of writing – the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City in China, and Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. These are the largest and most notable attempts at building new eco-cities to both face up to the 'crises' of the modern world and to use the city as an engine for transition to a low-carbon economy.
Cities play a crucial role in the fight against climate change. They already
account for over half of the world’s population and it is projected that six out of
every ten people on earth will be living in cities by 2025. Cities and their
residents are also responsible for approximately 80 percent of the GHGs emitted
worldwide. All of this is common knowledge, endlessly discussed, widely
published, and yet, incredibly, industrial and urban expansion carries on.
Historically, societies unable to solve their environmental crisis have either
migrated or become extinct. Early societies may have even achieved a better
consistency among their resource extraction, transformation, use, life cycle, and
flow, a viscosity more in tune with their ecosystems than our own. This research
reviews how the natural world has provided ideal models of resource balance
that have evolved over millions of years. Native ecosystems are composed of an
abundance of life forms that utilize local resources in a way that is
synergistically supportive of each other. Therefore, cities themselves must be
viewed as complex ecological systems and this attitude must include any
approach to designing cities and managing their use of resources. No cities in
the world have yet to succeed in fully implementing a complete, integrated,
circular metabolism resource plan. However, the two most important emerging
cities in Europe are examined in this research. The author presents 2 city case
studies, both pertaining to circular metabolism for local municipalities. The way
these cities implement resource saving strategies and globally benchmark the
life-cycle of their urban systems are examined. The author also discusses how
they are biomimicking nature towards becoming carbon-neutral cities of the
future.
Keywords: sustainability, biomimicry, circular metabolism, low-carboneconomy,
urban ecology.
The Environment and International Relations - by Kate O'Neill February 2017
Reading this book will lead to new insights compelling to an international audience into how cities address the sustainability challenges they face. They do this by not repeating old patterns but by searching for new and innovative methods and instruments based on shared principles of a transitions approach. The book describes the quest of cities on two continents to accelerate and stimulate such a transition to sustainability. The aim of the book is twofold: to provide insights into how cities are addressing this challenge conceptually and practically, and to learn from a comparison of governance strategies in Europe and Asia. The book is informed by transition thinking as it was developed in the last decade in Europe and as it is increasingly being applied in Asia. The analytical framework is based on principles of transition management, which draws on insights from complexity science, sociology, and governance theories. Only recently this approach has been adapted to the urban context, and this book is an opportunity to share these experiences with a wider audience. For scholars this work offers a presentation of recent state-of-the-art theoretical developments in transition governance applied to the context of cities. For urban planners, professionals, and practitioners it offers a framework for understanding ongoing developments as well as methods and instruments for dealing with them. The content is potentially appealing to post-graduate and graduate students of environmental management, policy studies, and urban studies programs.
- This paper describes the process of inducting theory using case studies from specifying the research questions to reaching closure. Some features of the process, such as problem definition and construct validation, are similar to hypothesis-testing research. Others, such as within-case analysis and replication logic, are unique to the inductive, case-oriented process. Overall, the process described here is highly iterative and tightly linked to data. This research approach is especially appropriate in new topic areas. The resultant theory is often novel, testable, and empirically valid. Finally, framebreaking insights, the tests of good theory (e.g., parsimony, logical coherence), and convincing grounding in the evidence are the key criteria for evaluating this type of research.
The built environment puts major pressure on the natural environment; its role in transitioning to a circular economy (CE) is therefore fundamental. However, current CE research tends to focus either on the macro-scale, such as eco-parks, or the micro-scale, such as manufactured products, with the risk of ignoring the additional impacts and potentials at the meso-scale of individual buildings. This article sets out to unpack the fundamental defining dimensions of a CE and frame them for CE studies for the built environment. A critical literature review forms the basis for identifying and framing such fundamental dimensions. Our contribution highlights the key roles of interdisciplinary research and of both bottom-up and top-down initiatives in facilitating the transition to ‘circular buildings’. The frame for reference has been used to capture current discourse on the sustainability of the built environment and has proved to be a valuable tool to cluster existing initiatives and highlight missing links for interdisciplinary endeavours. The article represents a contribution to the theoretical foundations of CE research in the built environment and a stepping stone to shape future research initiatives.
The built environment puts major pressure on the natural environment; its role in transitioning to a circular economy (CE) is therefore fundamental. However, current CE research tends to focus either on the macro-scale, such as eco-parks, or the micro-scale, such as manufactured products, with the risk of ignoring the additional impacts and potentials at the meso-scale of individual buildings. This article sets out to unpack the fundamental defining dimensions of a CE and frame them for CE studies for the built environment. A critical literature review forms the basis for identifying and framing such fundamental dimensions. Our contribution highlights the key roles of interdisciplinary research and of both bottom-up and top-down initiatives in facilitating the transition to 'circular buildings'. The frame for reference has been used to capture current discourse on the sustainability of the built environment and has proved to be a valuable tool to cluster existing initiatives and highlight missing links for interdisciplinary endeavours. The article represents a contribution to the theoretical foundations of CE research in the built environment and a stepping stone to shape future research initiatives.
The aim of this article is to explore how ecodesign dilemmas contribute to a firm's ecodesign evolution. The article achieves this through empirical research into a process of ecodesign decision-making in a single firm. The study spans a timeframe of nine years. The article describes how recognising and dealing with ecodesign dilemmas fuels cycles of learning, leading the firm towards business model innovation. The study classifies a unique set of ecodesign dilemmas: hierarchies; tensions; contradictions; and oversights. Through this classification, we show how firms need to adopt a unified approach combining operational (ecodesign principles approach), tactical (ecodesign management processes) and strategic actions (business model innovation), to systematically manage ecodesign dilemmas. To support this, the article presents a framework describing key actions for operational, tactical and strategic ecodesign decision-making and the types of ecodesign dilemmas typical to each approach. Through this study, we show that the business model is critical to inform effective ecodesign decision-making and illustrate how design can drive firms towards sustainable change, from the bottom up.
For policymakers -- Technical summary -- Assessment of observed changes and responses in natural and managed systems -- New assessment methods and the characterisation of future conditions -- Fresh water resources and their management -- Ecosystems, their properties, goods and services -- Food, fibre, and forest products -- Coastal systems and low-lying areas -- Industry, settlement and society -- Human health -- Africa -- Asia -- Australia and New Zealand -- Europe -- Latin America -- North America -- Polar regions (Arctic and Antarctic) -- Small islands -- Assessment of adaptation practices, options, constraints and capacity -- Inter-relationships between adaptation and mitigation -- Assessing key vulnerabilities and the risk from climate change -- Perspectives on climate change and sustainability -- Cross-chapter case studies.
The 21st century has been hailed as the urban century and one in which ICT-led transformations will shape urban responses to global environmental change. The Smart City encapsulates all the desires and prospects on the transformative and disruptive role technology will have in solving urban issues both in Global North and Global South cities. Critical scholarship has pointed out that private capital, with the blessing of technocratic elites, has found a techno-environmental fix to both reshuffle economic growth and prevent other alternative politico-ecological transitions to take root in urban systems. Against this bleak outlook, the paper argues that these technological assemblages might be compatible with alternative post-capitalist urban transformations aligned with Degrowth. Through a cross-reading of research on Smart Cities with theoretical perspectives drawn from the literature on Degrowth, I suggest that Degrowth should not refrain from engaging with urban technological imaginaries in a critical and selective way. As the paper shows through alternative uses of Smart technologies and digital open-source fabrication, the question is not so much around technology per se but around the wider politico-economic context into which these technological assemblages are embedded.
The French government addressed the question of sustainability transitions by organizing a national debate on energy transition at the end of 2012, driven by the Ministry of Ecology. The transition motif has also been taken up by local and grassroots actors and initiatives trying to converge in a cohesive society project. These two strands of transitions, one institutional, directed in a ‘top-down’ manner, and another, a grassroots or ‘bottom-up’ sort, question the potential for a dialogue to emerge between these two dynamics and their respective actors.
This chapter draws on the case of Montreuil, the fourth most populous suburb of Paris, involved in a transition management process from 2011 to 2014 as part of the elaboration of its Local Climate Plan. Based on a 2-years’ participant observation within the project team, the aim is to describe the adaptation of transition management to the French political context and to explore the possibility of ‘hybridisations’ between ‘regime’ and ‘niche’ actors—between their roles, relations, and cultures.
Waste to Wealth proves that ‘green’ and ‘growth’ need not be binary alternatives. The book examines five new business models that provide circular growth from deploying sustainable resources to the sharing economy before setting out what business leaders need to do to implement the models successfully. © 2015 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s). All rights reserved.
The circular economy currently receives considerable attention as policy outcome or design intent, with the main focus on how to close resource flow loops, tackled as a problem for technologies to solve. This builds on academic literature of resource efficiency and in particular the concept of an ‘urban metabolism’. Closing resource loops is rarely presented alongside spatial analysis but as cities are significant sites of concentrated resource use, spatial considerations need to be introduced to the discussion of the circular economy. This paper presents a process for identifying circular economy actions which can be deployed at the city scale. Without preferring particular technology solutions, we propose a systematic process identifying options for re-use and recycling before investing in material transformation and energy recovery. At each stage of the process there are different requirements for data, and for governance structures. The process was developed and tested using the city of Leeds as a case study. Datasets for waste, water, energy (electricity and heat) and other resources (e.g. land) were identified and analysed. We found that the barriers to increasing circularity are twofold. First, consistent, coherent and congruent datasets describing resource flows are not available. Second, there is no (or not enough) citywide capacity to ensure circular economy actions are systematically implemented to realise the social, environmental and economic potential of the circular economy at city scale. The paper does not advocate gathering more data or creating complex models. Instead we suggest three foundation datasets and two governance factors which need to be in place to create a platform for the city-scale circular economy to be developed. Once this platform is established, five further datasets and two more governance factors help shape plans for effective implementation of the circular economy opportunities which the city-scale process helped to identify.
The chapter evaluates current trends in eco-urbanism and critically interrogates the issues which have emerged from analysis of the two case studies of Tianjin and Masdar eco-cities. It argues for the need to critically engage with constructed notions of crisis, and for a critical rethink of the city as mere marketplace for ‘green’ technologies, products and services. The chapter concludes by arguing for the need to consider social sustainability as a key part of transitional eco-city projects, and makes the case for proposing alternatives to current plans and proposals for eco-city projects.
This Special Volume focuses on Sustainable Production and Consumption, and especially on transformation processes in the Built Environment. More than 50% and rising of the world population is now living in cities that are both centers of technological and social innovations in sustainable lifestyles; and carriers of unsustainable lifestyles. In this Special Volume contributions can be found on Grassroots Innovations; Sharing; Food, Energy and Waste systems associated with cities; The role of corporations in realizing transitions towards sustainable living; Consumer Activism, Behavioral Change and Consumer Values in driving change; and on Governance and Indicators for measuring all such transformations. Many of the papers were presented at the second conference of the Global Research Forum on Sustainable Production and Consumption (GRF-SPaC) in Shanghai in June 2014; and thus a substantial number of them report on research on Sustainable Production and Consumption in Cities in China. The authorship also reflects growing collaboration between researchers from developing and industrialized countries. The great diversity of contributions on the topic reflects the wealth of insights generated on the topic in recent years, but also the need for a better understanding of change processes at the intersection of social and physical systems and at multiple levels of action.
The relevance of business models for corporate performance in general and corporate sustainability in particular has been widely acknowledged in the literature while sustainable entrepreneurship research has started to explore contributions to the sustainability transformation of markets and society. Particularities of the business models of sustainable niche market pioneers have been identified in earlier research, but little is known about the dynamic role of business models for sustainable entrepreneurship processes aiming at upscaling ecologically and socially beneficial niche models or sustainability upgrading of conventional mass market players. Informed by evolutionary economics, we develop a theoretical framework to analyze co-evolutionary business model development for sustainable niche pioneers and conventional mass market players aiming at the sustainability transformation of markets. Core evolutionary processes of business model variation, selection and retention, and evolutionary pathways are identified to support structured analyses of the dynamics between business model innovation and sustainability transformation of markets.
The idea of a circular economy, in which a fixed quantity of material is repeatedly recycled, is a compelling one. However, many materials cannot be recycled. Most materials that are recycled today are downgraded in the process and, for some materials, recycling is more energy intensive than new production. Recycling must therefore be seen as one option in a hierarchy of material management strategies: overall demand for materials can be reduced by a reduction in total purchasing or by making lighter products that last longer; products. Components and materials can under some circumstances be reused, without the energy-intensive step of recycling. If materials cannot be recycled, then as alternatives to disposal into landfill, they could be downcycled to a different use, composted, or incinerated for energy generation. Current understanding of these strategies is reviewed and examined for each of the major material classes.
The concept of circular economy (CE) is to an increasing extent treated as a solution to series of challenges such as waste generation, resource scarcity and sustaining economic benefits. However the concept of circularity is not of novel as such. Specific circumstances and motivations have stimulated ideas relevant to circularity in the past through activities such as reuse, remanufacturing or recycling. Main objectives of this work are: to provide a comprehensive review of research efforts encompassing aspects of resources scarcity, waste generation and economic advantages; to explore the CE landscape in the context of these three aspects especially when they are considered simultaneously; based on an idea of a comprehensive CE framework, propose an implementation strategy using top-down and bottom-up approach in a concurrent manner. To fulfill this objective a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art research is carried out to understand different ideas relevant to CE, motivation for the research and context of their recurrence. Main contributions of this paper are a comprehensive CE framework and a practical implementation strategy for a regenerative economy and natural environment. The framework emphasizes on a combined view of three main aspects i.e. environment, resources and economic benefits. It also underlines that joint support of all stakeholders is necessary in order to successfully implement the CE concept at large scale. The proposed framework and implementation strategy also identify new avenues for future research and practice in the field of CE.
Cities are responsible for approximately 80 percent of the Green House Gases emitted worldwide and they play a crucial role in the fight against climate change. Historically, societies unable to solve their environmental crisis have either migrated or become extinct. Early societies may have even achieved a better consistency among their resource extraction, use, and life-cycle, a viscosity more in tune with their ecosystems than our own. In comparison, the natural world has provided ideal models of resource balance that have evolved over millions of years. Native ecosystems are composed of an abundance of life forms that utilize local resources in a way that is synergistically supportive of each other. Therefore, cities themselves must be viewed as complex ecological systems and this attitude must include any approach to designing cities and managing their use of resources. No cities in the world have yet to succeed in fully implementing a complete, integrated, circular metabolism resource plan. However, the two most important inspiring cities in Europe are examined in this research, both pertaining to circular metabolism and biomimicking nature towards becoming carbon-neutral cities. The way these two cities in two different climate zones design, engineer, plan and implement resource saving strategies, where for example waste is recovered as resource, and how they globally benchmark the life-cycle of their urban systems are examined and compared.
The concept of Smart City embraces several definitions depending on the meanings of the word “smart”: intelligent city , knowledge city , ubiquitous city , sustainable city , digital city , etc. Many definitions of Smart City exist, but no one has been universally acknowledged yet. From literature analysis it emerges that Smart City and Digital City are the most used terminologies in literature to indicate the smartness of a city. This Chapter explores the literature about Smart City and Digital City from 1993 to the end of 2012 in order to investigate how these two concepts were born, how they have developed, which are the shared features and differences between them. To accomplish with these goals, three steps were followed: (1) to set up a search strategy for systematic literature review to collect a representative subset of papers about Smart City and Digital City using Google Scholar; (2) to store the selected subset in an ad-doc database to synthesize the literature review; (3) to organize the literature review subset to extract quantitative and qualitative data and information about Smart City and Digital City evolution. The author proposes a literature review taxonomy through five specific analysis: (1) time analysis, to explore the causes of the trend of Smart City and Digital City literature in the latest twenty years; (2) terminology analysis, to examine how and where these two ideas were born and what have been the main events influenced their development; (3) definitions analysis, to select and compare the most cited and validated definitions of Smart City and Digital City trying to identify similarities, differences or overlaps between these two concepts; (4) typology analysis, to investigate if Smart City and Digital City are included into a specific urban strategy pursued by government or if they face specific urban problems without a comprehensive framework; (5) geographic analysis, to understand where are the largest concentrations of Smart Cities and Digital Cities in the world and which are their main characteristics and best practices.
Forewords Acknowledgements Executive summary 1. Introduction Part I. Defining the Risk Framework: 2. Cities, disasters and climate risk 3. Urban climate: processes, trends and projections Part II. Urban Sectors: 4. Climate change and urban energy systems 5. Climate change, water and wastewater 6. Climate change and urban transportation systems 7. Climate change and human health in cities Part III. Cross-Cutting Issues: 8. The role of urban land in climate change 9. Cities and climate change: the challenges for governance Annex: list of contributors Index.
Globally there is increasing attention towards a range of materials that have been termed critical materials. This paper will focus on a set of critical materials, mostly named as single elements, that are metals, at risk of supply constraints, have environmental implications, financially costly, price volatile, deemed economically important and are difficult to substitute as a result of their unique properties or for economic reasons. These metals are used in engineering, technology applications and product designs. A number of publications argue that product design has an important role to play in responding to critical material risks. This paper analyses and compares a selected range of 29 published definitions and descriptors of critical materials produced since the end of 1999 to June 2014. This review establishes that most definitions are developed by those outside the field of product design and the resulting definitions make it difficult for product designers, and the wider product development team, to engage in activity to address the critical materials challenge. There is a gap between the practice of product design and the current definitions. Through a structured analysis of this literature this paper develops a definition of critical materials that includes product design considerations, in order to make a first step in addressing the gap. The aim of the definition going forwards is to facilitate increased product design activity around the substitution of critical materials, including circular, closed loop, approaches, in order to contribute towards reducing critical materials supply risks.