In the last fifty years, hospice palliative care has changed the modern understanding of dying. Rather than focusing on death, it promotes the facilitation of optimizing life for patients whose conditions have worsened beyong the possibility of recovery or cure. As such, this thesis is a response to the demands of architecture to support this unique stage of life. It analyzes and posits guidelines for designing spaces which must cater to the specific and vastly different needs of the palliative care specialists, family members, and the patients themselves. Also, it seeks to examine the nuanced complexities and poetics involved in a proposed architectural design for a hospice in downtown Toronto. The typology for a hospice is one that is both complex and evolving. It must combine the domestic scale of a home with the efficiency and standardization of an institution. The contemporary hospice must also accommodate rituals and beliefs surrounding the end of life that vary greatly from the many cultures that make up the contemporary city. At the very least, the building must provide inspiration and a hope for a peaceful and dignified transition, recognizing also that this is no longer a traditional place for cure. The distinctions suggest a reconsideration of what is needed and what is expected for those involved in and affected by the dying process. This thesis will explore the architectural possibilities inherent in a new social understanding of the end of life that defies the fatalistic view of an inevitable death, in favour of a hope for dying with dignity while embracing an opportunity to experience liminality during our final days.

In the last fifty years, hospice palliative care has changed the modern understanding of dying. Rather than focusing on death, it promotes the facilitation of optimizing life for patients whose conditions have worsened beyong the possibility of recovery or cure. As such, this thesis is a response to the demands of architecture to support this unique stage of life. It analyzes and posits guidelines for designing spaces which must cater to the specific and vastly different needs of the palliative care specialists, family members, and the patients themselves. Also, it seeks to examine the nuanced complexities and poetics involved in a proposed architectural design for a hospice in downtown Toronto. The typology for a hospice is one that is both complex and evolving. It must combine the domestic scale of a home with the efficiency and standardization of an institution. The contemporary hospice must also accommodate rituals and beliefs surrounding the end of life that vary greatly from the many cultures that make up the contemporary city. At the very least, the building must provide inspiration and a hope for a peaceful and dignified transition, recognizing also that this is no longer a traditional place for cure. The distinctions suggest a reconsideration of what is needed and what is expected for those involved in and affected by the dying process. This thesis will explore the architectural possibilities inherent in a new social understanding of the end of life that defies the fatalistic view of an inevitable death, in favour of a hope for dying with dignity while embracing an opportunity to experience liminality during our final days.

Bakgrund: Sveriges befolkning är beräknad att växa och studier visar på att många skulle föredra att dö i hemmet över instutitonell vårdplats. God palliativ sjukvård kräver tillgänglighet och kompetens samt följsamhet till de fyra hörnstenarna. Patienter känner en stress över att involvera anhöriga i deras situation därför är det viktigt att ta reda på hur de anhöriga ser på situationen.  Syfte: Syftet med litteraturstudien är att beskriva anhörigas upplevelser av palliativ vård i hemmet. Metod: Litteraturstudie baserad på nio kvalitativa studier. Data insamlades från Databaserna Cinahl och Psycinfo. Sökord för att forma korrekt söksträng innehöll: palliative care, family, family perspective mm. Med avgränsningar så som english text och år:2000-2020. Analys utfördes enligt en femstegsanalys. Resultat: Två tema hittades med tre respektive sub-tema. Delaktighet och Relationer var huvudtemana. Sub-temana bestod av: Förändring i vardagen; Ansvar; Tillräcklig eller bristfällig information; Relationen med formella vårdgivare; Relationen med övrig släkt och vänner; Relationen med patienten. Konklusion: Vården hemma hos patienter bör alltid tänka på att de närstående som bor, eller tillfälligt bor, tillsammans med patienten också är en del av vården som behöver stöd, hjälp och information. / Background: Sweden's population is expected to grow, studies show that many would prefer to die at home over institutional place of care. Good palliative care requires accessibility and competence and is designed from the four cornerstones. Patients feel a stress over involving relatives in their situation, therefore it is important to find out how the relatives view the situation. Aim: The purpose of this study is describing relatives' experiences of palliative care at home. Methods: Literature study based on nine qualitative studies. Data were collected from the Cinahl and Psycinfo databases. Keywords forming the correct search string contained: palliative care, family, family perspective etc. With boundaries such as english text and year: 2000-2020. Analysis was performed according to a five-step analysis. Result: Two main themes were identified with three sub-themes respectively. Participation and Relationships were the main themes. Sub-themes consisted of: Change in everyday life; Responsibility; Sufficient or incomplete information; The relationship with formal caregivers; The relationship with other relatives and friends; The relationship with the patient. Conclusion: At home caretakers should always keep in mind that the relatives who live, or temporarily live, together with the patient are also part of the care that needs support, help and information.

Les filières de valorisation de déchets ont été mises en place au cours des dernières années pour répondre à des pressions économiques, sociétales, environnementales et réglementaires. Pour que les produits en fin de vie soient valorisés au mieux, il faut que leur conception soit adaptée aux spécificités des différents acteurs de la filière. L’étape de prétraitement consiste en la séparation des différents composants et matières des déchets. C’est une étape essentielle pour la valorisation de produits complexes comme les DEEE (déchets d’équipements électriques et électroniques), qui sont l’objet de ces travaux. Nos recherches bibliographiques montrent que les méthodes de conception existantes pour la valorisation ne prennent en compte ni la diversité et la nature des pratiques de prétraitement ni les raisons qui poussent à réaliser chacune d’elles. Afin de comprendre l’expertise liée à ces pratiques, nous avons réalisé deux modèles.En premier lieu, un modèle macroscopique nous a permis d’identifier les grands facteurs qui affectent le fonctionnement des opérateurs de prétraitement. Il a été établi en deux étapes : la première étape consiste en la caractérisation des opérateurs de traitement ; la deuxième étape s’attache à la classification des opérateurs de traitement. Afin de développer ce modèle nous nous sommes appuyés sur deux études descriptives de la filière DEEE française. Une étude descriptive qualitative nous a permis d’identifier les raisons qui poussent les opérateurs à réaliser les différentes stratégies de fin de vie et les processus de prétraitement. Une analyse statistique en composantes principales (ACP), a été réalisée afin de développer une classification des opérateurs de prétraitement.Dans un deuxième temps, dans le but d’identifier quels sont les conséquences de certains choix de conception pour la fin de vie, nous avons développé une méthode d’analyse systématique et détaillée du traitement réalisé par un type spécifique d’opérateur de DEEE. Celle-ci nous a permis d’obtenir un modèle microscopique des activités. Afin de développer et d’appliquer la méthode, nous nous sommes focalisés sur le désassemblage manuel d’écrans plats en vue de leur recyclage. Nous avons obtenu des données quantitatives qui constituent des preuves solides pour soutenir le développement de recommandations d’éco-conception. Avec ce modèle nous pouvons développer des indicateurs et des règles de conception quantitatives utilisables en conception de produit.Les modèles macro et microscopiques sont des instruments d’acquisition des connaissances sur l’expertise de centres de traitement qui peuvent être adaptés pour une utilisation dans d’autres filières de valorisation de déchets. / Compliance schemes have been stablished in recent years to alleviate the burden of economical, societal, environmental and regulatory pressures. To ensure the best recovery of end-of-life products, their design has to meet the requirements of the different waste management operators. The pre-treatment phase consists on the separation of components and materials from waste. It is an essential step when recovering complex product such as waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), which is the focus of this research work. The literature research shows that design for recovery methods do not take into account the diversity and nature of pre-treatment practices or the reasons behind them. In order to increase the understating related to these practices we have developed two models.The first one is a macroscopic model whose aim is to identify the main factors that influence the activity of pre-treatment operators. The development of the method involved two main steps: the characterization and the classification of pre-treatment operators. Two descriptive studies of the French WEEE compliance scheme have been carried out in order to develop the method. A qualitative descriptive study allowed us to identify the reasons why operators realize the different recovery strategies and pretreatment process. A descriptive statistical analysis, more specifically, a principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to develop a classification of the pretreatment operators.The second model that has been developed, a microscopic one, contains detailed information about the treatment operations carried out by one specific type of operator. The aim of this model is to identify what the best and worst design choices are in order to improve product’s pre-treatment. We have proposed a method for manual disassembly analysis to support the ecodesign of flat panel displays. The method enables to obtain quantitative data that provide solid evidence to support the development of eco-design guidelines. It also enables the development of disassembly indicators and recommendations to be used in product design.The macro and microscopic models are instruments of knowledge acquisition on pre-treatment practices that may be applicable to other compliance schemes.

This thesis presents a comprehensive exploration of the impact of EU battery regulations, Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, on end-of-life batteries, focusing on repurposing within the supply chain. We used both surveys and interviews to gather qualitative data from the stakeholders in the battery supply chain. These interviews dug deeper into aspects that the survey couldn´t fully capture, helping us better understand how EU regulations affect the supply chain. Results revealed a nuanced reality where EU regulations offer advantages by defining producer responsibilities, enhancing safety standards, and enabling data sharing. However, unintended consequences include competitive dynamics that may favor recycling over repurposing. Technical and organizational challenges, such as non-standardized battery designs and uncertainties regarding repurposed battery lifespans, also emerged. Various circular business models were explored under this environment, each requiring a functional value network and effective coordination among stakeholders. Overall this research contributes valuable insights as the EU seeks circularity in the battery supply chain. By addressing barriers, seizing opportunities, and fostering collaboration, it supports a sustainable and circular future in the EV battery chain, maximizing the value of initial investment and aligning with the goals of the energy transition. / Detta examensarbete presenterar en undersökning av effekten av EU:s batteriförordningar, förordning (EU) 2023/1542 som reglerar batterier vid livscykelns slut med fokus på återanvändning inom försörjningskedjan. Både enkäter och intervjuer använder för att samla in kvalitativa data från intressenter i batteriförsörjningskedjan. Intervjuerna gick djupare in på aspekter som enkäten inte kunde fånga fullt ut, vilket hjälpte oss att bättre förstå hur EU-förordningar påverkar försörjningskedjan. Resultaten avslöjade en nyanserad verklighet där EU-förordningarna erbjuder fördelar genom att definiera producentansvar, förbättra säkerhetsstandarder och möjliggöra datadelning. Dock uppstår oavsiktliga konsekvenser såsom konkurrensdynamik som kan främja återvinning framför återanvändning. Tekniska och organisatoriska utmaningar, såsom icke-standardiserade batteridesign och osäkerheter angående återanvända batteriers livslängd, framkom också. Olika cirkulära affärsmodeller utforskades i denna kontext, som alla förutsätter ett fungerade värdenätverk och effektiv samordning mellan intressenterna. Sammanfattningsvis bidrar denna forskning med värdefulla insikter i EU:s fortsatta strävan efter cirkularitet i batteriförsörjningskedjan. Genom att uppmärksamma hinder, utnyttja möjligheter och främja samarbete, stödjer forskningen en hållbar och cirkulär framtid i försörjningskedjan för elbilsbatterier. Detta maximerar värdskapandet från de ursprungliga investeringarna och ligger i linje med målen för energiövergången.

This master’s thesis aims to improve the circularity of the electric vehicle (EV) battery value chain, specifically focusing on sustainable waste management of Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs) in Europe, particularly Sweden. The research objectives include evaluating and proposing actionable recommendations to enhance circularity, addressing environmental impacts, and supporting the industry’s transition towards a sustainable business model aligned with the new European Union (EU) Battery Regulation, which aims to enhance recycling rates, reduce environmental impact, and secure the recovery of valuable materials. The key research questions addressed are: (1) What initiatives, technologies, or best practices are currently being developed to support circularity and sustainable waste management in the EV battery value chain? (2) How can the circularity of the EV battery value chain be enhanced, particularly in sustainable waste management for LIBs? (3) What environmental impacts, socio-economic opportunities, and challenges exist in a circular value chain in the EV battery industry? The methodology employed a mixed-methods approach, including a literature review and case study, stakeholder interviews, SWOT analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA) using Minviro LCA software to quantify and compare the environmental impacts of state-of-the-art industrial LIB recycling methods. Key findings indicate that several initiatives and technologies are being developed to support circularity, including advanced recycling technologies and second-life applications for batteries. Enhancing circularity requires regulatory support, technological advancements, and stakeholder collaborative efforts. The findings highlight significant potential for extending the lifecycle of EV batteries through re-use, re-purposing, and recycling strategies. The analysis reveals that advancements in recycling technologies and supportive regulatory frameworks can substantially reduce the environmental impact and improve LIB supply chain sustainability. Notably, the LCA results highlight that mechanical and hydrometallurgical recycling processes offer more favourable environmental outcomes than pyrometallurgical methods. Thus, it shows potential for lower environmental impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and resource depletion, alongside socio-economic opportunities like job creation and economic growth. However, challenges such as technological barriers, economic feasibility, regulatory compliance, and EV battery value chain complexities remain, and these must be addressed. The conclusions drawn from the findings recommend that a combination of regulatory support, technological innovation, and stakeholder collaboration is essential for improving the circularity of the EV battery value chain. The study recommends advancements in recycling technologies, developing efficient testing and certification processes for second-life batteries, and establishing clear regulatory frameworks to facilitate circular economy practices. These measures are crucial for supporting the industry’s shift towards a more sustainable and circular model, ultimately contributing to the EU’s climate neutrality goals by 2050.