En global finanskris kombinerat med en konjunkturnedgång har de senaste åren gjort ett starkt avtryck på den svenska ekonomin. Fueltech Sweden AB var ett av de företag som var tvungna att möta den nedåtgående konjunkturen. De startade avdelningen EcoScience för att förhoppningsvis kunna vinna nya marknadsandelar på en ny marknad. EcoScience hade i utgångspunkt att utveckla en ackumulatortank till ett solvärmesystem. De har satsat stora summor på att få ut sin nya produkt på marknaden men marknaden har däremot inte varit villig att köpa produkten. Generellt sett har det gått väldigt långsamt i spridningen av solvärmeenergin. Marknadspotentialen i Europa är väldigt stor, folk har bara inte börjat acceptera tekniken än. Syftet med den här undersökningen har varit att få en förståelse för varför produkten inte når ut på marknaden och hur EcoScience ska gå tillväga för att göra produkten mer eftertraktad. Kvalitativa intervjuer och observationer utfördes. Sex existerande kunder, fem återförsäljare, anställda på EcoScience och potentiella kunder på Nordbygg-mässan intervjuades för att fastställa var problemet ligger. Från intervjuerna mottogs olika informationer från de olika grupperna. Det som gick att konstatera var att EcoScience inte utförde någon marknadsföring, återförsäljarna tyckte priset var för dyrt och att organisationen inte fungerade som den skulle. Detta medförde att teorin delades in i fyra kategorier utefter intervjuerna. Kategorierna blev marknadsföring, prissättning, organisation och ”Cradle to cradle”. Slutsatsen för undersökningen är att marknaden inte ens känner till att EcoScience finns. För att produkten ska bli attraktiv föreslås att EcoScience bör utföra marknadsföring mer än att enbart ställa ut på mässor. EcoScience har inte heller några mål eller framtidsvisioner med sin verksamhet. De har inga strategier för hur de ska gå tillväga eller vad de strävar mot. Detta är något som måste utföras för att de ska kunna fortsätta bedriva organisationen och övergå till att bli ett lönsamt företag.

Human society is currently designed based on linear patterns, without concern for and interactions with the biosphere. The natural world works in cycles, and in order to interact with these systems in a sustainable way, the redesign of human society according to the paradigm of cyclical thinking is required. This paper explores the synthesis and synergies between the cradle-to-cradle concept and a Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development in the context of sustainable development. The research tests whether Backcasting using Sustainability Principles is supportive to the implementation of the cradle-to-cradle concept and draws on relevant literature as well as interviews with experts. Based upon this research a process tool is designed and tested within a case study. Results indicate that, when backcasting using sustainability principles, principles for design and principles for decision-making provide synergistic characteristics in the process of implementation. Inspiring design principles, such as the ones suggested by the cradle-to-cradle concept, provide powerful engagement for a social learning process that works towards sustainable development. A structured decision-making process based on backcasting using sustainability principles provides the constraints and criteria for robust decision-making along the journey.

Bakgrund: Cirkulär ekonomi är ett ämne som fått allt större uppmärksamhet bland företagoch organisationer i syfte att öka hållbarhet och motverka resursbrist. Den cirkulära ekonominhar ingen definition som är allmänt accepterad trots att det används i stor utsträckning runtomkring världen. Det finns dock något gemensamt mellan de olika definitionerna vilket är attden cirkulära ekonomin flödar som ett omlopp där produkterna och resurserna inte tapparvärde och kasseras lika snabbt. Konceptet kan ses som en förbättrad hanteringen av avfalletoch en affärsmodell som erbjuder en hållbar ekonomi. Tidigare studier visar på många olikadefinitioner av begreppet. På företagsnivå är det därmed också fortfarande oklart vad somanses vara cirkulär ekonomi. Verksamheter som arbetar med cirkulär ekonomi behöveranpassa sin ekonomistyrning enligt tidigare studier. Hur cirkulära företag styr sinaverksamheter är ett ämne som fortfarande inte undersökts. Tidigare studier hävdar att manjobbar med cirkulär ekonomi då det generera ekonomiska fördelar medan andra menar att dethandlar om legitimitet. En del påstår att det är mer kostsamt med cirkulär ekonomi i företag.Det är alltså fortfarande inte helt klart varför företag arbetar med cirkulär ekonomi. Syfte: Syftet med uppsatsen är att få en förståelse om vad cirkulär ekonomi innebär enligtföretag, hur arbetar och styr i cirkulära företag och varför de arbetar med cirkulär ekonomi. Metod: En kvalitativ intervjustudie har genomförts i 14 olika verksamheter som arbetar medcirkulär ekonomi. Slutsatser: Synen på cirkulär ekonomi är alltså varierande i olika företag men man kan ändåse likheter hur företag arbetar med cirkulära ekonomi. Verksamhetens fokusområden ivärdekedjan kan vara olika beroende på bransch, storlek, produkt och materialerbjudande.Cirkulära företag arbetar med en kombination av flera olika strategier för att kunna uprätta ettcirkulärt flöde på sina produkter. Uppsatsen kom även fram till att cirkulära företag har enformell styrning som kan relateras till Malmi och Browns (2008) styrpaket. Man kan dock seatt cirkulära företag styrning baseras på cirkulära ekonomi. Det innebär alltså att cirkulärekonomi inkluderas i den vision, strategi och målsättningar man har i företaget. Styrningeninom cirkulära verksamheter behöver även ta hänsyn till tidsperspektivet. Att styra i cirkuläraföretag kräver att man har ett långsiktigt tänk. I de flesta företagen är stora anledningen tillarbete med cirkulär ekonomi lönsamheten. Man kan dock se att även andra faktorer kan varaviktiga som lagar och miljökrav. Ytterligare anledning för cirkulär ekonomi är påtryckningarfrån olika intressenter och företags personliga intresset för miljö. / Background: Circular economy is a topic that has received increasing attention amongcompanies and organizations in order to increase sustainability and counteract lack ofresources. The circular economy has no definition that is widely accepted even though it iswidely used around the world. However, there is something in common between the differentdefinitions, which is that the circular economy flows like a cycle where the products andresources do not lose value and are discarded just as quickly. The concept can be seen as animproved waste management and a business model that offers a sustainable economy.Previous studies show many different definitions of the term. At company level, it is thus stillunclear what is considered circular economy. Businesses that work with circular economyneed to adapt their financial management according to previous studies. How circularcompanies manage their operations is a topic that has not yet been investigated. Previousstudies claim that you work with circular economy as it generates economic benefits whileothers believe that it is about legitimacy. Some argue that it is more costly with circulareconomy in companies. It is therefore still not entirely clear why companies work withcircular economy.Porpuse: The purpose of the thesis is to gain an understanding of what circular economymeans according to companies, how circular companies manage and why they work withcircular economy. Method: A qualitative interview study has been conducted in 14 different companies thatwork with circular economy. Conclusion: The view of circular economy is thus different in different companies, but youcan still see similarities in how companies work with circular economy. The business's focusareas in the value chain can be different depending on the industry, size, product, and materialoffering. Circular businesses combine different strategies in order to work with circularity.Circular companies have a financial management that can be related to Malmi and Brown's(2008) manage and control package. However circular businesses management is based oncircular economy. All parts of the package such as vision, strategy, and goals have to beadapted to circular economy. The management within circular companies also needs to consider the time perspective. Managing in circular companies requires that you have a long-term mindset. In most companies, the big reason for working with the circular economy is profitability. However, it can be seen that other factors can also be important, such as lawsand environmental requirements. Another reason for circular economy is pressure fromvarious stakeholders and companies' personal interest in the environment. Keywords: Circular economy, Cradle to Cradle, the 3R principle, financial management,control packages, formal financial management, the stakeholder model, legitimacy,contingency theory.

Vad är egentligen hållbar stadsutveckling och kommer vi i framtiden att kunna planerastadsmiljöer som har en positiv inverkan, på både natur och människa, i stället för en negativ?En av de grundläggande principerna för designteorin Cradle to Cradle är att vi skaagera hållbart i stället för mindre ohållbart. Dock är teorin ännu relativt outforskad inomfysisk planering.Utöver att undersöka Cradle to Cradle som designteori för hållbar stadsutveckling är syftetmed uppsatsen att dess resultat och slutsatser ska kunna utgöra verktyg för hållbarfysisk planering. Uppsatsen syftar också till att inspirera med innovativa idéer och lösningari den byggda miljön.Uppsatsen inleds med en teoretiskt grundad diskussion kring vad som kan utgöra normativaprinciper för hållbar stadsutveckling. Efter en grundlig objektiv översikt av Cradle toCradle ställs designteorin i relation till de normer som ställts upp.Intentionerna med Cradle to Cradle är goda men designteorin är i dag främst inriktadmot ekologisk och ekonomisk hållbarhet och den viktiga sociala aspekten är inte utvecklad.För ett förverkligande av teorins visioner skulle en övergång till Cradle to Cradle,som står för det vi kallar ekologisk modernisering, behöva ske parallellt med beteendeförändringgenom ett ifrågasättande av de normer, för till exempel produktion och konsumtion,som vi lever efter i dag. Ekologisk modernisering i kombination med normativaprinciper för beteendeförändring kan således vara en väg till hållbar stadsutveckling.Uppsatsens analysresultat överförs sedan från teori till praktik i utvecklingsområdet Kileni Ronneby, Sverige. Den övergripande konceptuella gestaltning som uppsatsen presenterar,ger exempel på hur det är möjligt att fysiskt planera inom Ronneby kommuns olikafokusområden energi, vatten, biologisk mångfald i utemiljön och social mångfald.Samtidigt som det planeras hållbart är det essentiellt att också göra det enkelt och självklartför medborgaren att leva hållbart. Medborgardeltagande i planeringsprocessen är enviktig komponent för att ett område som Kilen ska ge det mervärde som kommunenönskar och spegla de goda intentioner som ligger till grund för utvecklingen. Att planeraett område enligt principerna för Cradle to Cradle kan vid rätt tillvägagångssätt utgöra ettviktigt steg i den hållbara stadsutvecklingen. Inte minst som en manifestation av godaintentioner, en plattform för innovation inom ekologisk modernisering, ett pedagogisktexempel samt en uppmaning till brukaren och betraktaren att också leva hållbart. / What is sustainable urban development and will it in the future be possible to plan urbanenvironments which have a positive impact on both nature and people, instead of negative?One of the basic principles of the design theory Cradle to Cradle is for us to actsustainable, rather than less unsustainable, but the theory is still relatively unexplored inspatial planning.In addition to examining Cradle to Cradle as a design theory for sustainable urban development,the purpose of this paper is that its findings and conclusions should serve astools for sustainable spatial planning. The paper also aims to inspire with innovative ideasand solutions in the built environment. The essay begins with a theoretically baseddiscussion of what may constitute normative principles for sustainable urban development.After an objective review of Cradle to Cradle Design, the theory is set in relationto these standards.The intentions of Cradle to Cradle are good but the main focus of the design theory todayis on ecological and economic sustainability and the important social aspect is notdeveloped. For realization of the visions of the theory, transferring to Cradle to Cradle,which stands for what we call ecological modernization, need to be accompanied by behavioralchange. A comprehensive behavior change requires a questioning of the standards,regarding for example production and consumption, that we live by today. Ecologicalmodernization in combination with normative principles of behavior change can thusbe a path to sustainable urban development.The analytical results of the essay are then transferred from theory to practice in the developmentarea Kilen in Ronneby, Sweden. The overall conceptual design the essay presents,gives examples of how it is possible to physically plan within the municipality ofRonneby's various focus areas - energy, water, biodiversity in the outdoor environmentand social diversity.While planning sustainable, it is also essential to make it easy and natural for people tolive sustainable. Civic participation in the planning process is an important component tomake an area like Kilen provide the added value that the municipality wishes, and to let itreflect the good intentions underlying the development. Designing an area using theprinciples of Cradle to Cradle may, at the right approach, represent an important step inthe sustainable urban development. Not least as a manifestation of good intentions, aplatform for innovation in ecological modernization, a pedagogical example, and a call tothe user and the viewer to also live sustainable.

As the world becomes increasingly aware of the need to better care for the environment, innovative business models are helping to counter the damage of the fast fashion system - a phenomenon in the fashion industry whereby production processes are expedited in order to get new trends to the market as quickly and cheaply as possible. Designing products with a focus on their renewability can shift the product-consumer relationship. The closed loop concept of a “circular economy” is emerging as a viable and promising solution to the current linear business model. This study explores the possibilities of a more mindful approach to systems of production and consumption through material explorations using plastic from water bottles, paper from old newspaper and magazines, and fabric leftovers from pattern making within a circular economy. It considers the generative and renewable approaches in redefining how fashion engages with the components and raw materials of the industry. The research demonstrates a circular approach to the production of hospitality accessories in an effort to develop new intersections between products, materials, and consumers. The accessories are designed using discarded, reformulated denim–an abundant and underutilized byproduct of the fashion industry­–to reduce waste that currently occurs every time hotel chains and airlines produce disposable giveaway products from new materials.

In recent decades, many multinational corporations have used nature inspired innovation (NII) strategies as a mechanism of sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI). In this context, these activities are typically initiated by sustainability or innovation managers who are seeking to utilise novel tools and approaches but generally do not have specific innovation goals. For some, NII is viewed as a new product development tool and for others, it is a broad perspective that defines a larger sustainability narrative for the organisation. This analysis of six cases describes the diversity of innovation types of NII in multinational corporations aiming to apply these models to sustainability-oriented innovation at multiple levels. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews (n=45) with NII team members from both inside and outside of the organisation. Additional data included internal project documents and web-based content associated with the NII projects. Cases were then compared and contrasted to identify patterns and anomalies of factors that influence the adoption of NII. While perceptions of NII were relatively consistent across cases, several factors were identified related to sustainability perspectives, the role of management, organisational structures, and innovation culture that influenced adoption. This thesis makes an original contribution to knowledge within the NII, sustainability-oriented innovation, and innovation adoption literatures by differentiating NII as an approach to SOI in MNCs, establishing an innovation typology in this context, and identifying three SOI narratives that influence the adoption of NII. Specific factors related to sustainability narratives, innovation culture and infrastructure, and management styles that support and inhibit SOI and NII in MNCs are used to distinguish three unique SOI narratives – Ambiguous, Accountable, and Aspirational. Conclusions suggest a NII readiness assessment may facilitate the adoption of NII by identifying the most effective approaches depending on the narrative of SOI within the company.

[pt] A crescente percepção da importância da proteção ambiental e dos impactos associados aos bens de consumo tem aumentado o interesse no desenvolvimento de métodos para melhor compreender e lidar com estes impactos. Neste contexto, a metodologia berço-ao-berço (C2C) descreve uma maneira de projetar produtos com ciclos de vida (biológicos ou técnicos) fechados, para evitar a perda de nutrientes do solo e de matéria-prima não renovável. Na indústria de mobiliário, a madeira tem sido cada vez mais substituída por painéis industrializados (MDF e MDP), que oferecem maior produtividade, matéria prima renovável e um posicionamento sustentável de mercado. A maneira como são descartados hoje, no entanto, não está alinhada com esse discurso. A partir de revisão bibliográfica, visitas e entrevistas, o ciclo de vida do móvel de MDF e MDP foi descrito para que, posteriormente pudessem ser avaliadas as possibilidades de adequação à metodologia C2C. Ao final do trabalho, concluiu-se que por ser um material que pode ser adequado ao ciclo biológico ou ao ciclo técnico, seu potencial para o fechamento do ciclo é grande, no entanto devem ser superadas barreiras como a utilização de componentes nocivos à saúde em sua composição e o descarte fragmentado dos móveis. / [en] The perception that human activities might have significant impact in the environment led, in the last decades, to the development of policies and methodologies to better understand and handle the subject. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Rio Summit or ECO-92, was a major event in that direction. More than one hundred heads of state gathered with other representatives from the society, industries and environmentalists to discuss about sustainable development and global warming (MCDONOUGH and BRAUNGART, 2002). One of the negotiation s result was the definition of the eco-eficiency strategy, that guided the industry approach to the issue in the two past decades. Reducing direct and indirect environmental impact in every possible opportunity became one of the main strategies to reach such eco-eficiency. To identify these possibilities, the product s life cycle became focus of studies from researchers, companies and governments. The Law no. 12.305/2010, for example, defines life cycle as the series of stages related to de development of the product, the acquisition of raw material, the production process, consumption and final disposal. In a similar way, the International Standards Organization (ISO) defines life cycle as consecutive and interlinked stages of a product system, from raw material acquisition or generation from natural resources to final disposal. 14000 series os norms, from ISO, is one of the main tools to provide inputs to this debate. More specific, 14020 and 14040 regulate environmental labels and life cycle assessment (LCA). While labels are essential to communicate to the market the characteristics of a product, LCA is one of the most complete tool to help decisions related to the development of products or services. It can be applied to the whole life cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal, or in specific stages, and allows for a comparison between two different solutions based in the same functional unit, or objective, making it easier to identify the least negative impact. Cradle-to-cradle methodology (C2C) developed by MCDONOUGH and BRAUNGART (2002) takes a step further in the approach of the environmental impact reduction, suggesting that instead of reducing the negative impact, products and services should have a positive impact in the environment.

En skola där kretsloppstanken fått genomsyra både konstruktion, system och pedagogik. Med hänsyn till området och Annedalsparkens betydelse för de boende har byggnaden infogats som ett hänsynsfullt tillägg. Delar av skolans lokaler, takterass samt kulturcenter, är tillgänglig för allmänheten och fungerar därför som en sammanbindande länk mellan områdets invånare.  Privata innergårdar, takterassen och kontakten med den allmänna parken ger en stor variation för skolbarnen utan att parkens yta tas i anspråk. Utformningen av skolans lokaler skapar en trygg och hälsosam miljö för skolbarnen både rumsligt och materialmässigt. De obehandlade mjuka träytorna nöts av barnens närvaro och ger barnen möjlighet att sätta sitt märke på historian. Att skolans ytor kan bytas ut, planka för planka, ska ge en frihet att nöta på ytorna. Förbud och begränsning ska ersättas av en ansvarsfull rättighet för barnen att få lämna spår efter sig. Korridorer har bytts ut mot ett slingrande, utflytande, sammanbindande rum som kan användas för olika ändamål; fritids, avskildhet, grupprum, matrum, förflyttningar. / A school where the principle of recycling influence construction, systems and pedagogy. In consideration to the area and Annedal park's importance to the residents, the building has been incorporated as a thoughtful addition. Parts of the school's facilities, roof terrace and Cultural Center, is available to the public and therefore acts as a connecting link between the area's residents. Private courtyards, roof terrace and the contact with the public park offer a great variety of schoolchildren without limiting the park's area. The design of the school premises creates a safe and healthy environment for school children both spatially and materially. The untreated soft wood surfaces are worn by the children’s presence and give children the opportunity to put his mark on history. The school's surfaces can be replaced; plank for plank, the children will be given a freedom to wear on the surfaces. Prohibition and restriction should be replaced by a responsible right for children to leave traces. The corridors have been replaced by a winding, effluent, interconnecting room that can be used for different purposes; leisure, privacy, study room, dining room, transfers.

Mängden solglasögon som produceras i dagens samhälle ökar för varje år, detta har genererat en hög materialåtgång. Denna studie grundar sig i design för hållbar utveckling och tillhörande designteorier inom cradle to cradle, design for disassembly och modulär design. Ytterligare teorier om hur identitet kopplat till materiella ting utreds. Syftet med studien är att försöka uppmana användare av solglasögon att agera mer hållbart. Genom dessa designteorier och tillhörande metoder har ett designexempel tagits fram. En pilotstudie användes för att undersöka respondenternas koppling till materialkännedom och identitet förknippat med solglasögon. Denna i form av en enkätundersökning. Enkäten utgör grunden i studien. Därefter tillämpades andra metoder för att kunna erbjuda ett designkoncept. Denna studies mål var att undersöka kopplingen mellan materialkonsumtion och identitet, gällande solglasögon och med det kunna uppmärksamma valet av solglasögon och även hjälpa användaren att agera ekologiskt hållbart. Studiens slutsats visar en produkt som kan hjälpa användaren på ett individuellt plan att agera mer hållbart. Produkten som tagits fram är ett exempel på ett av många olika designförslag att hjälpa användaren att agera mer hållbart. Denna produkt kan också både få och hjälpa användaren att uttrycka sin individuella identitet på olika plan. / The amount of sunglasses produced in today's society is increasing every year, this has generated high material consumption. This study is based on design for sustainable development and associated design theories in cradle to cradle, design for disassembly and modular design. Further theories on how identity is linked to material things are investigated. The purpose of the study is to try to encourage users of sunglasses to act more sustainably. Through these design theories and associated methods, a design example has been developed.A pilot study was used to investigate the respondents' connection to material awareness and identity associated with sunglasses. This in the form of a survey. The survey forms the basis of the study. Subsequently other methods were applied to be able to offer a design concept.The aim of this study was to investigate the connection between material consumption and identity regarding sunglasses and with it being able to pay attention to the choice of sunglasses and help the user to act ecologically sustainably.The study's conclusion shows a product that can help the user on an individual plan to act more sustainably. The product produced is an example of one of many different design proposals to help the user to act more sustainably. This product can also help the user to express their individual identity on different levels.

The construction and demolition (C&D) waste produced by the Canadian construction industry accounts for 27% of the total municipal solid waste disposed in landfills. However, more than 75% of C&D waste has residual value and, consequently, could be salvaged, recycled, and/or reused. The need for comprehensive and integrated waste management mechanisms, technologies, rating systems, and policies is widely recognized. A waste management hierarchy tool exists for reducing and managing waste that follows this order: preventing, minimizing, reusing, recycling, energy recovering, and finally, disposing of the waste. It appears that the highest level attained by the concrete industry in Canada is recycling (e.g., crushing concrete and using it as base aggregate). This study aims to explore the opportunities and barriers to advance to the next level in the waste management hierarchy by reclaiming concrete from decommissioned structures for reuse with minimal reprocessing. A survey was distributed to members of the Canadian concrete industry to answer two main sets of questions: 1) to what degree, if any, is the Canadian construction industry currently reclaiming waste concrete by recycling and/or reusing it? and 2) what is the perception of industry professionals on concrete reuse? What are the perceived benefits and challenges of such a practice? A total of 125 participants responded to the survey. Although the environmental advantages of concrete reuse were clear to all, views on the financial benefits were mixed. Many participants highlighted that a successful approach to concrete reuse should involve all parties and stakeholders. Overall, there is positive interest in the concept of concrete reuse; however, there is apparent uncertainty on how to approach it and, thus, there is a need for practical guidance to address various technical, logistical, and liability concerns in a comprehensive and holistic manner. Two cases studies – one for a bridge and one for a building – were developed to address some of the technical challenges associated with reusing concrete in structural applications. The case studies were based on local existing structures that were hypothetically disassembled then repurposed in conceptual redesigns. The design of connections to effectively recouple the deconstructed structural components was a focal, and challenging, aspect of the case studies; in support of shifting towards a circular economy, the connection designs were engineered to be reversible to facilitate future adaptation and/or further dismantlement. It is important to highlight that a desirable reuse project starts in the initial design phase, where the ultimate disassembly and repurposing of the structure is considered from the start (i.e., cradle to cradle design). However, since this is presently not mainstream practice, these case studies focus on the more complex task of deconstructing existing structures that were not designed with the intention of reuse. Although several challenges were encountered, this approach is an essential first step in the present framework to move the discussion forward in the context of reuse of structural concrete members.