The world’s linear economic system, operating under the make-use-dispose philosophy, creates heavy environmental issues such as resource depletion and exuberant waste creation. One industry that is strongly affiliated with these issues is the construction industry. Responsible for around 25% of global waste creation, the industry is in need of changing and circular initiatives such as waste-to-resource ones offer pathways to such a change towards sustainability. For the materialization of these initiatives, inter-organizational collaboration is an effective tool that needs to be strengthened within the industry. It has shown its ability to create sustainable business models that are more aligned with the principles of the circular economy, yet, further research into collaborative value creation is needed.   Therefore, this thesis investigates the processes of value creation in inter-organizational collaboration as well as how the value created can help facilitate waste-to-resource initiatives within the construction industry. A theoretical framework based on the Stakeholder Value Creation model and Collaborative Value Creation framework is being used to analyze empirical material stemming from semi-structured expert interviews with representatives of the construction industry. Based on the findings, the framework is adjusted by including additional value creating collaborative processes and enabling forces for the creation of waste-to-resource initiatives. Ultimately, this thesis lays out the processes creating value in inter-organizational collaboration within the construction industry as well as the waste-to-resource initiative enablers stemming from the different types of collaborative value. This is contributing to the theoretical knowledge of collaboration and value creation as well as allowing for practical application.

Svensk ull har länge blivit behandlad som en biprodukt. I dagsläget nyttjas ungefär 30 procent av den svenska ullen och resterande mängd antas slängas eller brännas på grund av ett bristande ekonomiskt incitament. Norge å andra sidan har sedan länge en väletablerad ullindustri som sköts med hjälp av statliga subventioner. Därtill sorteras och klassificeras norsk ull utifrån en ullstandard vilket gör att de lyckas nyttja 80 procent av sin råvara. En svensk motsvarighet av en standard finns inte i nuläget. I denna studie blandas kvalitativa intervjuer med en kvantitativ enkätundersökning för att undersöka svenska textil- och modeföretags inställning till att införa en ullstandard. Studien undersöker även möjliga åtgärder som kan vara nödvändiga att vidta för att svensk ull ska kunna nyttjas mer än vad den idag gör. Enkätundersökningen behandlar svenska textil- och modeföretag och efterfrågar deras vanor i hantering av ull samt deras inställning till en eventuell svensk ullstandard. Intervjuundersökningen delger information från respondenter längs ullens textila värdekedja. Resultatet av studien visar att det finns en positiv inställning till en svensk ullstandard, dock kan en tveksamhet synas hos vissa respondenter som bland annat menar att det blir för komplext. Vidare visar studien att en otillräcklig infrastruktur, bristande kunskap i ullhantering och låg efterfrågan är problem som svensk ullindustri har. Vid åtgärdade problem kan svensk ull som resurs förväntas nyttjas i större omfattning. / Swedish wool is being put aside as a by-product. At present, approximately 30 percent of Swedish wool is utilized, where the remainder is assumed to be burnt or discarded due to a lack of economic incentive. Norway, on the other hand, has a well-established wool industry that is managed with help from government subsidies. In addition, Norwegian wool is sorted and classified through a wool standard, helping them to utilize 80 percent of their raw material. A Swedish equivalent to a standard does not currently exist. In this study, qualitative interviews are mixed with a quantitative survey to examine Swedish textile and fashion companies’ attitudes towards implementing a wool standard. The study also examines potential measures that may be necessary to take in order for Swedish wool to be utilized more than it does today. The survey is addressed to swedish companies and asks about their habits in wool and attitudes towards a potential swedish wool standard. The interviews provide information from respondents along the wool’s textile value chain. The results of the study show that there is a positive attitude towards a wool standard, however, a hesitation can be seen in some respondents who, among other factors, think the entire process becomes too complex. Furthermore, the study shows that inadequate infrastructure, lack of knowledge in woolhandling and low demand are problems that the Swedish wool industry has. By addressing these issues, Swedish wool as a resource can be expected to be utilized more.

The process of allocating necessary resources like clean water, fuel/energy and food have resulted in an unsustainable use of natural resources causing problems with Soil erosion, soil fertility, desertification, deforestation, eutrophication and global warming. The purpose of this study was to gain information on the functional design of a waste management system enabling the organic components of domestic waste to be processed as useful resources while at the same time allow them to be re-circulated. The main part of this study was carried out at the Kendu SDA Hospital in the Rachyonyo district in western Kenya. For the case of this study two main objectives where chosen. The first was to develop a principal technological solution using three classed “appropriate technologies” found suitable for the purpose namely biogas, ecological water treatment systems and slow sand filtration. The second was to further analyse each included technology to further develop their potential to fit the concept. Results from the pilot facilities where then to be retrieved from the actual component selection and construction process itself, with performance analysis left for future studies. The main purpose of the biogas system study has been to evaluate the original ideas of overall concept, details, materials and construction methods. The 1 m3 biogas system has improved significantly during the development process and is today not far from an implementation, i.e. construction on a slightly larger scale. The biogas system developed during the project has proven to have potential for digestion of both latrine and kitchen waste. Using the two as fuel for the process does not only remove a problem – it grants several benefits. The ecological waste water treatment system main objective was to design and construct a pilot SSF-wetland. Results show that the construction process for smaller scaled SSF systems is simple and does not require trained personnel or specialized equipment and that significant cost reduction can be made by using locally available materials. The slow sand filtration sub system concept is called PT SCX and though still in the stage of development proved to have great potential concerning both efficiency and sustainability. The PT SCX comprises the advantages of slow sand filtration with further development of individual system solutions. It was adapted to enable both integration to the IWESS solution and stand alone installations purifying even highly turbid surface water sources to drinking water quality. The result from the study confirms the suitability of the three included technologies, ecological waste water treatment, biogas and slow sand filtration to work in an integrated system called IWESS- Integrated Water Energy and Sanitation Solution. The combined subsystems can together with source separated sewage offer full resource recovery enabling recirculation of both nutrients and water. In addition the system can be designed as a net producer of renewable and emission free energy.

<p>The process of allocating necessary resources like clean water, fuel/energy and food have resulted in an unsustainable use of natural resources causing problems with Soil erosion, soil fertility, desertification, deforestation, eutrophication and global warming. The purpose of this study was to gain information on the functional design of a waste management system enabling the organic components of domestic waste to be processed as useful resources while at the same time allow them to be re-circulated. The main part of this study was carried out at the Kendu SDA Hospital in the Rachyonyo district in western Kenya. For the case of this study two main objectives where chosen. The first was to develop a principal technological solution using three classed “appropriate technologies” found suitable for the purpose namely biogas, ecological water treatment systems and slow sand filtration. The second was to further analyse each included technology to further develop their potential to fit the concept. Results from the pilot facilities where then to be retrieved from the actual component selection and construction process itself, with performance analysis left for future studies.</p><p>The main purpose of the biogas system study has been to evaluate the original ideas of overall concept, details, materials and construction methods. The 1 m3 biogas system has improved significantly during the development process and is today not far from an implementation, i.e. construction on a slightly larger scale. The biogas system developed during the project has proven to have potential for digestion of both latrine and kitchen waste. Using the two as fuel for the process does not only remove a problem – it grants several benefits.</p><p>The ecological waste water treatment system main objective was to design and construct a pilot SSF-wetland. Results show that the construction process for smaller scaled SSF systems is simple and does not require trained personnel or specialized equipment and that significant cost reduction can be made by using locally available materials.</p><p>The slow sand filtration sub system concept is called PT SCX and though still in the stage of development proved to have great potential concerning both efficiency and sustainability. The PT SCX comprises the advantages of slow sand filtration with further development of individual system solutions. It was adapted to enable both integration to the IWESS solution and stand alone installations purifying even highly turbid surface water sources to drinking water quality.</p><p>The result from the study confirms the suitability of the three included technologies, ecological waste water treatment, biogas and slow sand filtration to work in an integrated system called IWESS- Integrated Water Energy and Sanitation Solution. The combined subsystems can together with source separated sewage offer full resource recovery enabling recirculation of both nutrients and water. In addition the system can be designed as a net producer of renewable and emission free energy.</p>