A circular economy approach for lifecycles of products and services
Nottingham Trent University is a large comprehensive university in the UK, and received prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2015 for its world-class research. The University’s Advanced Design and Manufacturing Engineering Centre (ADMEC) is the CIRC4Life project coordinator. ADMEC has gained international reputations by successfully conducting a number of collaborative projects supported by national and international founding organisations including the European Commission (H2020, FP7, CIP Eco-innovation, Asia link and Asia ICT), Research Councils UK, governmental departments, regional development agencies, industries, and other international funding organisations.
Jonathan Michael Smith owns and manages Scilly Organics, a small-scale vegetable farm on the Isles of Scilly, UK. This organic farm will act as a demonstration farm in the project, analysing the impacts of production and testing solutions for vegetables with lower impacts and less waste. As a small farm supplying a range of customers and product types, it is innovative and able to implement different business models with relative ease.
CIRCE Foundation (Centre of Research for Energy Resources and Consumption) was established in 1993 as an independent Research Centre to create and develop innovative solutions and scientific/technical knowledge and to transfer them to the business sector in the field of energy. CIRCE’s mission is to drive forward improvements in energy efficiency and to spread the use of renewable energy by means of the development of R+D+i activities and formative actions, thereby contributing to a sustainable development.
The Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas (IETU), Katowice, Poland was established in 1972 as branch of the Institute of Environmental Protection in Warsaw, independent body since 1992 is an R&D unit acting under the Ministry of Environment. IETU has a wide experience in development of environmental policy, strategic management and policy tools for sustainable development at different levels for the needs of national and regional authorities and businesses.
The EU delegation of Make Mothers Matter (MMM) is a Belgian Association (ASBL) established in 2008. Make Mothers Matter was created in 1947 in Paris at the UNESCO. It is an international, apolitical and non-denominational NGO benefiting from a General Consultative Status at the United Nations. Its role is to raise the awareness of society, policy makers and public opinion about the vital role mothers play in promoting a sustainable development. Their contribution to social and economic progress and for promoting peace is key to achieve this.
Indumetal Recycling S.A. (INDUMETAL) is a specialised industry with an extensive experience in the integral handling of WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and complex scrap including: logistic services, on site dismantling of industrial facilities and decontamination and recycling. Once the equipment has been decontaminated, the processes give the company the possibility to obtain a high percentage of materials and useful components for their reincorporation into the market as secondary raw materials.
Laurea University of Applied Science is a research- and development oriented UAS that focuses on service innovations, which produces high-quality professional competence. Laurea’s strategic applied research areas in Service Business Innovation and Design, Health and Social Integrity, and Coherent Security provide a platform for research, co-designing, testing, assessing, modelling, implementing and distributing various service innovations. Laurea has a long history of multidisciplinary user-driven approach particularly living labs to regional development and RDI activities in parallel to the practice-based, award winning Learning by Developing (LbD) model (integrating students in real-life projects with the companies and SMEs in the region).
The Institute of Communications and Computer Systems (ICCS) is a non-profit academic research body established in 1989 by the Greek Ministry of Education to carry out research and development activities in the area of telecommunications, systems and techniques, computer systems and their applications in transceivers, radar, electromagnetic sensors, satellite and wireless communications, electromagnetic phenomena modelling, neural networks, systems, software and hardware engineering, telematics and multimedia applications, transport applications, control systems, biomedical engineering and electric power (www.iccs.gr). It is closely associated with the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (SECE) of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) (est. 1837), which is the oldest and most prestigious academic institute in Greece.
ALIA is a Transfomació n Agricultural Society, located La Hoya which is in the centre of Guadalentin valley, Lorca, in the Murcia region of Spain. The cooperative was established in 1975 and is currently comprised of over 900 members ranging from small family farms to large, industrial-sized agricultural enterprises. The company manufacturers’ compound feed for a wide range of livestock including cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry that is the ISO900 quality assurance and the ISO 14000 environmental management certification. ALIA has extensive research facilities that were created in 2004 and which incorporates the latest technology for agrifood analysis, and the characterisation of raw materials and feed.
Enviro Data is a SME specializing in advanced web-based solutions with high levels of security and performance, both for desktop and for mobile use. Enviro Data has been active in highly advanced client application efforts for Internet since late 90´s including solutions for global competence network environments and advanced concepts for field maintenance of advanced systems (military aviation).
Kosnic is leading designer, manufacturer and established expert in LED technology - lamps, luminaires and bespoke lighting solutions, is an independent British company with global reach throughout Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australasia. Kosnic encompasses complete control of the supply chain from design, specification, manufacture and distribution - specifying all components delivers ultimate flexibility and competitive advantages.
The European EPC Competence Center (EECC) is the European market leader for products and services around EPC-enabled RFID technologies. It was founded by GS1 Germany, Deutsche Post DHL and Metro Group in 2004 with the specific objective to bring technical acumen and transparency to the RFID industry.
In 2005, EECC became the first EPC competence center in Europe by achieve the prestigious certification of "EPC Global Performance Test Center." In 2006, EECC founded its industry-leading "RFID Academy", which provides all relevant industry training ranging from standards and software applications to EPCIS networks and broad architectural considerations in conjunction with Auto-ID Lab St. Gallen / ETH Zürich and RWTH International University.
RISE is a unique mobilisation of resources to increase the pace of innovation in our society. By gathering a number of research institutes and over a hundred test beds and demonstration environments under the umbrella of a single innovation partner, we create improved conditions for society’s problem solvers.
We gather around challenges and organise ourselves accordingly. Together, specialists in disparate fields innovate and resolve tough problems. Depending on the nature of the challenge and our assignment, we take on a variety of roles in the innovation system, and develop new ones as and when required.
We are owned by the Swedish State and work in collaboration with and on behalf of the private and public sectors and academia. Together, we develop services, products, technologies, processes and materials that contribute to a sustainable future and a competitive Swedish business community.
GS1 is a global standards organization active in more than 100 countries. GS1 is dedicated to the design and implementation of global standards for use in supply chains. These standards provide a framework that allows products, services and information about them to move efficiently and securely for the benefit of businesses and the improvement of people’s lives, every day, everywhere. Although the barcode is the most recognisable standard, GS1 maintains many different standards. They give a common language to identify, capture and share supply chain data – ensuring important information is accessible, accurate and easy to understand.
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) was founded in Brussels in 1983 and is today among the most experienced and authoritative think tanks operating in the European Union. CEPS has a large base of corporate and institutional members who are regularly engaged, together with other stakeholders from industry, business, associations, policy makers, academia, NGOs etc. CEPS has repeatedly been ranked among the top ten leading think tanks in the world and has - during its over 30 years of existence - demonstrated its capacity for in-depth analysis of policies and performance in all areas of importance in the European agenda.
REC is the environmental platform founded in 2012 to bring together the experience, knowledge and expertise of the five Environmental foundations: TRAGAMOVIL, ECOFIMÁ TICA, ECOASIMELEC, ECOLUM and ECOPILAS, that are the pioneer’s compliance schemes for the selective collection and management of waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and spent batteries in Spain.
REC has a wide and relevant experience in the development of environmental and sustainability projects and specifically in the implementation of managements systems for the recycling of WEEE and spent batteries: