This study, part of an R&D project with Dutch tour operators, assessed Dutch consumer preferences towards a carbon label for holiday trips. A general survey (n = 504) assessed the perceived importance of a CO 2 label to consumers. To determine the preferred design, two focus groups (n = 15) followed by a panel study (n = 1246) were performed. Finally, a pilot study (n = 100) assessed potential effects of the label on attitude and booking intention. The general survey's results indicate that a carbon label could impact on the travel choice of some Dutch travellers, when label information is explicit, understandable and simply designed. The focus groups in combination with the panel study showed that Dutch consumers prefer a recognisable carbon label, similar to the EU energy label. The pilot study revealed that consumers' attitudes increased significantly, but that intention to book was not significantly affected for the group that was shown the carbon label. These findings contribute to understanding consumer attitudes towards tourism eco and carbon labels, and their content and design. Implementation of a carbon label for tour packages still requires a number of barriers to be resolved. Sustainability remains a low priority during holiday decision-making.
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One of the mission-driven innovation policies of the Netherlands is energy transition which sets, among others, the challenge for a carbon-neutral built environment in 2050. Around 41% of Dutch houses do not yet have a registered energy label, and approximately 31% of the registered houses have label C or lower. This calls for action within the housing renovation industry. Bound to the 70 percent rule, a renovation plan requires full (or at least 70 percent) agreement on the renovation between relevant parties, including residents. In practice, agreement indicators focus mostly on economic and energy aspects. When indicators include people’s needs and preferences, it is expected to speed participation and agreement, increasing residents’ satisfaction and enhances the trust in public institutions. Tsavo was founded in 2015 to organise the sustainability of buildings for ambitious clients. Its sustainability process aims to accelerate renovation by keeping at their core value the social needs and preferences of residents. In this project Tsavo and TU Delft work together to optimise the sustainability process so, it includes everyone’s input and results in a sustainability plan that represents everyone. Tsavo’s role will be key in keeping the balance between both a sustainable renovation service that is cheaper and fast yet also attractive and with an impact on the quality of living. In this project, Tsavo’s sustainable renovation projects will be used to implement methods that focus on increasing participation and residents’ satisfaction. TU Delft will explore principles of attractive, accessible and representative activities to stimulate residents to decide on a renovation plan that is essential and meaningful to all.
In het project ’Duurzaam vlees, natuurlijk!’ werken veehouders, keurmerken, regionale en landelijke branche- en ketenorganisaties, consumentenorganisaties en WUR samen met de vier Groene Hogescholen (Aeres, HAS, Inholland, VHL) aan een roadmap voor het meten en communiceren van duurzaamheid in de veehouderij vanuit een integrale benadering. In de verduurzaming van de veehouderij nemen klimaateffecten een belangrijke plaats in met de Carbon Footprint als leidend criterium. Het vastleggen en toerekenen van emissies is lastig en een lage Carbon Footprint staat vaak op spanning met andere duurzaamheidscriteria zoals biodiversiteit en extensief weiden. Er zijn ook andere thema’s van maatschappelijk belang, zoals de relatie burger-boer, dierenwelzijn, landschap, natuur, biodiversiteit en cultuurhistorie. De diverse aspecten van duurzaamheid zijn terug te vinden in de verschillende afzonderlijke keurmerken die ontwikkeld zijn. Dit project heeft tot doel een integraal overzicht te vormen van keurmerken, meetmethoden en duurzaamheidscriteria voor de veehouderij, percepties van consumenten en het inzichtelijk maken van de spanningsvelden daartussen. Vanuit het overzicht wordt een roadmap ontworpen voor doorontwikkeling van bestaande keurmerken t.a.v. criteria, methodologie, allocatie, om aansluiting te vinden bij de behoeften van verschillende doelgroepen, waaronder consumenten en zakelijk afnemers. Daarbij worden alle sectoren binnen de vlees-producerende veehouderij in ogenschouw genomen, waarbij er in het bijzonder aandacht is voor duurzame productie van vlees van rundvee.
About half of the e-waste generated in The Netherlands is properly documented and collected (184kT in 2018). The amount of PCBs in this waste is projected to be about 7kT in 2018 with a growth rate of 3-4%. Studies indicate that a third of the weight of a PCB is made or recoverable and critical metals which we need as resources for the various societal challenges facing us in the future. Recycling a waste PCB today means first shredding it and then processing it for material recovery mostly via non-selective pyrometallurgical methods. Sorting the PCBs in quality grades (wastebins) before shredding would however lead to more flexibility in selecting when and which recovery metallurgy is to be used. The yield and diversity of the recovered metals increases as a result, especially when high-grade recycling techniques are used. Unfortunately, the sorting of waste PCBs is not easily automated as an experienced operator eye is needed to classify the very inhomogeneous waste-PCB stream in wastebins. In this project, a knowledge institution partners with an e-waste processor, a high-grade recycling technology startup and a developer of waste sorting systems to investigate the efficiency of methods for sensory sorting of waste PCBs. The knowledge gained in this project will lead towards a waste PCB sorting demonstrator as a follow-up project.
