This lessons learned report gives an overview of the output and results of the first phase of the REDUCES project. The introduction states the relevance of combining a policy approach with business model analysis, and defines the objectives. Next, an overview is given of circular economy good business practices in the regions involved. Examining these business practices helped to define the regional needs for circular economy policy. This business approach proved to be a solid base for developing regional circular economy action plans, the last chapter of this report.
In this short paper, we give an overview on how this major trend is unfolding and, specifically, how it affects cities. We take the following starting points: • Digitalization is a strong force that “happens” everywhere in the (urban) society. It has positive and negative effects – explored later in this paper –, which might be promoted or redressed by collective action or government intervention. Rejecting or denying it may come at high costs; • Digital technologies offer new tools and answers to address urban issues; • Digital technologies and their adoption bring a lot of new and unpredictable challenges; • Digital technologies raise several new ethical questions and dilemma’s regarding privacy, safety and security; • As in any other major societal transition, legal and institutional systems are not prepared for the digital age. Reality is always ahead of new regulation, resulting in constantly moving “grey areas” where it is unclear which rules (should) apply – think of how to deal with services like AirBnB or Uber.
MULTIFILE
In het project CW4.0 onderzoeken MKB’ers uit de houtindustrie en Smart Industry samen met de Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA), kennispartners TNO, HMC en Bouwlab R&Do en partners in hospitality hoe zinvolle toepassingen te maken van resthout, met behulp van Industry 4.0-principes. Hoogwaardig hout blijft momenteel ongebruikt, omdat het te arbeids-intensief is grote hoeveelheden ongelijkmatige stukken hout van verschillende grootte en houtsoort te verwerken. Waardevol resthout wordt zo waardeloos afval, tegen de principes van de circulaire economie in. CW4.0 richt zich op de ontwikkeling van geautomatiseerde processen voor houtverwerking gebaseerd op Industry 4.0 technologieën - met behulp van digitale ontwerptools en industriële robots. Uit eerdere projecten van HvA en partners is gebleken dat deze processen het gebruik van resthout levensvatbaar kunnen maken, in het bijzonder voor toepassingen in de hospitality sector, bijvoorbeeld voor receptiebalies, hotelmeubilair en interieurdelen. CW4.0 wordt dan ook uitgevoerd in samenwerking met hospitality-ontwerpers en hotelketels. Het onderzoek concentreert zich op 1) het creëren van een digital twin (=digitale kopie van een beoogd object of proces, om dit te onderzoeken zonder het eerst te hoeven bouwen) van een ‘upcycle houtfabriek’; 2) het realiseren en beproeven van secties van de fabriek; 3) het ontwerpen en prototypen van hospitality toepassingen en 4) het evalueren van de business case van deze toepassingen en de fabriek in het algemeen. Na afloop is er kennis beschikbaar voor houtindustrie om afval te verminderen, voor Smart Industry om hun digitale technologieën toe te passen voor upcycling van materialen, en voor horecapartners om waardevolle toepassingen te creëren van resthout. Het project is een belangrijke stap in de opschaling van industriële robotproductie met circulaire materialen. Het legt een nieuwe, belangrijke verbinding tussen Smart Industry en de circulaire transitie, gericht op het aanpakken van urgente maatschappelijke uitdagingen verband houdend met materiële schaarste en de mondiale milieucrisis.
In Amsterdam's neighbourhoods, much of the waste that is disposed has the potential of becoming something else by means of recycling or upcycling. Zero Waste lab –which is part of the organization De Gezonde Stad- is a place where inhabitants can bring their own separated waste in exchange for value coins. Now, Zero Waste Lab now wants to take this a step forward and further develop their own project: from recycling to upcycling waste. In this endeavour, HvA will collaborate by researching the possibilities for upcycling a local waste stream by means of digital production pro-cesses, as well as ways of involving the neighbourhood. Because it is of vital importance for the project not only to be technically possible, but also scalable and economically feasible, Zero Waste Lab and HvA have asked for partnership to the company Verdraaid Goed. This partnership and specific case study, presented here as ‘Wood for the neighborhood’ can be summa-rized in four main goals: • (Production) Explore the design and manufacturing possibilities of using digital production to upcycle a local wood waste stream (with an industrial robotic arm) • (Design) Show how explorative research, when carried on from the beginning of the de-sign process, can bring great added value to the development of project concepts. • (Social) Demonstrate that involving stakeholders early in the process of reusing and de-signing with waste materials can shape the future in new directions • (All three) Highlight how this case study is relevant and fits the principles of the circular economy
In Amsterdam's neighbourhoods, much of the waste that is disposed has the potential of becoming something else by means of recycling or upcycling. Zero Waste lab –which is part of the organization De Gezonde Stad- is a place where inhabitants can bring their own separated waste in exchange for value coins. Now, Zero Waste Lab now wants to take this a step forward and further develop their own project: from recycling to upcycling waste. In this endeavour, HvA will collaborate by researching the possibilities for upcycling a local waste stream by means of digital production pro-cesses, as well as ways of involving the neighbourhood. Because it is of vital importance for the project not only to be technically possible, but also scalable and economically feasible, Zero Waste Lab and HvA have asked for partnership to the company Verdraaid Goed. This partnership and specific case study, presented here as ‘Wood for the neighborhood’ can be summa-rized in four main goals: • (Production) Explore the design and manufacturing possibilities of using digital production to upcycle a local wood waste stream (with an industrial robotic arm) • (Design) Show how explorative research, when carried on from the beginning of the de-sign process, can bring great added value to the development of project concepts. • (Social) Demonstrate that involving stakeholders early in the process of reusing and de-signing with waste materials can shape the future in new directions • (All three) Highlight how this case study is relevant and fits the principles of the circular economy
