Learning Results
The aim of this course is to present and develop fundamental concepts of circular economy, industrial ecology and value chains, and the underlying methodologies. It also aims to present the principles to develop more sustainable products, considering sociological and economic aspects for wealth creation. The aim is for PhD students to acquire knowledge and skills that will enable them to solve concrete problems within the scope of these themes, with application to specific cases relevant to their thesis work, following a “Problem Based Learning” approach.
Program
Resource scarcity and sustainability challenges.
Circular Economy: concepts, strategies and tools.
Industrial Ecology: concept, approach, symbiosis, industrial metabolism.
Life Cycle Analysis: methodology and applications. Material Flow Assessment.
Ecodesign: opportunities and application approaches throughout the product life cycle.
New business and production models: innovation and entrepreneurship.
Promoting energy and material efficiency: economic optimization and efficiency analysis approaches.
Valorization of by-products and value creation and sustainability: business plans and methodologies to analyse the economic and financial viability of value creation and sustainable projects.
Value chains: Michael Porter’s approach. Primary activities and support activities.
Short marketing chains: value creation by the producer. Agri-food markets and current marketing trends. Behavioral differences in consumption.
Internship(s)
NAO
Bibliography
Campbell, H.F., Brown, R.P.C. (2023). Cost-Benefit Analysis Financial and Economic Appraisal Using Spreadsheets (3rd Edition). Routledge.
Graedel TE and Allenvy BR (2010) Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Engineering. Prentice Hall, Saddle River NJ USA
Hendrickson CT, Lave LB, Mathews HS (2008) Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Goods and Services – An Input-Output Approach. RFF Press, Washington DC262p.
Lüdeke-Freund, F., Breuer, H., Massa, L. (2022). Sustainable Business Model Design – 45 Patterns. Lüdeke-Freund, Breuer & Massa.
Wimmer W, Zust R (2001) Ecodesign Pilot – Product Investigation, Learning and Optimzation Tool for Sustainable Product Development. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht
Wimmer W, Zust R, Lee K-M (2004) Ecodesign Implementation A systemic guidance