Finding engineering solutions which reduce waste, address limited and undesirable resource use, and allow recovery and reuse especially of high value engineered components is an increasingly urgent need across. The Circular Economy approach attempts to address these challenges which have direct impact on the ability of society, the economy and the environment to flourish. This module will cover the scope of circular economy for engineering, presenting theories, approaches, methods, tools, with worked examples. Enablers, drivers and opportunities that infrastructure can bring to circular economy will be cover as well as policy dialogue and innovations that this would entail. It also takes a novel approach by addressing feedback and rebound effects so that unintended consequences are not built into engineered solutions. It provides future engineers with the skills and capabilities to challenge traditional approaches without compromising safety during the lifecycle of the engineered solution.

Learning Outcomes

Recognize and know how to assess the extent of circularity embedded in engineered systems
	Distinguish between methods for circularity in engineered systems that can be used to reduce negative impacts on society and the environment
	Facilitate technical skills needed by MSc dissertations that use analytical methods or modelling techniques to investigate engineering challenges
Reading list

Essential reading

Bassi, Andrea Marcello et al. 2021. “Improving the Understanding of Circular Economy Potential at Territorial Level Using Systems Thinking.” Sustainable Production and Consumption 27: 128–40.

Giezen, Mendel. 2018. “Shifting Infrastructure Landscapes in a Circular Economy: An Institutional Work Analysis of the Water and Energy Sector.” Sustainability 10(10). https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/10/3487.

Iacovidou, Eleni, John N Hahladakis, and Phil Purnell. 2021. “A Systems Thinking Approach to Understanding the Challenges of Achieving the Circular Economy.” Environmental Science and Pollution Research 28 (19): 24785–806. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11725-9 .

Çetin, Sultan, Catherine De Wolf, and Nancy Bocken. 2021. “Circular Digital Built Environment: An Emerging Framework.” Sustainability 13 (11). https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116348 .

Turner, David A., Ian D. Williams, and Simon Kemp. 2016. “Combined Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment as a Support Tool for Solid Waste Management Decision Making.” Journal of Cleaner Production 129 (August): 234–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JCLEPRO.2016.04.077.

Optional reading

Mignacca, Benito, Giorgio Locatelli, and Anne Velenturf. 2020. “Modularisation as Enabler of Circular Economy in Energy Infrastructure.” Energy Policy 139 (April): 111371. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENPOL.2020.111371 .

Akanbi, L A, L O Oyedele, K Omoteso, M Bilal, O O Akinade, A O Ajayi, J M Davila Delgado, and H A Owolabi. 2019. “Disassembly and Deconstruction Analytics System (D-DAS) for Construction in a Circular Economy.” Journal of Cleaner Production 223: 386–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.03.172.

Jensen, Paul D., Phil Purnell, and Anne P.M. Velenturf. 2020. “Highlighting the Need to Embed Circular Economy in Low Carbon Infrastructure Decommissioning: The Case of Offshore Wind.” Sustainable Production and Consumption 24 (October): 266–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SPC.2020.07.012 .

Hart, Jim, Katherine Adams, Jannik Giesekam, Danielle Densley Tingley, and Francesco Pomponi. 2019. “Barriers and Drivers in a Circular Economy: The Case of the Built Environment.” In Procedia CIRP, 80:619–24. Elsevier B.V. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2018.12.015.

Zvimba, John N., Eustina V. Musvoto, Luxon Nhamo, Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, Isaac Nyambiya, Lazarus Chapungu, and Lawrence Sawunyama. 2021. “Energy Pathway for Transitioning to a Circular Economy within Wastewater Services.” Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 4 (December): 100144. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CSCEE.2021.100144.