Special Issue "Circular Economy in the Digital Age"

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Gianmarco Bressanelli
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Interests: circular supply chain; circular economy; sustainable production and consumption; sustainable development
Dr. Federico Adrodegari
E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
RISE Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Brescia 25123, Italy
Interests: servitization; digital servitization; service management; Sustainable Product/Service-Systems; business model; Digital Technologies Industry 4.0; maturity modelling
Prof. Dr. Daniela Cristina Antelmi Pigosso
E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Section of Engineering Design and Product Development, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
Interests: circular economy business modelling; Product/Service-Systems; sustainable development; sustainable design; sustainability maturity modelling; eco-innovation
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Vinit Prida
E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Department of Business Administration, Technology and Social Sciences, Lulea university of technology, 97187 Luleå, Sweden
Interests: servitization; business model innovation; industrial ecosystems; digitalization; ciricualr economy
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The circular economy is recognized by industrials, scholars, and policymakers as a promising approach to jointly advance the sustainability and competitiveness of supply and value chains, given its ability to decouple economic growth from resource consumption and waste generation. Moving companies towards the circular economy involves fundamental changes in industrial ecosystems and a systemic redesign of business models, supply chains, production processes, products development, and consumption patterns. However, several challenges arise in this transformation.
In this perspective, the digital age we live in offers companies many opportunities for overcoming these challenges. In fact, digital 4.0 technologies can support the implementation of circular economy principles into business by enabling new business models (e.g., digital servitization) and the redesign of value chains, products, and consumption patterns towards a new smart circular economy paradigm. For instance, Michelin implemented Internet of Things technology to enable a tires-as-a-service business model where fuel consumption and downtime are minimized. Groupe SEB leveraged additive manufacturing to print spare parts on-demand, virtualizing its provision and the technical assistance processes, thus reducing transport needs and emissions. Walmart tested the IBM Food Trust blockchain to track provenance, real-time location, and status of food products in its supply chain network, to prevent food waste and support consumer choices towards sustainable patterns. Rolls-Royce take advantage of product-in-use data collected through the IoT on jet engine conditions, to improve the redesign of engines for optimal performance and maintenance. Despite its substantial potential, the convergence between digital technologies and Circular Economy is still under-investigated, and practical applications in companies remain limited.
This Special Issue calls for a more critical discussion and outlook on this topic. Thus, we invite articles integrating a system perspective into rigorous research, describing and prescribing how digital technologies can enable the different aspect of the Smart Circular Economy paradigm, namely: i. strategic (e.g., new business models and ecosystems, digital servitization); ii. tactical (e.g., supply and value chains redesign); and iii. operational (e.g., product redesign, consumption patterns).

Dr. Gianmarco Bressanelli
Dr. Federico Adrodegari
Prof. Dr. Daniela Cristina Antelmi Pigosso
Prof. Dr. Vinit Prida
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • conceptualizing the circular economy in the digital age (i.e. smart circular economy)
  • business models for the smart circular economy
  • digital servitization for the smart circular economy
  • value chain redesign for the smart circular economy
  • circular supply chains and reverse logistics for the smart circular economy
  • product (re)-design and development for the smart circular economy
  • smart predictive maintenance for extending the life cycle of products
  • virtualization of business processes in a smart circular economy
  • consumption patterns in the smart circular economy, including potential rebound effects

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

Article
Circular Digital Built Environment: An Emerging Framework
Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6348; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116348 - 03 Jun 2021
Viewed by 2123
Abstract
Digital technologies are considered to be an essential enabler of the circular economy in various industries. However, to date, very few studies have investigated which digital technologies could enable the circular economy in the built environment. This study specifically focuses on the built [...] Read more.
Digital technologies are considered to be an essential enabler of the circular economy in various industries. However, to date, very few studies have investigated which digital technologies could enable the circular economy in the built environment. This study specifically focuses on the built environment as one of the largest, most energy- and material-intensive industries globally, and investigates the following question: which digital technologies potentially enable a circular economy in the built environment, and in what ways? The research uses an iterative stepwise method: (1) framework development based on regenerating, narrowing, slowing and closing resource loop principles; (2) expert workshops to understand the usage of digital technologies in a circular built environment; (3) a literature and practice review to further populate the emerging framework with relevant digital technologies; and (4) the final mapping of digital technologies onto the framework. This study develops a novel Circular Digital Built Environment framework. It identifies and maps ten enabling digital technologies to facilitate a circular economy in the built environment. These include: (1) additive/robotic manufacturing, (2) artificial intelligence, (3) big data and analytics, (4) blockchain technology, (5) building information modelling, (6) digital platforms/marketplaces, (7) digital twins, (8) the geographical information system, (9) material passports/databanks, and (10) the internet of things. The framework provides a fruitful starting point for the novel research avenue at the intersection of circular economy, digital technology and the built environment, and gives practitioners inspiration for sustainable innovation in the sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy in the Digital Age)
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Article
Using Internet of Things and Distributed Ledger Technology for Digital Circular Economy Enablement: The Case of Electronic Equipment
Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 4982; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094982 - 29 Apr 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 820
Abstract
Nowadays, high expectations are set for a digitally enabled circular economy (CE), to enhance resource efficiency. Tracing, tracking, and storing information is most important for this. In this paper, the application of Internet of Things (IoT) and Distributed Ledger Technology (Blockchain) are hence [...] Read more.
Nowadays, high expectations are set for a digitally enabled circular economy (CE), to enhance resource efficiency. Tracing, tracking, and storing information is most important for this. In this paper, the application of Internet of Things (IoT) and Distributed Ledger Technology (Blockchain) are hence discussed by presenting the case of professional Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) in Italy. Within the context of CE, prevention of electronic waste (WEEE) is extremely relevant as it is a fast-growing waste stream, and the products contain environmentally damaging substances as well as valuable and rare materials. The use of a proper combination of IoT and blockchain can help the producers to keep control on products until EEE end-of-life, while promoting CE strategies and supporting decision-making. Based on the outcomes of five interviews conducted in 2019 to companies of the EEE sector, potential improvements in the EEE end-of-use management are discussed. After providing the definition of requirements for both the technical solution and its testing are provided, three solution variations and the related business models are created and presented, as well as considerations on their environmental and economic impacts. The study shows how digital technologies can support the appropriate and circular management of EEE products and WEEE. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy in the Digital Age)
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Article
Omni-Chanel Network Design towards Circular Economy under Inventory Share Policies
Sustainability 2021, 13(5), 2875; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052875 - 07 Mar 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 818
Abstract
In this paper, we study inventory share policies in an omni-channel supply network, to contribute to the circular economy (CE) concept. Lateral inventory share implementation provides flexibility and profitability in the supply chain by allowing inventory share between the same echelon locations in [...] Read more.
In this paper, we study inventory share policies in an omni-channel supply network, to contribute to the circular economy (CE) concept. Lateral inventory share implementation provides flexibility and profitability in the supply chain by allowing inventory share between the same echelon locations in a network. Total holding costs and transportation costs can be reduced by lateral inventory share applications, which also contribute to decreased material usage for production over time, as well as reduced CO2 emission released by transportation. Technological and Internet of Things (IoT) developments make it possible for companies to share their real-time information with each other for uninterrupted marketing experiences. With such a connected network, companies aim to increase their profitability and responsiveness to their customers. We explore a well-designed inventory share policy towards the CE concept under an (s, S) inventory control policy. We simulate several pre-defined share designs by Arena 16.0 commercial software and compare their performances in terms of cost, responsiveness, transportation frequency, inventory held, etc. The results show that, by the implementation of a well-designed lateral inventory share policy, an omni-channel network can benefit from decreased holding cost and transportation cost, contributing to the CE concept. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy in the Digital Age)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Digital Twins in the Circular Economy
Authors: Anna Preut 1,*, Jan-Philip Kopka 1
Affiliation: Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML, [email protected];
* Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +49 231 9743 377
Abstract: Accurate information plays an important role for the circulation of materials and products. It influences the economically and ecologically successful execution of processes such as reconditioning and supply chain management. Digitization concepts, such as digital twins, enable the relevant information to be made available to the right actor at the right time in a decentralized manner. It is assumed that digital twins will play an important role in the future and can contribute, among other things, to the successful implementation of circular economy strategies. However, there is no uniform definition of the term digital twin yet and the exploration and use of digital twins in context of circular economy products and supply chains is still in its infancy. This article presents how digital twins can contribute to the circularity of products and the management of circular supply chains. To this end, the derivation and validation of a definition for the term digital twin is described. A stakeholder analysis with a special focus on the processes of the individual stakeholders results in an overview of potentials and information requirements of circular supply chains for a digital twin. The paper concludes that circular supply chains can benefit from digital twins, but that there is still a need for research and development.
Keywords: digital twin; circular economy; circular supply chain management, product life cycle, information management

 

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