Roope Husgafvel's research while affiliated with Aalto University and other places

The current enthusiasm for the circular economy (CE) offers a unique opportunity to advance the impact of research on sustainability transitions. Diverse interpretations of CE by scholars, however, produce partly opposing assessments of its potential benefits, which can hinder progress. Here, we synthesize policy-relevant lessons and research directions for a sustainable CE and identify three narratives—optimist, reformist, and skeptical—that underpin the ambiguity in CE assessments. Based on 54 key CE scholars’ insights, we identify three research needs: the articulation and discussion of ontologically distinct CE narratives; bridging of technical, managerial, socio-economic, environmental, and political CE perspectives; and critical assessment of opportunities and limits of CE science–policy interactions. Our findings offer practical guidance for scholars to engage reflexively with the rapid expansion of CE knowledge, identify and pursue high-impact research directions, and communicate more effectively with practitioners and policymakers.

The circular economy (CE) is about a system-level change towards sustainability, and it aims at keeping products, components, and materials at their highest utility and value at all times, covering both technical and biological cycles. This study aimed at exploring, discovering, describing, and synthesizing the characteristics of CE development in the construction sector in Japan based on the perspectives of sectoral organizations and focusing on the following themes: (1) sustainable production; (2) sustainable consumption; (3) creation and maintenance of value in a CE; (4) CE innovations; (5) CE of material and energy use; (6) technological, economic, and social barriers to CE; (7) CE guidance; and (8) specific CE aspects in the construction sector. This study applied a qualitative research approach, including a questionnaire survey as the specific method. This study addressed a gap in the research and helps to improve understanding of the CE development priorities based on the perspectives of organizations operating in or related to the construction sector in Japan. The findings indicate that the priority CE development focus areas in the construction sector in Japan encompass, for example, the use of sustainable and renewable raw materials; consumer awareness; and the design, use, and manufacturing of sustainable, recyclable, reusable, and repairable products, components, and materials. The barriers to CE that need to be overcome encompass, for example, the lack of general knowledge about circular economy opportunities and of seeing the “big picture” as well as issues related to economic benefits and the development of CE and sustainability-oriented products, components, and materials. Particularly important CE aspects in the construction sector include the maintenance of existing buildings; sustainability and the long-life cycles of products, components, and materials; CE-oriented product design; and sustainability criteria and cooperation between parties covering the whole life cycle of construction.

Sustainable development and sustainability encompass a strong focus on the advancement of sustainable societies, social sustainability, and overall well-being of people both now and in the future. These goals also highlight sustainable social/society–environment relationships and interfaces to promote sustainable development of both people and the planet. The promotion of social sustainability requires leadership, management, and assessment by organizations and people. This study explored social sustainability handprints from the perspective of handprint and life cycle thinking and approaches using qualitative research approaches. It addressed a clear gap in research and aimed at exploring, discovering, analyzing and synthetizing the main implications of these frameworks for the creation and assessment of the social sustainability handprint development. It was recognized that there are multiple ways to create social sustainability handprints, such as positive changes, actions, innovations, and impacts. The same applies to assessments that can be based on, for example, handprint and life cycle thinking and approaches, sustainability management, assessment and indicators, and sustainability science. The findings highlight the broadness and diversity of approaches, opportunities, and possibilities related to both the creation and assessment of social sustainability handprints. Additionally, they suggest that particular focus is needed, for example, on comprehensive approaches that take into account specific contexts, locations, cultures, scales, conditions, characteristics, perspectives, and stakeholders.

Circular economy (CE) is a major focus area at the EU level and in Finland. Sustainable, green and socially responsible public procurement are among the key focus areas in the advancement of CE including new circular public procurement development. CE and sustainable development goals are intertwined and sustainability management and assessment encompassing economic, social, and environmental dimensions are essential focus areas. Cities and municipalities are facing many challenges such as climate change, waste, and emissions, and sustainable and CE oriented public procurement can play a major role in addressing them. This study addressed sustainable and CE oriented public procurement through a review of the operational environment and a case study from the Kymenlaakso region in Finland. The results indicate, for example, that the most important next steps for the development of sustainable and circular economy oriented public procurement include focus on recycling, reuse, refurbishment, and remanufacturing of products, components, and materials, incorporation of sustainability and circular economy issues into local policy, strategy, and goals, focus on the life cycle, use/working life and sustainability of products, components, and materials, and national recyclability requirement for packages and plastics to promote their reuse as raw materials or products. Construction and buildings, waste management and recycling, and energy were the main areas/fields that offer the best opportunities to promote sustainable and circular economy-oriented procurement in the future. The reduction of food waste, wind and solar power, public transport, LED lightning, updating of old buildings and spaces, and remote access were the main measures to combat climate change that could be future elements of sustainable and circular economy-oriented public procurement.

Circular economy is a major focus area within both the EU and national policy framework in Finland. Very similarly to sustainable development goals, the idea is to bring about economic, social, and environmental benefits. Companies play a major role in circular economy and a large share of the developments happen at the company level, including the important role of consumers. This study focused on the company perspectives on circular economy development in two regions and in one sector. The applied method was questionnaire survey and it aimed at addressing the key development factors and challenges. The results of the regional studies and the sectoral study indicate, for example, that sustainability and long lifespan of products, components, and materials are important for the future development of CE. Sustainable, long-lasting, and fixable products, and new services and products are among the important drivers and opportunities. Profitability and lack of information are major barriers both regionally and sectorally. Circular economy can improve regional and sectoral economic, social, and environmental sustainability through, for example, supply chain management. The circular economy operational environment can be advanced through governance measures such as research and development subsidies and taxation, business measures such as profitable products and services innovated by forerunners and new business models, and technological measures such recycling of all materials and product design. Public procurement can advance sectoral and regional circular economy through acknowledgment of the whole product chain and life cycle, legislation, and obligatory recycling of products, components, and materials. The reasons that could lead to company investments into circular economy include better grasp of sustainability and life cycle thinking.

The current enthusiasm for circular economy (CE) offers a unique opportunity to advance the impact of research on sustainability transitions. Diverse interpretations of CE by scholars, however, produce partly opposing assessments of its potential benefits, which can hinder progress. Here, we synthesize policy-relevant lessons and research directions for a sustainable CE and identify three narratives – optimist, reformist and skeptical – that underpin the ambiguity in CE assessments. Based on 54 key CE scholars’ insights, we identify three research needs: the articulation and discussion of ontologically distinct CE narratives; bridging of technical, managerial, socio-economic, environmental and political CE perspectives; and critical assessment of opportunities and limits of CE science-policy interactions. Our findings offer practical guidance for scholars to engage reflexively with the rapid expansion of CE knowledge, identify and pursue high-impact research directions, and communicate more effectively with practitioners and policymakers.

Numerous sustainability assessment methods, especially environmental performance evaluation tools, have been developed to assess environmental performance of the process industry. Typically, environmental performance indicators cover only primary emissions and consumption without any recognition of secondary environmental burdens from auxiliary processes outside the plant boundaries. Therefore, the environmental impacts of the production site might be decreased whereas the overall environmental performance is not necessarily improved. The overall objective of our research project is to develop a sustainability index that comprehensively and reliably captures the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of an industrial plant. In this paper, we present this work on environmental and economic sustainability metrics for the metal production industry and two hypothetical process industry case studies on the application of the developed metrics. We develop both appropriate indicators and an example of an environmental and economic sustainability index that is also tested in two process industry case studies. Our assessment approach integrates indicators and life cycle assessment by expanding the scope of the typical environmental performance indicators. By this approach, the evaluation not only concentrates on the activities at the plant site, but also covers the emission sources that are indirectly connected to the actual production process. As a result, this approach provides comprehensive information for decision-makers on both the environmental impacts caused by plant operations and economic implications of alternative decisions. In addition, we present a discussion of according EU and Finnish legislation and their implications for both the management and assessment of plant level environmental and economic sustainability performance.