A Dialogue between Paola Clerici Maestosi and Giovanni Vetritto (IT), Olga Kordas (SE), Johhanes Brezet (NL/DK) and Jonas Bylund (SE)

Cities around the world are gearing up to play a major role in climate change mitigation. However, concrete results – significant emissions reductions, expected from cities committed to mitigating climate change, are currently conspicuously absent. While there are several good practice guides available for large/mega cities there are little available for small and medium-sized ones (SMCs). In this paper the main research questions are, “When exploring local climate mitigation action among multiple small- and medium-sized cities, what actions are perceived as good practices?”, and “Are there any demonstrable effects linking them to achieving climate mitigation targets, and is this monitored?” A multiple case study research approach, using quali-quantitative mixed methods with multiple types of data sources, was used to analyze thirteen SMCs in the Netherlands. Results revealed twenty six good practices, with the majority exhibiting the characteristics of governing by enabling. However, no evidence was found that these good practices had been embedded in indicators or protocols, nor that they led to actual GHG emission reduction. In addition, action plans were found to be incomplete, in particular regarding implementation, and municipalities were found to work in isolation, with little inter-municipal collaboration. Moreover, whereas a monitor of local climate mitigation performance exists – using output and outcome indicators - it was found to be hardly known nor used among local policy makers. The results reveal a need to learn from good practices, to develop indicators that mirror these practices, and integrate them into local climate mitigation performance measurement tools. Currently, this is not the case, making it difficult to monitor local climate mitigation performance and progress vis-à-vis commitments made regarding the Paris Agreement.

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the intermediary role of universities in spreading design for sustainability into industry.

Design/methodology/approach – Three case studies were undertaken on Delft University of Technology, Design for Sustainability Program from The Netherlands; a center on sustainable consumption and production; and Prof. Göksel Demirer from Middle East Technical University, Environmental
Engineering Department from Turkey.

Findings – The process and evolution of the intermediary roles of the cases are explained. Three types of structures, through which universities undertake intermediary role, are investigated via the cases studies, a program, a center and an individual scientist.

Originality/value – This study is a first attempt to investigate the intermediary role of universities in the design for sustainability field.

In Vietnam, the middle class is expected to grow from 12 million to 33 million people between 2012 and 2020. The growth causes an increase as well as a shift in consumption. Products that were not accessible or affordable before will become increasingly so, such as cars, dishwashers, meat products and airconditioning. In urban areas the changes are most prominent and so are the side effects: increased amounts of waste, smog, pollution and use of fossil energy or pesticides. The main objective of this study was to identify sustainable behaviour that followed or did not follow from the intervention project GetGreen Vietnam. 604 urban middle class consumers participated in a series of sustainable consumption trainings. Before, during and after the trainings, quantitative and qualitative data was collected on 90 sustainable actions. 64% of the participants self-reported to be engaged in a sustainable action before the intervention and this percentage increased to 80% after. The group environment and activity-based meetings of GetGreen Vietnam project (GGVN) were critical for the success of the intervention. Participants reported that before GGVN certain actions were already habitual as a money saving strategy (e.g. sparse electricity use or food leftovers re-use) or due to past scarcity (e.g. sparse water use). Many participants reported the intention to buy sustainable products but fewer participants took action to do so. A powerful strategy toward more sustainable consumption in Vietnam can be to create more groupbased
activities around the themes of energy and shopping for food. A twofold approach is needed that both installs new sustainable consumption patterns and keeps old habits rooted in daily rituals. Role models should set an example for the young population and consumers and (Vietnamese) producers should be better connected to increase mutual trust and transparency.

Safety challenges related to the use of medical equipment were investigated during the training of nurse anaesthetists in Haiti, using a systems approach to Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE). The Observable Performance Obstacles tool, based on the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model, was used in combination with exploratory observations during 13 surgical procedures, to identify performance obstacles created by the systemic interrelationships of medical equipment. The identification of performance obstacles is an effective way to study the accumulation of latent factors and risk hazards, and understand its implications in practice and behaviour of healthcare practitioners. In total, 123 performance obstacles were identified, of which the majority was related to environmental and organizational aspects. These findings show how the performance of nurse anaesthetists and their relation to medical equipment is continuously affected by more than user-related aspects. The contribution of systemic performance obstacles and coping strategies to enrich system design interventions and improve healthcare system is highlighted. In addition, methodological challenges of HFE research in low-resource settings related to professional culture and habits, and the potential of community ergonomics as a problem-managing approach are described.

There is a need for metrics to analyse complex business models in the circular economy. Life cycle assessment (LCA) currently is the best defined system to analyse the environmental aspects, and is capable to analyse circular systems, Product Service Systems, and systems for recycling. However LCA falls short of analysis of the added value of business models. Since new sustainable business models are part of the transition towards a circular economy, there is a need for combined analyses of value and ecoburden. This paper applies the LCA-based Eco-costs Value Ratio (EVR) Model to analyse potential negative environmental effects of business initiatives on a system level, and to provide a theoretical approach to the design of sustainable business models by means of a three dimensional approach of costs, eco-costs and market value. Two methods are applied for analysis and design: Eco-efficient Value Creation (EVR
benchmarking) and the Circular Transition Framework (describing stakeholder activities which are required for the transition towards sustainable business models). The practical case of the analysis, design and implementation of a business model for sustainable water recreation in Friesland (a province in the Netherlands) is used to validate the usefulness of these two LCA-based methods.
The conclusion is that the approach of Eco-efficient Value Creation helps to avoid many pitfalls of the design of circular business models (e.g. having a positive result on product level, but having a negative effect on societal level; having a positive effect on the environment but having insufficient customer
perceived value to overcome fierce market competition). The Circular Transition Framework reveals pitfalls and opportunities in implementation (e.g. the coordination between business models and governmental policies).

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to collect information about barriers and enablers experienced by international experts when transferring medical equipment to countries affected by humanitarian emergencies and to discuss the suitability of the principles of “openness”, “interconnections” and “non-linearity” of systems to understand the nature of the barriers and enablers as described by the international experts.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this study, six semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts from humanitarian organizations. The interviews were based on a simplified model of the transfer of medical equipment adapted from supply chain literature. The model ensured that all the process steps undertaken by humanitarian organizations were considered. Afterwards, the interviews were transcribed and structurally analysed to derive barriers and enablers. Finally, the results were described in light of three theoretical principles of systems thinking.


Findings

– In total, 14 types of barriers and 12 types of enablers were uncovered that illustrate the complexity of transferring medical equipment in humanitarian emergencies. The paper concludes with a proposal for future research to investigate if, and how, an approach guided by systems thinking could help to create a designated space for the formulation of original, synergetic solutions that address the identified barriers.


Originality/value

– This study is the first to explore the specific logistic challenges implicit in the transfer of medical equipment in humanitarian emergencies with a lifecycle perspective. Furthermore, the concept of systems thinking is rather novel in the field of transfer of medical technology.

Purpose
– Vietnamese agro-food firms are often small and have short value chains. They are facing increasing competition from multinationals to serve the consumers of the rising middle class. It is assumed that co-creation or open-innovation can be a competitive innovation strategy for the Vietnamese firms. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to understand whether the agro-food firms have the “mental space” or an according mindset to innovate with their customers.

Design/methodology/approach
– A three dimensional model of “mental innovation space” (MIS) was developed, comprising of the: focus of innovation, level of innovation and degree of collaboration. A total of 14 Vietnamese agro-food companies agreed to embark on a process of problem definition for innovation according to these three dimensions. This process creates a deeper understanding of the firms’ fuzzy front end of innovation and results in less hypothetical findings, compared with traditional interviews.

Findings
– The results show that the Vietnamese agro-food firms have a rather small MIS. They are inexperienced with innovation in new product development and are even more unfamiliar with co-creation. However, the firms recognise the need for innovation and are enthusiastic about the use of co-creation. The applications of co-creation firms foresee are close to the market, motivated by meeting customer demand and keeping up with competitors.

Originality/value
– The characteristics and willingness of the Vietnamese agro-food firms make that it is believed an open atmosphere can be created. Then, co-creation can foster innovation in order to strengthen their competitive position.

It is increasingly acknowledged that, in order to achieve sustainability, there is an urgent need for radical and transformative restructuring of socio-technical systems that meet our needs. These transformations are referred to as system innovations for sustainability or transitions. Transitions and system innovations cover not only product and process innovations but also changes in user practices, markets, policy, regulations, culture, infrastructure, lifestyle and management of firms and have significant implications for design and innovation activity aiming to contribute to the societal endeavour of achieving sustainability. Even though theory on system innovations and transitions is now extensive, it provided explanations regarding how companies and design and innovation activities fit into the big and long-term picture of system innovations and transitions only to a certain extent. In addition, there have not been many efforts in the design for sustainability field to learn from the theories of transitions and system innovations. In this paper, we make an initial theoretical contribution into the design and innovation for sustainability field by integrating relevant insights from sustainability science and system innovations and transitions theories. The result of this integration is a proposal for a prescriptive conceptual framework which explains how wider-scale systemic changes can be addressed at smaller elements of socio-technical systems specifically focussing on the design and innovation level within companies.

Companies face challenges and need support when applying specific knowledge to their innovation processes, such as design for sustainability. The providers of innovation support in innovation systems are intermediaries. While the literature on intermediaries focuses on various roles and approaches, the way in which intermediaries function in specific fields such as design for sustainability remains underexplored. This paper investigates how intermediaries provide innovation support in the design for sustainability field today, with a focus on the services and support they offer, the approaches and drivers that shape them, as well as the challenges of the intermediation process, particularly concerning sustainability and design. To do this, 14 intermediaries from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Turkey were investigated through case studies. The role of design in support processes, especially during implementation, the importance and types of collaborations among various actors of innovation systems, and the emergence of a new type of intermediary that promises radical innovation in sustainability are among the findings. In addition, based on the empirical data, we suggest a framework for describing the roles and attributes of a group of five intermediaries that meets the needs of all types of companies engaged in design for sustainability. Finally we offer suggestions for Turkey on how to raise the capacity of its intermediaries operating in the design for sustainability field, which might be applicable to other similar contexts as well. This study contributes to the theory and practice of innovation support in the sustainability field, from which all innovation system's actors, especially intermediaries and governmental institutions, might benefit in designing support programs.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is the commonly accepted methodology to systematically assess the environmental impact of a material over the full life cycle, from the extraction of resources until the end phase of demolition or recycling (from cradle till grave). The first objective of this study is to gain a better understanding of the environmental impact of industrial bamboo products and its production process in terms of their CO2 equivalent (carbon footprint), toxic emissions, and materials depletion (LCA). The LCA in this paper is based on latest (2015) production and bamboo land-use change figures. The second objective of this paper is to clarify how carbon sequestration on a global scale can be defined and calculated for industrial bamboo products, and how they can be incorporated in the standard LCA calculations. The study concludes that industrial bamboo products, if based on best-practice technology (production chain of MOSO International BV), even when used in Europe, are CO2 negative over their full life cycle.