Higher Education Institutions are not just centres of learning. They are dynamic ecosystems
with significant environmental footprints and societal responsibilities. Due to their expansive operations, these organisations typically have vast infrastructure and services, which require various products to support them. These products, in turn, generate substantial waste. However, despite the growing importance of Circular Economy principles, many continue to operate within linear systems. Moreover, challenges arise when implementing strategies aimed at enhancing circularity. This thesis proposes a novel approach that combines technical and organisational aspects into a single framework; Material Flow Management. It supports the transition towards circular campus operations. The application of this framework is demonstrated through the case study of Delft University of Technology.

The Material Flow Management framework is designed specifically for TU Delft’s campus management structure and operations. The Material Flow Management Model is a key component of the framework, quantifying and visualising material flows within the campus ecosystem. This provides decision-makers with real-time data accessibility to identify areas for improvement and monitor progress. The framework supports the management of material flows and encourages critical evaluation of the current management structure in relation to implementing Circular Economy strategies. This evaluation is done by conducting interviews with important decision-makers within the organisations to ensure effectiveness.

It is committed to data-driven decision-making and continual improvement, ensuring TU Delft’s leadership in sustainable material management practices. This framework can be used by stakeholders to promote broader transitions towards a Circular Economy, both within and beyond the campus. This will help to advance the collective journey towards sustainable practices

To reach the Dutch renewable energy (RE) targets of 2030, the entire Netherlands has been investing in solar energy, electric vehicles and other systems based on RE. This increase of electricity use does not come without problems and the most pressing one is that of network congestion. Due to this, businesses are no longer able to expand their electricity connection or even start their business to begin with. This has the effect that businesses cannot continue their sustainable efforts and in the worst cases it causes power to go out and stopping businesses from operating completely. A proposed solution to this problem is the introduction of a community energy system (CES). This concept and how it can be used in practice will be explored in this research in the context of an industrial park and with the support of business energy cooperative, SAENZ. They have already developed an industrial community energy system (InCES) in the form of a collective energy contract, and there is an opportunity in increasing the participation of their members. Through interviews and surveys, business owners are asked about three InCES scenarios and their more general opinion on InCES. To obtain a comprehensive view of the situation, two other stakeholders in this system are interviewed as well. These are the distribution systems operator (DSO) and the local government. The results show that business owners are willing to increase their participation in an InCES but give clear terms for doing so. They need transparent and complete information about the project and all its financial and juridical aspects. Besides, it should be easy to participate. The DSO highlighted that they support businesses organizing themselves like this and comments on how an InCES could help solve network congestion as it ensures efficient management of the energy system. The local government representative believes that they have little influence on the development of an InCES but that they do have an impact in motivating businesses to participate in an InCES. The research also shows the importance of an energy cooperative or any kind of group collaboration between businesses to organize an InCES. It is helpful in obtaining contact with stakeholders but also enhanced the group feeling between business owners and in turn their willingness to increase participation in an InCES.

Within the energy transition, green hydrogen stands as a key solution for decarbonizing sectors where direct electrification is not viable. This thesis focuses on the competitive landscape of hydrogen production in North-Western Europe, addressing the technological and geographical competition of locally produced green hydrogen. This research introduces a comprehensive analytical tool to assess the viability of various hydrogen production methods, which are competing value chains of European green hydrogen. By synthesizing institutional, economic, societal, and technical considerations, the model facilitates a direct comparison between different green hydrogen alternatives.

The research commenced by applying Hekkert’s (2011) TIS analysis as a tool for structural analysis to systematically map the system. The goal was to delineate its structure and identify potential key competing value chains within the scope of Europe. This initial phase involved a literature review and interviews to select value chains. The subsequent phase, which also used the TIS as a tool, focused on identifying key drivers and barriers within the system through a functional analysis, utilizing a structured approach to examine system functions. Expert interviews played a pivotal role in this stage, providing an understanding of the system's dynamics. In the last phase, the techno-economic analysis was performed by introducing barrier-driven scenarios. Allowing for insights into the cost components and the overall comparison in the levelized cost of hydrogen for every scenario.

The structural analysis showed that the European Commission set the scope with institutions, allowing for technologically mature low-carbon alternatives in this comparison. The functional analysis revealed the intricate interconnectivity of the system functions, illustrating how drivers and barriers can swiftly transform, reflecting the system's complex status. The primary barrier to green hydrogen adoption is its high cost, creating a deadlock with no demand or supply. Technological advancement and governmental intervention emerged as key solutions to this challenge. The techno-economic results show that the least cost-effective value chain is local green hydrogen, and the most cost-effective value chain is local blue hydrogen. Local green hydrogen faces challenges in competitiveness due to high energy prices and low capacity factors compared to other electrolyzer-based methods. Additionally, compared to other types, like blue hydrogen, it has higher overall investment and energy costs.

The ultimate aim is to navigate through the complexities of the hydrogen system, clarifying how various variables interconnect and influence each other. Tools like the one developed in this research provide a foundation for understanding this complexity. By understanding the impact of governmental interventions and other factors on final prices, stakeholders can engage in more strategic decision-making. To deepen the understanding of the system, it is recommended to conduct further interviews and research, exploring the alternatives within and outside the European system more comprehensively. Investigating what drives prices beyond mere economic factors will offer a clearer picture of their current status and potential future developments. This broader analysis will equip users with the insights needed to make informed decisions, considering both the economic and socio-technical dimensions that shape the hydrogen market's evolution.

Green hydrogen is anticipated to be pivotal in the decarbonisation of global energy systems. For the Netherlands, both domestic production and imports of green hydrogen are believed to be needed for effective decarbonisation. Yet, significant uncertainty surrounds the cost discrepancy between domestic productions and initial imports, largely attributed to insufficient comparability of different reports. This study conducted a techno-economic assessment (TEA) to better understand these cost dynamics.

To ensure that viable exporting countries are assessed a multicriteria analysis (MCA) was employed. Within this MCA, contributing factors underwent expert weighting. It was found that the earliest developing value chains might not necessarily be the most economical. Among potential initial exporters to the Netherlands, Chile, Spain, and the United States emerged as frontrunners, which led to their assessment in the TEA.

The study highlighted the importance of wind availability for cost-effective hydrogen production. Even with favourable wind conditions in the Dutch North Sea, the Netherlands faces higher hydrogen costs due to the added expenses of connecting the wind with an onshore electrolyser through the grid.

The costs of hydrogen transport were evaluated based on four possible hydrogen import development scenarios for transport as ammonia, liquified hydrogen and the liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) DBT. Results indicated that the costs of delivered hydrogen will likely range from similar to thrice that of domestic production across the different countries and carriers for the two scenarios where gigawatt supply chains are realised. Consequently, the study suggests that overseas imported green hydrogen will be more costly than domestically produced hydrogen in 2030.

Over the past decades, global efforts have been made to address climate change and improve the well-being of our planet. The European Union (EU) has set ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets and strategies to combat climate change. Bio-energy, specifically biofuels produced from biomass, has gained significant attention as a crucial component in decarbonizing energy and production systems. While renewable energy sources like solar and wind are primarily used for electricity generation, bio-based processes focus on producing biofuels for heat, power, transportation, and biochemistry sectors. Therefore, biomass can play a crucial role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate industries that are challenging to electrify, such as the chemical industry, heavy road transport, and marine and aviation sectors. However, the chemical industry, a major energy consumer and emitter of CO2, relies heavily on fossil fuels as feedstock and energy sources, necessitating a shift to carbon-free alternatives.
The biomass-to-syngas pathway, which involves converting biomass into bio-based syngas through gasification, has emerged as a promising solution for a more sustainable chemical industry. However, the development of this value chain faces technical and commercial challenges. Technical challenges include tar formation and product impurities, while commercial challenges include financing limitations, low market maturity, and sustainable feedstock availability. Moreover, handling and using biomass as a feedstock itself present constraints such as transportation limitations, variable composition and properties, low energy density, and high moisture and oxygen content. These challenges hinder the competitiveness of bio-based syngas production against fossil fuel alternatives and impede the development of the biomass-to-syngas value chain.
To address these challenges, the integration of torrefaction technology into the value chain has been proposed as a promising approach. Torrefaction enhances biomass densification, reduces moisture content, and improves the overall viability of the biomass-to-syngas value chain. However, the commercial implementation and economic feasibility of torrefaction remain uncertain. Additionally, research primarily focuses on technological improvements and lacks a deeper understanding of system integration, practical implementations, and stakeholder perspectives.
This research aims to bridge these knowledge gaps by actively engaging with stakeholders across the value chain to address the challenges of developing the biomass-to-syngas value chain and propose comprehensive solutions through stakeholder involvement. It explores the system integration of torrefaction technology, considering industry stakeholders' perspectives. The research employs a step-wise approach, focusing on an in-depth case study of the Dutch chemical industry. Data is collected through an exploratory literature review, semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, a questionnaire, and a webinar serving as a panel discussion platform.
The research identifies 44 barriers hindering the development of the biomass-to-syngas value chain and the integration of torrefaction technology. These barriers primarily stem from deficiencies in innovation-specific institutions, network formation and coordination, and the production system. Stakeholders and experts agree that technological and logistical challenges can be overcome. However, addressing failures in innovation-specific institutions, such as the lack of economic and policy incentives and an unfavorable regulatory environment, is crucial for driving the development of the value chain. Based on these findings and insights obtained through expert reflection the research develops comprehensive solution statements and formulates five strategies to address the identified barriers, including cohesive policies, industry-tailored subsidies, standardized certifications and regulations, enhanced network formation, and decentralized torrefaction technology integration.
In conclusion, this research underscores the significance of the biomass-to-syngas pathway as a key driver for a sustainable chemical industry. By addressing technical and commercial challenges and the integration of torrefaction technology, comprehensive strategies have been formulated to overcome barriers and unlock the value chain's full potential. These findings thereby provide actionable insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders to drive the sustainable development of the biomass-to-syngas value chain.

Reducing packaging waste is a pressing challenge requiring organisations to look beyond their own products, services and business models and take an ecosystem approach. Collaborative efforts in circular ecosystems offer a promising solution to tackle this issue. However, the impact of circular ecosystems on material flows in the packaging system, particularly considering uncertain actor behavior, remains unknown. This thesis aims to address this research gap by studying the dynamics of packaging waste in a circular food packaging ecosystem in the Netherlands.

Using a complex adaptive socio-technical systems approach, the research combines a systematic literature review and a case study with interviews to develop an agent-based model (ABM). The ABM incorporates three types of agents representing food producers, packaging producers, and waste treaters, who can form circular ecosystems focused on closed-loop recycling. Organisational decision-making theory is integrated into the ABM to account for actor behavior, considering different decision-styles and decision-rules.

The ABM explores the effect of multiple variables on packaging waste dynamics in circular ecosystems. Results indicate that circular ecosystems can be established with only a few actors prioritising circularity over individual profit, leading to significant reductions in packaging waste. The decision-style of the food producer plays a crucial role in ecosystems dominated by actors prioritising individual profit. However, availability and sharing of information on recycled material volumes and content are critical for circular ecosystems to emerge.

Circular ecosystems may face limitations due to recycled material shortages, leading to fluctuations in recycled content. Centralised waste treatment can stabilise recycled material supply and, subsequently, recycled content in packaging. Technological innovations hold potential for increasing recycled content and recycling rates, but additional changes in actor behavior and material prices are needed to utilise this potential. On top of that, other high-level circularity strategies should be employed to overcome limitations related to material shortage. Using recycled material could be incentivised through subsidies or taxes on raw materials, but the effectiveness of such measures will depend on the decision-making of the packaging producers.

The discussion reflects on the results, the ABM, and the overall research, identifying limitations and implications and suggesting future research directions. Further refinements to the ABM can enhance its accuracy and suitability for analysing circular ecosystems for waste reduction.

In conclusion, this research sheds light on the dynamics of packaging waste in a circular food packaging ecosystem in the Netherlands, considering actor behavior. The ABM provides a valuable analytical tool for studying circular ecosystems and their potential in the food packaging industry. By emphasizing actor collaboration, circular packaging ecosystems offer a pathway to a more sustainable food packaging industry.

Carbon dioxide can be used during concrete production, which leads to stronger concrete as well as a sequestration method for CO2. While these technologies are developed quite far, they are currently not being used within society nor is there any systemic overview of the system and a reason why these technologies are not used. This thesis performs a Technological Innovation System analysis to investigate the Dutch concrete system and find barriers to the transition from conventional to carbon-cured concrete. The three located barriers are knowledge exchange, guidance of the search and the formation of markets. Intervention tools are presented to decrease the barriers and stimulate the technology within the system to enable further growth.

This thesis aimed to investigate the potential of the EU’s carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) to promote sustainable adjustments in the production process of semiconductor machines, considering uncertainties in carbon accounting. The research combines a review of existing literature, a case study analysis of a selected semiconductor company, and a policy analysis of the EU’s CBAM to provide insights into the ability of the CBAM to promote the use of sustainable materials in the semiconductor industry.
The literature review highlighted the significance of life cycle assessment (LCA) as a carbon accounting tool and its potential to assess the relevant embedded emissions for the CBAM. The review showed indeed that LCA could be useful to assess the first phases of the production of the raw materials. Additionally, the review showed that it is less useful as a decision-making tool due to the fact that decision-making regarding the CBAM requires the consideration of other parameters as well, not only the environmental ones. Additionally, the review revealed the novelty of the EU’s CBAM regarding the carbon accounting tools and the CBAM’s design. At the same time, it highlighted the relevance of this research project.
The statistical sensitivity analysis (SSA) conducted as an element of the case study showed that there exists a significant variation in the total embedded emissions of the semiconductor machine depending on the kind of steel and aluminium used. This highlighted the opportunity for improvements in the embedded emissions caused by the semiconductor machines. The SSA is also used to evaluate the cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of the implementation of green steel and aluminium in semiconductor machines. The CBA showed that a high reduction in embedded emissions is required to achieve a break-even level with the costs of sustainable steel and aluminium. However, this reduction also depends on the design and implementation of the CBAM. The stakeholder analysis highlighted the actors, transactions, frictions, and games caused by the implementation of the CBAM. A concluding policy analysis was conducted to present possible implementations of the CBAM. The analysis showed that under the current circumstances for the CBAM to be successful in promoting sustainable changes in the semiconductor machine, while considering the uncertainty in the carbon reporting process, an unrealistically
high carbon price is needed to break even. The analysis, however, indicated a bright spot; if global electricity production becomes less carbonintensive, the CBAM may work very well in promoting sustainable materials. Thus, this thesis concludes that for this case study the EU’s CBAM is not effective in promoting sustainable adjustments in semiconductor machines. However, this conclusion is obtained for this specific case with its specific extreme policy scenarios. Therefore, further research could be conducted in assessing other policy scenarios or carbon accounting tools and test how they evaluate the CBAM on its potential to promote the use of sustainable materials in other industries as well.

Global water-related impacts are in constant aggravation due to climate change, increased water demand, intensive human activities, and deterioration of the quality of water bodies.
Under this paradigm, humanity must adapt and implement measures to ensure both the quality of water bodies and the sustainable management of resources.
As a result, unexploited water resources, such as wastewater, have been a focus of attention among researchers. Wastewater Treatment (WWT) technologies stand as an important step to promote water reuse and potentially recover raw materials with added value.
While WWT technologies have been assessed at the environmental and economic levels, their social repercussions are not extensively studied. Hence, the present master thesis project resorts to the Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) framework to execute an evaluation of the social performance of an innovative WWT system for resource recovery in Portugal. S-LCA was conducted at the organizational level, assessing the social performance of organizations in the value chain through the evaluation of the social effects on Workers, Consumers, Local Community, Society, and value chain actors. In addition, a generic assessment was performed to identify hotspot areas of the Portuguese water sector, following the S-LCA framework.
The systems under analysis integrate a Water Mining (WM) project case study, where an innovative urban WWT technology is implemented. In the two systems defined, the wastewater is treated with the Nereda technology and safely discharged into the environment. Nevertheless, while in the reference system the sludge generated from the treatment is stored or forwarded to landfill, in the novel system a new biobased raw material is recovered.
Regarding the generic assessment, a total of eleven impact subcategories were listed as critical areas regarding the operation of companies in the WWT sector. These were further investigated in the site-specific assessment conducted at the plant level. The results of the site-specific assessment indicate that the organisations included in the assessment performed well for both
systems under analysis. However, organizations’ individual performances reflect that improvements are necessary mainly in the subcategories “equal opportunities/discrimination” and “community engagement”. Other subcategories where organizations need to improve are “promoting social responsibility”, “social benefits/social security”, “local employment”, “health and safety of consumers”, “safe and healthy living conditions” and “public commitment to sustainability issues”. For each organization that did not reach a satisfactory performance
level in a certain subcategory, improvement recommendations were proposed.
In general, the novel system performs better in all impact subcategories when compared to the reference system. Nonetheless, this result is intrinsically connected to system characteristics and model decisions such as weighting factors definition and multifunctionality matters, which remain as rather abstract concepts that do not completely reflect reality.
The main challenges faced during the study concern the accessibility and availability of site-specific and generic data. In terms of site-specific assessment, the high similarity of the reference and novel systems in terms of organizations involved hindered the comparison of the two systems.
To conclude, the S-LCA methodology allowed the identification of social hotpots areas as well as the evaluation of the reference and novel systems' social performance, contributing to the elaboration of strategies to improve social sustainability along the value chain of innovative WWT technologies.

The aim of this thesis project is to understand how policy instruments influence the adoption of wood-based building practices and to examine the effect of increased wood-based construction on circular practices. This study identifies key actors in the built environment, including housing associations, private owners, construction and demolition companies, and material suppliers. The behavior and relationships of these actors are analyzed. An agent-based model is developed to explore the impact of various policy instruments, such as carbon taxation, demolition notification, and knowledge sharing. The study revealed several findings. First, there is significant inertia among construction compa- nies and building owners towards adopting wood-based construction, primarily due to high initial investments and lack of familiarity. This results in a hefty premium being paid for wood-based construction before it becomes well established. It was discovered that a substantial subsidy on mass timber is essential. Additionally, significant taxation on reinforced concrete, such as through carbon taxation, helps overcome the inertia in the system. Another effective instrument is the sharing of wood-based construction knowledge among construction companies. Once wood-based construction is established, it becomes cost-competitive, reducing the need for continuous stimu- lation through policy instruments. With the establishment of wood-based construction, several effects on the circularity in the built environment and material usage have been identified. Despite a shift to wood-based construction, the demand for concrete remains significant. This underscores the importance of concrete recycling practices. The increase in wood content in construction requires enhanced mass-timber recycling practices. This study highlights the role of temporary material storage in facilitating circularity. It suggests the need for strategies to match material streams from demolition to construction. In summary, this thesis project demonstrates that a combination of policy instruments, especially carbon taxation and knowledge sharing, is crucial in transitioning to wood-based construction. The study highlights the need for continued attention to concrete use and recycling, especially when wood-based practices gain traction.

Residential buildings have become a priority product category for the circular economy agenda in the Netherlands due the large amount of materials that their construction requires, the environmental impact of this demand, and the fact that increasingly more houses are needing to be built in response to the housing crisis. To guide and monitor the circularity transition for housing, a quantitative understanding of material stocks and flows is needed, together with insight into the potential impact that different circular options could have. This study begins by quantifying the material stocks and flows for residential buildings in the Netherlands in 2019, including material origins and waste treatment flows, by combining data from past studies into an accounting material flow analysis (MFA) model. The environmental impact of the 2019 material demand is also calculated. This quantification of the current state creates a baseline from which circularity and environmental performance for housing can be improved. Desk research is used to create an inventory of options for increasing circularity in the Dutch housing sector, including estimates of the potential and environmental impact of each as can be found in the literature. Modular construction is often mentioned as a circular option for housing due to its industrialized and demountable construction method, which allows for module, component, and material reuse and facilitates building repair, adaptability, and recycling. However, the impact that more modular construction would have on national material flows and circularity has not yet been quantified. Therefore, this study performs a dynamic MFA to investigate how the large-scale adoption of modular construction could influence the material flows for residential buildings in the Netherlands towards 2100. Primary data from two Dutch modular building companies was used as input for the model. The results illustrate that modular construction is an effective narrowing the loop strategy, capable of reducing material demand by 33% in 2030, 40% in 2050, and 60% in 2100, though its reusability benefits remain limited toward 2100 due to the long lifespan of buildings. Ultimately, this study concludes that modular construction, house splitting, transforming existing non-residential buildings into housing, and adding floors on top of existing buildings appear to be the most impactful options for reducing the material input required for residential buildings in the Netherlands and the associated environmental impact.

Aquacultures are rapidly increasing worldwide to meet the rising protein demand caused by population growth. However, commonly used fish feed products are known to harm the environment while depleting natural species. Various microbial protein forms are thus being investigated, such as those using hydrogen-oxidising bacteria, referred to as MP. This study investigates MP’s environmental performance over conventional feed products as overall
advantages and disadvantages remained unclear based on previous publications.

A four-phase explorative scenario framework for assessing novel technologies was used, further developed from recent studies. Based on a literature review of MP’s environmental performance, the ammonia and heat source used needed further evaluation. At the same time, previous studies displayed limitations related to CO2 allocation, continuous energy and nutrient supply, energy
grid stability, the readiness of the assessed technologies, the cost of production, and other influencing socio-economic factors. An attributional cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to determine an optimal system performance at a pilot-scale rooted in the literature findings. Subsequently, technical and socio-economic parameters were evaluated to influence MP’s progressive environmental performance.

Consequently, an ex-ante LCA compared MP production scenarios over time, differing in energy sources and production scales, against soybean meal (SBM). Even at high technical development, comparative results closely aligned, yet MP using geothermal energy showed a slight overall advantage over SBM after normalisation, in contrast to hydro and bioenergy displaying no real benefit. When oxygen (O2) was recycled, the former showed an overall
advantage over the incumbent at high production capacity. A total disadvantage would be expected for the latter, considering continuous H2 and NH3 supply. Further research should focus on integrating recycled phosphate, green H2 in the steel industry, differences in databases regarding water use for hydropower plants, and scenario analysis of the incumbent system. Besides these findings, the developed framework contributes toward the comparative assessment
of novel technologies against established ones.

Due to the growing share of renewable energy sources (RESs) to counter global warming and fossil fuel depletion, the energy sector is electrifying at an increasing pace. However, not all sectors can electrify fully or at an even speed. The industry sector for instance, is heavily reliant on fossil fuelled feedstocks. Power-to-X is named in literature to resolve that dependency. A practical example of the Power-to-X principle is the electrochemical synthesis of hydrogen. The Dutch government aims to have 500MW of electrolyzers capacity installed by 2025, and 8GW by 2030. However, currently there is 1MW of capacity installed. This thesis aimed to find the rationale behind the discrepancy between the reality and the set targets. In this thesis, the Technical Innovation System (TIS) is analysed in an effort to delineate what the impact of the innovation system is on the development of the technology.

With the use of a structural-functional analysis as proposed by Hekkert et al. (2011), an inductive research approach is taken, and the following research question is answered:

How do the systemic functions impact the implementation and development of electrochemical synthesizes of hydrogen in the Netherlands and how can this performance be improved?

The data is gathered via 13 expert interviews. The seven key processes are assessed. By doing so, the impact of the systemic functions is given. The resource mobilization scored a 2, the entrepreneurial activity, knowledge diffusion, guidance of the search, and market formation a score of 3, and knowledge development and creation of legitimacy a score of 4. In total, 36 systemic problems arose from the analysis. The systemic problems concentrate around the market uncertainty, lack or absence of institutional guidance and incentives, reluctant attitude of stakeholders, and insufficient resource availability. Systemic problems occurred in all system functions.

The relevance of the seven system functions is questioned in the context of sustainable technologies since this analysis showed the extremes housing within SF4. Additionally, the use of a label score and an analysis score delivered a method for decreasing the subjective influence of the researcher with the ability to indicate weights to an argument. Both add to existing innovation literature and could be considered by future TIS analysists. Furthermore, this analysis showed the impact the innovation system has on the development of the technology. This is in contrast with existing techno-economic research on the challenges for hydrogen electrolysis, whom reason from the perspective of the technology. Further research could include adoption theory, in which the preferences of consumers are added, whilst the TIS analysis would result in the current capabilities of the system to uphold to these preferences.

Environmental impacts of a sailing cruise voyage have not yet been assessed from a lifecycle perspective. Thus far, only conventional fuel-based cruise holidays are related to various environmental impacts and are known as an energy intensive form of tourism. International regulations are increasingly stringent on direct pollution and energy-use related impacts but exclude upstream and downstream externalities in sustainability targets for cruise tourism. Whether sailing cruise tourism can form a truly low-impact alternative to conventional (i.e. fuel-based) cruise tourism however, depends on a myriad of lifecycle interactions. Consequently, a manageable lifecycle approach is needed for estimating the distribution of direct and indirect impacts of a sailing cruise voyage. Furthermore, when sailing cruise operators wish to mitigate their environmental impacts, focal points of impact hotspots and alternatives need to be determined.
In this design-oriented research report the Seafaring Applied Impact Ladder (SAIL) is introduced. This framework makes use of fast track-LCA methodology for determining systemwide impact distribution and mitigation pathways for major impact contributors in sailing cruise lifecycle systems. By applying the SAIL to a case study sailing cruise voyage on board the Clipper Stad Amsterdam (CSA), insights in impact distribution and feasible impact reduction emerge.
The case study found that a passengers’ fuel related carbon footprint is greater for conventional cruises than for a sailing cruise on board the CSA. In the SAILs systemwide assessment however, fuel-related impacts remain the major culprit for all three included indicators. Food consumption and crew flights generate a considerable additional share of systemwide impacts. For fuel combustion and food consumption, technological substitution can result in feasible impact reduction, which is quantified in the fourth step of the case study.
The SAIL proves itself a useful and improvement focused approach for impact assessment in sailing cruise lifecycle systems. The presented procedures form a straightforward approach from which practical inferences for impact reduction follow. Further application of the framework in case studies will contribute to sustainable development in (sailing) cruises and broadens the scientific domain of impact assessment.

Emerging economies produce 70-90% of the world’s steel, cement, and chemicals, which are essential for development. However, performance indicators such as carbon intensity and energy use per GDP reveal that industrial development trends in emerging economies are not sustainable. The ideal of industrial development that sustains and improves environmental and social structures has resulted in several scientific disciplines, one of which is industrial symbiosis (IS). Imitating natural ecosystems, IS aims to benefit from geographic proximity in industrial clusters for waste recovery and exchange between traditionally separate industries. The formation of IS results in a more sustainable production system by improving the material and energy efficiency of the whole cluster.

Here, there is a need for a systematic approach that acknowledges the socio-technical complexity of clusters for IS implementation. This Ph.D. dissertation aimed to understand how industrial symbiosis (IS) shapes within the complex socio-technical structure of industrial clusters to improve their environmental and economic performance in the long term. The first requirement for IS emergence is the existence of technical and collaborative potential due to geographic proximity. Moreover, external factors also influence actors' behaviors in the cluster and, consequently, IS formation. Rules and regulations, on the one hand, and economic conditions, on the other hand, steer actors' decisions toward IS implementation. This research combines engineering, social science, and economic assessment methods to study IS emergence as a part of a (larger) system.

To this end, a stepwise approach was taken, starting with assessing the technical potential for IS in an emerging industrial cluster (Chapter 2). We then studied the structure of previous collaborations in the cluster by analyzing regional and national institutions governing actors' behavior (Chapter 3). After assessing IS emergence's technical, collaborative, and institutional aspects, these aspects were incorporated with financial requirements in a MILP optimization model to study system behavior as a whole (Chapter 4). We investigated the formation of IS collaboration under different external conditions and evaluated the contribution of formed IS collaborations to cluster performance improvement. The research further examined the interplay between IS and carbon capture and storage toward a more sustainable cluster development (Chapter 5).

To examine the feasibility and functionality of the proposed methods, we used the “Persian Gulf mines and metals special economic zone” (PGSEZ), an iron and steel-based cluster in Iran, as a real case study. The steel industry is critical for economic modernization and one of the most energy-intensive and polluting industries. 23% of final energy demand and 28% of direct CO2 emissions in the industrial sector belong to iron and steel production. This dissertation extends our understanding of the formation of IS as an integrated component of industrial clusters through several conceptual and methodological contribution, while the case study contributes to filling the gap in regional IS studies in developing oil-rich countries, where governing institutional and economic conditions are different from developed economies.

The European Commission aims for a full circular economy (CE), an economy that aims to reuse all resources in 2050. CE is a promising way to increase welfare and wellbeing while decreasing environmental footprints. Industrial symbiosis, in which companies exchange residuals for resource efficiency, is essential to the circular transition. However, many companies are hesitant to implement business models for industrial symbiosis because of the various roles, stakes, opinions, and resulting uncertainties for business continuity.
This dissertation supports researchers, professionals, and students in understanding and shaping circular business models for industrial symbiosis networks through collaborative modelling and simulation methods. Three theoretical perspectives, design science research, complex adaptive socio-technical systems, and circular business model innovation, shed light on designing business models for industrial symbiosis. A serious game and agent-based models were developed in multiple case studies with researchers, practitioners, and students. These were then used to design circular business models and explore their efficacy under uncertain conditions, such as various behavioural intentions of potential partners in diverse natural and societal contexts.
This thesis advances business model design and experimentation by integrated simulation of social and technical aspects of industrial symbiosis. Furthermore, the research shows how simulations facilitate learning processes in designing circular business models. Ultimately, the thesis equips researchers, practitioners, and students with knowledge, tools, and methods to shape a circular economy.

This report provides suggestions to improve the sustainability of the waste management of the Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HVA), a higher educational institute located in Amsterdam. The HVA as an institute has an outspoken ambition to improve their waste management with a focus on sustainability. They previously asked several student groups to research specific elements of sustainability within their waste management. This report however, will approach the waste management as a whole and will shed light on what is important to successfully improve their waste management considering all its aspects. The report starts off with a literature review which explains the holistic nature of waste management dilemmas. The literature also shows that the success of sustainable waste management largely depends on the willingness of all involved parties to comply. Therefore, it is important to first create an in-depth understanding of the organizational structure behind the waste management, to ensure all individual management bodies within the organizational structure are on the same page. This is also reflected in the explained mythological approach and the formulation of the research questions. Following the re- search questions, first the organizational structure of the HVAs waste management will be evaluated with a series of interviews and a survey. The interviewees were chosen based on their close involvement with a specific management body within the organizational structure. After the waste management as an organization is established, the waste streams within the HVA are estimated. For a holistic understanding of the waste streams an estimation on the quantity, quality, and composition of all the waste that comes through the HVA is determined. The estimations were made by using data that was made available by the HVAs current waste disposal partner RENEWI, and where later confirmed by verifying them with comparable data sets. Additionally the material based waste streams were evaluated on their environmental impacts, when disposed of on different levels in the waste Hierarchy. With the full understanding of the waste itself and the organization, potential improvement areas are determined. To find fitting solutions the literature on waste managements of higher educational institutes around the world were looked at and experts where approached for in-depth interviews. The results once again emphasized the importance of a holistic approach, pointing out that the success of a sustainable waste management can be significantly harmed by a single unwilling or unknowing actor. It is therefore suggested to involve the students as much as possible, to establish a continuous spread of awareness. Another result is the importance of knowledge on the waste, this can be achieved by better regulating the purchases and drawing information from them. As well as performing waste audits to determine the outflow waste. Putting these two data sets next to each other can uncover preventable problems.