Maximizing Products’ Sustainability Performance and Circularity with Digitalization – Part 1/3

To support the ambitious Circular Economy Action Plan adopted by the European Union, the Austria-based Christian Doppler Laboratory for Sustainable Product Management enabling a Circular Economy acts as a creative space for developing and conducting research in Sustainable Product Management, the results of which will support the transition toward a Circular Economy.

The goal of this research laboratory is to support companies with new and improved methods and frameworks in order to maximize the sustainability performance and circularity of their products and services. The research team aims to conduct basic research in the fields of sustainability sciences and social sciences (interdisciplinary research approach) in order to

• operationalize the concepts of Sustainable Development and Circular Economy on the corporate and product level,
• use the full potential of digitalization for Sustainable Product Management, and
• understand decision-making processes in companies and in supply networks as basis of a lifecycle-wide implementation of Sustainable Product Management.

As a result of the research work, methods and concepts are developed for the collection of environmental and social data on products and services from the supply chain, the use phase and the end-of-life phase. These data will be used for the social and ecological evaluation and design of products and services, as well as for further applications (e.g., reporting, compliance management).

Unique project setting

In Christian Doppler Laboratories, application-oriented basic research is pursued at a high level, and expert scientists cooperate with innovative companies. The Christian Doppler Research Association is an international best practice example for promoting this collaboration. The Laboratories are financed jointly by the public purse and the participating companies. The most important public sponsor is the Austrian Federal Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs.

The CD-Lab for Sustainable Product Management enabling a Circular Economy started in November 2018 and is currently the only CD-Laboratory at the University of Graz. The application-oriented research is nurtured by a continuous exchange and close collaboration with three innovative industry partners – iPoint, AVL, and ARA. The official opening took place in April 2019 in the Meerscheinschlössl in Graz with eminent guests from research and practice. The video of the opening talks and the international scientific symposium can be accessed here.

Head of the Laboratory: Prof. Dr. Rupert Baumgartner

Project team:

Magdalena Rusch, BA MSc,

Josef Peter Schoeggl, PhD

Lukas Stumpf, BA MSc,

Tanja Untergrabner

Duration: 2018 – 2025

Website: https://circular.uni-graz.at/en/

Learn more about iPoint’s Digital Circular Economy approach here: https://www.ipoint-systems.com/digital-circular-economy/

About the Christian Doppler Laboratory for Sustainable Product Management

More and more consumers are interested in how sustainably the products they want to purchase are produced. Accordingly, companies are striving to ensure that their products and services meet this demand. In order to help companies, the Christian Doppler Laboratory for Sustainable Product Management enabling a Circular Economy, together with iPoint and other innovative industry and scientific partners, conducts application-oriented research to create the scientific basis for sustainability assessments and support the transition toward a circular economy. In this three-part series, Prof. Dr. Rupert Baumgartner, Head of the Laboratory, and BA MSc Magdalena Rush from the project team, will introduce the project, its research outputs, and the partner ecosystem.