Advances in Circular Economy: Bridging Research and Practice

This open access book brings together contributions on circular economy innovation, focusing on sustainability, waste management, circular design, and business models. Through case studies, technological advances, and conceptual frameworks, the book offers a broad, interdisciplinary overview of contemporary circular economy research and practice, with contributions that highlight wider applicability.

Authors address practical, cross cutting themes: building reuse ecosystems, plastic waste management, lifecycle assessments and material innovation, circular practices in construction and fashion, recycling and wastewater treatment technologies, and policies and business models for circular startups aligned with the SDGs. Implementation strategies for SMEs, tourism and rural contexts, and sustainable crowdfunding initiatives are also covered.

Designed to stimulate dialogue and speed adoption, this volume is a concise, actionable resource for academics, practitioners, policymakers, and industry leaders seeking solutions and best practices for implementing circular economy principles.

André Podleisek is Professor for Sustainability and Quality in Industry at OST – Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences in the IPEK Institute of Product Development, Industrial Engineering and Product Lifecycle Management. His research focuses on realizing net zero and circular business models and on respecting human rights in value chains of industrial companies. He works with businesses to help them generate sustainable revenue through responsible business models, products with lower environmental impact, and transparent reporting. Mr. Podleisek studied environmental engineering at BTU Cottbus (Germany) with majors in circular product design, environmental management and quality management. From 2003 to 2021 he held various sustainability-related positions in leading multinational companies before he became appointed professor at OST in 2021. In 2022, he took over the additional role of the university’s Sustainability Officer.

Dr. Maria Franco is currently Tenure-Track Professor of Circular Economy in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management (Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology) at the Bern University of Applied Sciences in Biel. She has industry experience in management and System Dynamics consulting, as well as in business development in Latin America and Asia. She holds a PhD in Management Science from the University of Zurich [with complementary training at ETH, NECSI/MIT and the University of Cambridge] and a joint master’s degree in system dynamics and business administration from the University of Bergen, Radboud University Nijmegen, and Università degli Studi di Palermo. Dr. Franco is currently involved in teaching both at the bachelor and master level at the BFH. Her current research focuses on social and environmental circularity assessment at the product, value chain, and systems level by means of methodologies such as lifecycle assessment (LCA), Scopes 1,2,3 from the GHG Protocol, and System Dynamics simulation. 

Dr. Daniel Kliem is a researcher with a passion for sustainability transitions, where he takes a pragmatic system-thinking approach to address real-world challenges. In his role as a Scientist at the University of Applied Science of Eastern Switzerland OST, Institute of Modeling and Simulation, he applies System Dynamics to problems in decarbonization strategies, supply chain management, circular economy, and agriculture. He holds a Ph.D. in System Dynamics from the University of Bergen, with a thesis focused on “System Dynamics in Transition Management” and a Master of Science in Sustainability & Business from the University of Leeds.

Emanuele Carpanzano is the director of Research, Development, and Knowledge Transfer at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI). Before joining SUPSI, he worked for Politecnico di Milano, the National Research Council of Italy and the University of Bergamo. He holds a Ph.D. in Control Systems from Politecnico di Milano and is a full professor of industrial production engineering at SUPSI. He is active in different federal and international associations and institutions dedicated to education, research, and innovation programs and initiatives. His research interests are focused on industrial control systems, as well as on the digitalization of production systems and value chains. He is an author of more than 140 scientific papers, as well as of different industrial patents, in his applied research fields.