Sustainability Innovations
From start-up to scaled innovation, what are the solutions that are a promise for tomorrow?
Vision Update July 2023
The Road to Net Zero
Introduction
Changing mindset
The Covid-19 pandemic has turned many people into more ethical and environmentally conscious consumers. It has refocused priorities and exposed the fragility of our food production systems and our supply chains. Climate change and the environment are concerning, especially for the younger generation. Many young people share the worries and concerns of the activists in the youth climate movement, they care deeply about the environment and are rightly holding those in power to account for their poor stewardship of the planet.
Looking forward to COP26
The UN climate change conference in November 2021 in Glasgow is an important event for the global fight against climate change. As many countries look to rebuild their economies in the wake of the pandemic, there has been a significant emphasis on ‘building back better’ through a green recovery. COP26 can be seen as the successor to COP21, where the Paris Agreement was signed.
The decade of action
On average, global air temperatures near Earth’s surface have gone up about 0.8 degrees Celsius since 1880. The past five years have been the warmest five years in centuries. We are in momentum to lay the groundwork for a transformative decade of climate action in the 2020s to protect people and the planet and to pass on a healthier planet to future generations. In this report, we explore sustainability innovations, from start-up to scaled innovation; what are the solutions that are a promise for tomorrow?
Roadmap to 2050
Sustainability has become a priority for governments and businesses in response to global warming; concrete roadmaps with 2025, 2030, 2040 and 2050 are made. The goal is to be climate-positive in 2050; this demands climate policies through innovation, investment and social compensation. Strategies should include protecting and restoring natural ecosystems and investments in vulnerable communities to help them adapt to the changing world. When people up to create joint value, change can accelerate.
Download the PDF version here
1/ Circularity
Housing, mobility and nutrition
The circular economy can reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and play a vital role in preventing climate degradation. The areas where circular strategies can have the most impact are housing, mobility and food. Innovations in building and using homes, commercial and industrial buildings can deliver half of these savings. Clean transportation technologies, reducing meat consumption, eating local food and avoiding food waste is accountable for the other half of the savings.
Local inner circles
The local inner circles of the circular economy tackle issues such as maintenance, repair and reuse. Local processes bring both environmental benefits and economic value creation by extending the life of products and adding value to the local economy. A circular system connects people who want to recycle with manufacturers and companies that recycle their products, creating a recycling-based society involving many people. A community is a pillar for a stronger culture of sharing in fragmented urban environments. Recreate community life across generations, to reconnect and relearn cultural traditions.
The circular economy
There is a broad consensus that our current linear system puts too much pressure on natural ecosystems. The circular economy decouples growth from the consumption of finite resources. We are beginning to understand that throwing away our products at the end of their use is value destruction. In a circular economy, materials and components are recovered from residual flows and reused at their original value, closing the cycles of the used raw materials. Companies and designers need to rethink their business and product portfolios, prioritising regenerative resources. Circular strategies that drastically reduce the number of minerals, fossil fuels, metals and biomass consumed by the world’s economy.
Inspired by the natural world
Inspiration can be found around us in the natural world where everything, even after its life, becomes a source for something else. The natural world is the perfect circular economy where everything, even after its life, becomes a resource for something else. Solutions inspired by how nature works are hopeful, good for our economy, the planet and society.
Building construction is responsible for 40 per cent of CO2 emissions globally. BC Materials recovers surplus earth mass from construction sites and transforms it into construction materials. Read more here
Home appliances-as-a-service to promote reuse, repair and extended lifecycles by refurbishing or repairing. BlueMovement’s business model makes sustainable home appliances more affordable. Read more here
BRING by JEPLAN collects used garments in stores, recycles polyester and cotton and sells the recycled materials back to its partners. Read more here
The sustainable natural material company Spinnova and KT Trading created Respin, a new circular textile made using leather waste, a new category of sustainable and circular fabrics. Read more here
Niaga️-tagged products are recyclable; scan the QR code to see how to bring it back to close the loop. DSM-Niaga has also created the NeverEnding Kitchen together with Triboo. Read more here
Queen of Raw is a global marketplace that sells deadstock to brands. They use AI and blockchain tracking software which identifies the source of the waste. Fabric is sold through the B2B marketplace to ensure it is used. Read more here
2/ Stretch the Lifetime
Right to repair
The Right to Repair movement is on the rise, particularly in Europe. Currently, 90% of all goods are thrown away after use. Design where everything is reusable and nothing goes to waste or needs to be recycled is a design challenge. Products designed to be modified, upgraded and disassembled can be efficiently recycled when parts reach the end of life. Repair support can allow people to understand the materials and engage with the product personally. When everything can be taken apart without losing any value, the strain on the ecosystem is minimal.
Simplify
Being smart in design means simplifying the design and the number of materials used. The fewer parts you use, the fewer parts there are to take apart. Common and similar fasteners that require only a few standard tools will help to simplify and speed disassembly. Also, consider connection details such as screws, avoid binders, sealers, adhesives or welding, which would make the material challenging to separate and recycle.
Waste as a resource
It is estimated that 75% of all waste can currently be recycled, but only 30% gets recycled, and of plastics, only 9% of all plastic is recycled. Global e-waste has become to be the fastest growing waste stream in the world. Circular processes encourage the development of new regulations around the waste. With new incentives in place, much of our future waste will be used to develop new products and materials.
Closed-loop
To stretch the lifetime of a product we need to get as close as possible to an infinite loop of resources. Reuse, remanufacturing and recycling keep products, parts and materials circulating in the economy. While resources are in use, maintain, repair and upgrade them to maximise their lifetime and give them an infinite life through taking back strategies. We are moving towards a society where recycling the products we use becomes common sense.
Ownership
Exploring new business models based on rent, resell and repurpose can reduce resource consumption. Instead of owning a product, we will hold the material. Future products will have the option to give the product back to the company, and after use, 100% of the material remains in the loop and reappears as a new product.
Lighting company Signify is 3D printing lighting fixtures on an industrial scale. Printing luminaires from recyclable polycarbonate is flexible, tailored and requires less energy. The lamps are designed to be taken apart quickly, so the elements can be sorted and recycled. Read more here
The Plastic Museum in Madrid is designed to show the vital role that plastics play in society and their unique reuse and recycling characteristics on the road to a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. Read more here
South Korean designer Jinyeong Yeon uses padded goose down jackets, which remained unsold by fashion brands and manufacturers, as upholstery for his series of puffy chairs. See more here
Denim brand Isko and textile research and development company HKRITA have signed a licensing agreement for HKRITA’s award-winning Green Machine. This technology entirely separates and recycles cotton and polyester (PET) blends at scale. Read more here
Electrolux’s “2-Infinity” prototype vacuum cleaner in partnership with Stena Recycling is close to being fully recyclable; 90% can be recycled compared to around 75% for a regular vacuum cleaner on the market. Read more here
The North Face RENEWED by RÆBURN consists of 11 unisex garments and accessories. The project breathes new life into old The North Face products, reimagining unsold stock into coveted new pieces to keep material in circulation. See more here
3/ Counting Carbon
Zero-carbon design process
Efforts to tackle the climate crisis have mainly focused on a transition to renewable energy and energy efficiency. However, the production of the objects we use every day has an impact on the climate. Designers need to consider the carbon impact of what they make; every design decision has CO2 consequences. Material production, transport, water consumption and waste flows have the most impact. Data can be converted into CO2-equivalent data to get a picture of the effects. Once the impact data is clear, decisions can be made to reduce a product’s environmental impact.
Carbon negative
Innovation is needed to remove the tons of carbon we have pumped into the atmosphere. Carbon negative means that a building or product absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits during its lifetime. Retaining carbon removed from the atmosphere in buildings and products is an important way to tackle climate change. This can be done by directly using plant material such as wood, cork, hemp and algae that has captured atmospheric carbon through photosynthesis.
.
Decarbonization
Our current system based on fossil fuels has undermined our health, depleted our natural resources, destroyed plant and animal species and warmed the planet. To leave the next generation a healthy planet, good jobs and growth that does not harm nature, we need to move towards a carbon-free global economy in the longer term. Renewables could displace fossil fuels to power the world by 2050. If wind and solar power continued on their current growth trajectory, they can replace fossil fuels out of the electricity sector by the mid-2030s.
Carbon price
Climate change experts agree that a carbon price could help reduce emissions from global warming. A carbon price aims to assign an actual monetary value to CO2 emissions; polluters are charged for every tonne of CO2 emissions they dump into the air. In this way, the costs of climate impacts and the potential for low-carbon alternatives can become visible in production and consumption choices. Without a carbon price, those with the fewest emissions will experience climate change’s most significant impact and costs. A carbon price means that those who cause the emissions take the responsibility for it. Scaled-up carbon taxation will generate revenues that can be reinvested to drive innovation, economic growth and investment in clean technologies.
Azgard9 and Post Carbon Lab developed the CO2AT. The hoodie is a living being; it is treated with microbial photosynthetic microorganisms. As a result, it behaves like a plant, taking in carbon dioxide and turn it into glucose and oxygen. Read more here
Orca is the name of Climeworks’ new direct air capture and storage plant in Iceland. It combines Climeworks’ direct air capture technology with the underground storage of carbon dioxide provided by Carbfix. Read more here
Consumer products can benefit from recycled carbon dioxide at the object, system, and materials level. 10XBeta created a sneaker that is among the first applications of captured carbon dioxide in consumer goods. Read more here
Swedish fintech company Doconomy has launched a credit card that tracks the carbon dioxide emissions of purchases and caps the climate impact of users’ spending. Read more here
The Harnessing Plants Initiative at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies creates genetically modified crops that target climate change. They hope to develop next-generation plants optimized to combat climate change. Read more here
Made of Air is a biochar-based, carbon-negative building material made of 90 per cent atmospheric carbon dioxide. Read more here
4/ Reduction
Emotionally durable design
Researchers determined that the most sustainable way to consume products is to buy fewer items and use and wear them as long as possible. Products with a long lifespan do not always have to be about robust and indestructible objects. Being attached to a product has a value that transcends its basic use-value. Also, fragile products can last a long time because we want to take care of them. Allowing your audience to customise their product through minimal repair adds to the emotional durability. Build resilience into the relationships between users and products by designing those things people want to keep for a lifetime.
Attachment
Beautifully made products can become a symbol of our existence and are often the basis for the human stories around them. Attachment to an object can be about the life experiences where the product was being part of. Respect for and connection with the maker can make you want to keep an item. There is something positive about longevity and being attached to material things.
.
Happiness and value
In addition to circular materials, reusing waste and recycle plastic, the relation between carbon-intensive consumption and human wellbeing should be explored. Material things bring only temporary happiness. Research shows that time and happiness are closely related; having enough time to do the important things is about as strongly associated with happiness as financial prosperity. Anything that frees up some time will increase satisfaction. In addition, the natural environment is essential for our happiness, something we have experienced during the pandemic. People’s happiness relates to the quality of the natural environment around them.
Principles as foundation
The days of fast fashion lie behind us; longer-lasting products demand seasonless approaches and collections with highly curated edits of limited styles. Second-hand shopping is popular, as people search for more unique pieces and guilt-free shopping with an individual expression. Values and principles serve as a foundation for all that you do. Reuse and reduce as much as possible and design so that the product can have a longer life through repair or renovation. Try to extend the life of your product by making it reusable and ultimately repairable.
Ivana Steiner’s Zero Waste Kitchen is designed with a place for everything except packaging and plastic. Everything is stored in jars; the kitchen has a built-in herb garden and worm composter. Read more here
Designed by Tobias Trübenbacher, the Papilio street lamp reduces light pollution and ecological footprint by generating electricity with an integrated wind rotor. Climate change and urban density contribute to the intensity of wind in the surroundings. Read more here
This paper refill by Forgor makes a whole bottle of hand wash by eliminating the plastic bottle and replacing it with a paper bag and a glass bottle. Just add water. Read more here
DZHUS has created a multi-purpose collection to minimise shopping and diversify the wardrobe. The garments can be modified into bags. See more here
The Peg (Parts Excluding Glue) Chair by Paul Loebach is a chair that slots together without glue or screws to make it disassembled easy and ship the chairs as compact and efficient as possible. See more here
Beauty brand Credo is cutting out single-use plastics and has introduced a reusable sample jar called REJAR, created from upcycled green tea fibers. Read more here
5/ Adapting
Thinking long- and short-term
The concept of time has changed. Rapid economic and ecological transformations force us to adapt to two timelines: a long-term recovery plan for the planet, and re-adjusting yearly goals after the impact of the pandemic. The perception of the future has shifted to one necessary of drastic change. New systems within society will take time to implement and adjust to. Consideration for small actions is just as important as a lifetime of change.
Data-driven
Adapting also means collaborating with technology. An urban living will be intertwined and built on the existence of data. Public services will allow us to connect, not only with each other but with the things we wear and use. Integrating ourselves regularly into statistics and data will snap our awareness towards the impact of production. Information is freely available and embraces the action of global monitoring from all citizens.
.
Innovative evolution
We are now at a pivotal moment, there is an opportunity for design to be experimental and transformative. New ways of (remote) working, transport, and energy harvesting will emerge to comply with climate targets. New materials are being Frankenstein-ed and tested for real scale implementation. The vision of a future utopia is green. It calls for everyone to get involved and reinvent what we do.
Green revolution
To adjust to the changing environment, lifestyle has become modular and buildings are able to be deconstructed. The Forest Strategy from the European Commission prioritises the development of the bio-economy and valuing the service of forests alongside our society. Urban space will be adjusted for plant growth. The rewilding movement has already sprung back into action. People are ready to let nature take reclaim spaces and dictate the restoration of biodiversity.
Powerhouse company designed a sustainable, floating, all-timber office in Rotterdam that is energy-neutral and self-sufficient. The water is used to cool the building and the roof as a prominent energy source. Read more here
The “15-minute city” is an approach to urban design that aims to improve quality of life by creating cities where everything a resident needs can be reached within 15 minutes by foot, bike or public transit. Read more here
The Cerro Dominador solar thermal power plant has a capacity of 110 MW and is the first of its kind built in Latin America. The project is part of Chile’s national renewable energy program. Read more here
The PANGAIA x AIR-INK® capsule turns air pollution into water-based black ink used to print the logo and text blocks. Read more here
Citroën’s Ami electric vehicle is getting a new van model for urban delivery drivers. The French carmaker made the extra space by replacing the passenger seat with a modular box that can hold over 140 kilos of goods. Read more here
Design student Eliza Hague has created a concept for inflatable greenhouses made from shellac-coated bamboo paper to help residents of Jaipur, India, grow their food. Read more here
6/ Alternatives
Renewable materials
Materials can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions if they are obtained from renewable sources and have a minimal environmental impact during their production and recycling. Wood is naturally renewable when grown sustainably. Trees digest carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, sustainable cultivation plays an essential role in the ecosystem and protects the planet from rising temperatures. Other sustainable materials are bamboo, cork, wool and hemp. Aluminium has a life cycle that few other materials can match. The metal can be recycled repeatedly, requiring a fraction of the energy used to produce virgin metal.
Bio-based materials
Bio-based alternative materials are the next frontier for materials. Biopolymers derived from bio-based materials (bio-based biopolymers) can be produced by biological systems (microorganisms, plants, and animals), or chemically synthesized from biological starting materials ( like sugar, corn and starch). Biobased plastics come from renewable biomass, meaning plants. Bio-based materials are organic and can contribute to positive human health impacts in the built environment.
.
Knowledge is crucial
For developing climate-neutral products, knowledge about production processes and materials is crucial. To know where the material comes from, where the raw material ingredients come from, who made it, does it last, what is the impact when the product is thrown away, and if it can be recycled. A million questions need in-depth study to verify and check. Facts need to be correct and compared, and what effects will the alternative have on the environment. Is it actually better when for instance, it is less durable? Climate lessons are needed in education, education can help people to make informed decisions.
Start with the materials
In climate-oriented design, we look at the total emissions of greenhouse gases over the product’s life, including the emissions and CO2 footprint of the materials. Starting with materials is the key to sustainable products. Biodynamic farming is an essential step in this direction. Through biodynamic farming, materials can be grown in a regenerative way. Natural materials take time to grow. Therefore, the product’s timelines need to be adjusted to support sustainable development and leave room for recovery. The conscious use of materials and resources in combination with good design summarizes the basis of sustainable products.
VAUDE is taking a step into the post-fossil age with its Skarvan Biobased Pants made of biobased polyamide PA 6.10. The yarn used consists of 62 % castor oil and was developed together with the polymer specialist Evonik. Read more here
Hemp is one of the best CO2-to-biomass converters; it can capture atmospheric carbon twice as effectively as forests while providing carbon-negative biomaterials for architects and designers. Read more here
Bottles and containers made from sustainably sourced formed fibre pulp by Stora Enso and Pulpex could significantly lower carbon footprint than glass or PET. Read more here
The recycled plastic brick of Lego is an eco alternative for their current plastic material; it has a 70 per cent carbon reduction compared to the virgin ABS material brick. Read more here
In the exhibition Building Productions, Zach Cohen proposes an alternative future for architectural labour. Cohen critiques automated production and requests architects to conduct digital fabrication processes alongside the imperfections of materials. See more here
Designer Bonnie Hvillum’s Natural Material Studio has created conceptual ceramics from clay made out of powdered seashells from Denmark’s Noma restaurant. See more here
7/ Communication and Collaboration
Guidance
Think and act on an interpersonal level as a citizen. More people want to take action and cut their carbon footprint but are unsure how to proceed. While governments change policies and technologies develop, behaviours have a real impact. The shift to virtue-based brands is evident by sustainably sourced goods, plant-based foods, and repurposed products. Employees want to work with environmentally conscious companies, and companies are responding. Today, nearly 3,500 Certified B Corporations exist globally, double the volume from three years ago.
Data
The proof is in the data. Consumers want to know the impact of the production, down to the 0.0001 difference. Materials not only support the cause, but the numbers will truly show how effective it is, and a clear marker to separate from greenwashing labels. It is the evidence that compels and convinces. Exposing the truth behind the face of the brand will bridge trust between the consumer and the brand for a long-lasting relationship.
.
Engage
The consumer plays an essential role in the shift towards the circular economy. Transparency creates an honest relationship with the customer. Be approachable and easy to understand, invite the customer to participate in the change you are making and show all progress and efforts. Reveal the process from raw material to the final product. Services, online and offline, can help your audience to understand the product more. Don’t be afraid to tell what decisions are made and what you are still trying to do. Allow the space for a conversation about how you can improve for the future.
Price
There is a shift in consumer expectations for companies to show progress and conviction in areas that require significant sustainable innovation. People are willing to pay a higher price for products that have a positive social and environmental impact. The revenue for sustainable products grow six times the rate of others, and by 2025 it is anticipated that consumers will consistently prefer products and services that are less damaging for the environment, human health, and society. Explain the price through your materials and technology.
Provenance’s app allows users to scan a garment’s QR code and see the farmers, millers, and producers involved in its production. A Transparent Company is setting out to encourage fashion brands to adopt blockchain technology to become more transparent. See more here
Dutch e-bike brand VanMoof collaborated with illustrator Jim Stoten to create a short animation that celebrates the positive impact of cycling. It nods to the boom of sales from VanMoof’s e-bikes in 2020. Read and watch the animation here
Globalance Bank initiated Globalance World, a digital platform that visualises the positive impact investors can have on the financial flow. The data visualised included climate impact, carbon footprint, future trends and financial return. See more here
The Butterfly Bridge is an augmented reality video game that encourages players to improve the biodiversity of urban spaces. By moving through various levels of the game, players also become representatives of butterfly species on the UK red list. See more here
My Voice is Green (Mijn Stem is Groen) is an online climate campaign for children, giving a voice to those who are unable to vote. It uses a web-based app with the ability to record their voice and transform themselves into an editable avatar, which joins a virtual demonstration in song. See more here
With Nike By You, you can customize Nike shoes and let your imagination run wild. A sneaker can be customized, manufactured, and shipped within two weeks. See more here
Conclusion
The emotional part of the design
Creativity is needed for designing products that truly resonate with people so that they never want to throw their items away. The emotional part of the design and the story behind the product matter. When people know about the background and the makers, they might keep a product longer. When products become a personal collection, they become investments. Engage and collaborate with people, get them involved in cocreation, involve young people via technology, tell your story.
The future is green
A vision for the future is green and concerns the restoration of nature and bringing back nature in cities. The impact of plastic is clear to all; plastic is ultra-strong and so well-performing that it never leaves the Earth. We will have to get used to other materials that are regenerative and bio-based.
.
Transformative decade
This report is about the roadmap to zero; this decade needs to become a transformative decade of climate action. Change is necessary on many levels, and a roadmap for setting goals can clarify the strategy for all people involved. Global warming closely relates with human survival, the change that is needed is not just about how we create renewable energy, circular products and eat vegan diets; it is a change of lifestyle with new priorities. All that we make has an impact on the Earth, and calculating the carbon price of our products is an approach to lower impact during the design stage. Polluters need to take responsibility for what they take from the Earth as raw materials and their emissions. The process against Shell in The Netherlands is an example of increased urgency.
Learn from nature
We can learn a lot from nature, where everything is used and reused. A new view on products is evolving with the priority on endless use. Innovation in materials and production processes is needed focused on infinite loops where materials are used and used again without losing any of their quality. For that, better recycling possibilities to keep the same quality and innovations in sorting and collecting waste are necessary. New business models are also evolving, based on renting, repairing, reselling, repurposing. Young people take the lead in this change of lifestyle.
Download the PDF version here
If you want to have more information about the roadmap to zero, how to create a timeline, or about material innovations, please contact us at info@oltmansvanniekerk.nl