- June 20, 2022 |
- Reading Time 3 minutes
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About CIRCONNECT
Knowledge institutions, industry associations, the design sector, regional accelerators and government organisations are joining forces in the new knowledge platform CIRCONNECT. They will make existing knowledge and experience in the field of circular design widely accessible and develop new knowledge together.
Increasing scarcity of raw materials and growing challenges around waste, nitrogen and CO2 emissions make the transition to a circular economy urgent. A circular economy is all about preserving value. To achieve this, products - from telephones to viaducts - need to be designed in a circular way from the outset. This way they can be easily shared, reused, repaired, remanufactured or ultimately recycled.
CIRCONNECT: Inspiring, connecting and catalysing
On Tuesday 29 March 2022, fifteen parties came together for the official launch of CIRCONNECT. TU Delft / Industrial Design Engineering, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Rijkswaterstaat, TNO, the Dutch Designers' Association, CBM, Midpoint Brabant, the Sustainable Packaging Knowledge Institute, the NRK Federation, Versnellingshuis Nederland Circulair, Oost NL, NICE, the Province of Overijssel and CIRCO all underlined the ambition of CIRCONNECT:
We join forces to continuously share, enrich and actively distribute our collective knowledge of circular design. With this knowledge, companies and designers can redesign their products and business models. Government and research institutions will also be fed by this to optimise the preconditions for the transition.
To realise this ambition, by 2022 the parties will develop an online platform, knowledge events and various other knowledge propositions. The knowledge will be tailored to specific sectors and target groups. The fifteen participating parties are now taking the lead in developing CIRCONNECT as an inspiring, connecting and catalysing hub in a network of cooperating organisations.
Circular design as a motor for raw materials transition
By 2050, the Dutch economy must have transformed from the current linear model to a sustainable circular system. In a circular economy, products retain their value longer and raw materials are reused again and again. Circular design is the driving force behind this. After all, a large part of the environmental impact of an end product is already determined in the design phase. A sustainable economy is only created by thinking about value retention and the recovery of raw materials during the design phase.
In recent years, much research and experience has been gained with circular design strategies and business models. In order to be fully circular by 2050, it is essential that this knowledge and experience be available to a wide audience. CIRCONNECT brings together experiences from various disciplines to make them accessible to designers, entrepreneurs, policy makers, research and education.
A major challenge for CIRCONNECT is to bring knowledge from all these partners to designers and companies in an accessible way. There are a lot of thick reports and generally people don't feel like reading them. We tell them: this is what the report says and if you are working on this subject then that is what is useful to have.
Pieter van Os CIRCO program manager
CIRCONNECT is an important initiative. It is time to start sharing knowledge and experience gained about circular design widely. Knowledge that the creative industry can use in the development of circular business models. And from which all sectors and stakeholders can benefit.
Bart Ahsmann Director TKI CLICKNL
The circular plastics chain is the spearhead for us in the coming years. Designers play a major role in this because they determine whether or not a product is circular. The right knowledge, tools and connections are crucial and CIRCONNECT provides the platform for that. Our companies have extensive experience in chain collaboration and are happy to share their knowledge to work with designers to realize the circular plastics chain.
Martin van Dord Innovation coach NRK and ChemistryNL
When it comes to circular design, the BNO feels an enormous responsibility. That is why we cooperated wholeheartedly in the establishment of CIRCONNECT and continue to dedicate ourselves to the subject and the platform. By combining knowledge and forces, by informing and stimulating designers, and by constantly being attentive to new insights and developments.
Madeleine van Lennep Director of BNO
Up to date
Read the latest CIRCONNECT news here.
CIRCONNECT launches tool for companies to calculate their own environmental impact
Knowledge platform Circular Design launched
- March 31, 2022 |.
- Reading time 2 minutes
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