Open Access Journals at Aalborg University
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Towards an integrative approach for ecodesign principles and sustainable material selection: A systematic literature review to explore scholarly contributions at the intersection of materials, sustainable design and household appliances
Get PDFThrough a systematic literature review the scholarly contributions at the intersection of ecodesign, sustainable material selection, and the household appliance sector are explored. A comprehensive search was conducted on the Scopus database, yielding 181 initial results, which were narrowed down to 52 relevant documents for in-depth analysis. Notably, the review revealed a growing research interest in these areas, particularly since 2015, reflecting broader industry trends towards circular and sustainable production models. Key findings include the identification of eco-innovation drivers, approaches for sustainable product design and assessment, and the importance of validating research outcomes through real-world case studies. The analysis also pointed out an evolution in sustainable design strategies and material selection focus, shifting from sole materials recycling towards durability, repair and life-extension. Some overarching themes emerged across the reviewed documents, including the application of Life-Cycle-Thinking approaches together with LCA-based methods and a general push to foster the implementation of ecodesign strategies in early design phases to maximize their effectiveness. The review also allowed to identify and visualize a network of scholars focused on appliance-related research works. A significant finding is the relative scarcity of research that effectively aim at integrating ecodesign and material selection specifically for the appliance industry
Sense of Order: The Effects of Machine Aesthetic on Biomaterials Favourability
Get PDFDesigners are increasingly creating materials from renewable and recycled sources to support a circular economy, aiming to mitigate the adverse effects of linear production and consumption. These materials are considered sustainable alternatives to non-renewable materials, such as fossil fuel-based plastics. While users may be drawn to the sustainability narrative and "biography" of such materials, the highly natural appearance of biomaterials can sometimes evoke unappealing user responses. This study examines how "machine aesthetics"—visible signs of production like graphical embossment and engraving—impact user perceptions of biomaterials. The research explores how surface alterations influence emotional responses and underlying appraisals by comparing reactions to biomaterial samples with a high degree of naturalness against those with embossed and engraved surfaces. Findings reveal that machine aesthetics evoke a sense of order, contributing to favourable responses and minimising other negative evaluations of the material aspects. Although users value biomaterials for their natural origins, structured human-imposed aesthetics satisfy a desire for aesthetic coherence and control. This finding suggests that people appreciate sustainable materials' natural imperfections when presented within a framework of manageability and familiarity
Examining longevity in tools for a circular economy
Get PDFIndustrial production contributes significantly to ecological sustainability challenges. One guiding approach to address these challenges is the circular economy. Slowing down resource flows is one of the main strategies of the circular economy. This involves extending the lifespan of products within and across multiple life cycles and increasing their utilization intensity. Various tools have been developed to support companies in adopting circular economy practices. This study examines how these tools facilitate designing for product longevity.
Specifically, the study analyzes 10 tools — five recent tools identified in academic literature and five first emerging through internet scraping. These tools are annotated and coded to reveal qualitative insights regarding the level of longevity they address (theoretical and methodological insights) and how these tools help handling longevity-related aspects (practical and applied insights). The findings highlight how these tools contribute to extending product lifespans and identify the extent to which they could support slowing down resource flows. 
Worthy or not worthy? Repair motivations and barriers from consumers across fashion, furniture, and consumer electronics in Denmark
Get PDFNever has human consumption and demand for products been this high, and the growing demand for products puts a strain on the finite resources available. Therefore, the need for prolonging the lifetime of existing consumer products has received increasing attention from governing bodies such as the European Commission e.g. shown in the ‘right-to-repair’ directive. While 77% percent of European citizens state they want to repair products before buying new, only 64% state that they have done it – and ~90% have never purchased clothing, smartphones, or televisions secondhand. Prolonging the lifetime of consumer products through repair is therefore an important point towards more sustainable consumption. Yet, a lot of broken products never enter a repair process. This paper aims to shed light on the barriers and motivations for repair to help increase the understanding of how more repairable products can get repaired. Through a Danish national survey (N=1068) and 11 semi-structured interviews, we identify main barriers and motivations for entering a repair process within three main product classifications: Consumer electronics, Fashion, and Furniture. We confirm existing findings that price of repair/replacement is a main motivator/barrier. We also identify perceived repairability and ease of cassation or replacement as barriers not previously described. 
Consumers’ interest in using clothing repair services in Finland
Get PDFSustainable consumption practices, including garment repair, are vital in transition to a circular economy. Engaging in garment repair through professional repair services is, however, not as widely adopted practice as one might hope. This paper focuses on clothing repairs in the Finnish context, aiming to understand how consumers perceive the use of clothing repair services and what might be the reasons for not using these services. An online survey was conducted in 2021 to address this topic as part of a collaboration between the FINIX research project and the Finnish retail and service network S Group. Based on 1,903 survey responses, consumers generally express interest in the sustainable aspects of clothing and recognize themselves playing an important role in extending garment lifetimes. The use of clothing repair services remains yet relatively moderate among Finnish consumers. Many are competent in repairing garments themselves and do not require professional help. Price and availability are other critical factors that discourage consumers from using such services. Establishing a viable repair business may be challenging, given the price levels consumers are willing to pay for garment repairs
Circular fashion and new materialities from repurposing waste: A discussion on the opportunities for the valorisation of material design from and for wearable garments
Get PDFThe Value Relevance of Business Model Disclosure Quality in Integrated Reports
Get PDFPurpose: Despite the vast array of literature on integrated reporting, there is scant empirical evidence on the value relevance of the specific content elements of integrated reports. This paper investigates whether a specific content element of integrated reports, namely, business model disclosure quality influences the share price of South African listed companies. Business model disclosure was selected because it is integral to all stakeholders in understanding companies’ value creation processes to make informed decisions.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The value relevance was tested using the Ohlson (1995) Model through the application of panel data. A new proxy was used for the “other information” variable in the Ohlson (1995) Model for business model disclosure. Two scenarios were evaluated: one sample included profit-making and loss-making companies (350 observations) and another sample of profit-making companies (260 observations) for five years from 2016 to 2020.
Findings: The results for both scenarios indicated that the quality of business model disclosure had no effect on the share price of South African listed companies.
Originality/Value: The paper makes four contributions to the existing literature. Firstly, analysing the value relevance of one specific component of integrated reports, namely, business model disclosure. Secondly, using a new a proxy for business model disclosure to incorporate into the Ohlson (1995) Model. Thirdly, the paper provides empirical evidence on the value relevance of one of the critical elements of integrated reports of companies that have a mandatory requirement to publish integrated reports. Fourthly, two samples were analyzed: one sample of profit-making and loss-making companies and another sample of profit-making companies.
Re-purposing Wind Turbine Blades: Matching strategies and Innovation Governance Forms
Get PDFThe decommissioning of wind turbine blades poses an escalating environmental and waste management challenge, as the composite materials found in these blades are difficult to recycle and often end up in landfills. With the projected growth in retired wind turbine blades, the waste burden is expected to reach 40–60 million tons by 2050. Traditional disposal methods, like mechanical and thermochemical recycling, are costly and result in low-value materials. Repurposing presents a sustainable alternative; however, matching decommissioned blades with appropriate industrial applications requires an innovative governance approach. This study leverages insights from innovation governance research and proposes a conceptual model for reusing decommissioned blades, focusing on bridging the gap between potential suppliers and users in various industries. By examining applications in construction, agriculture, and renewable energy systems, the study illustrates feasible repurposing strategies and explores the regulatory mechanisms needed to facilitate effective matching. Through expert interviews and case studies, the paper identifies barriers, such as logistical constraints and material degradation, and advocates for intermediate and third-party governance forms to support this marketization process. The findings highlight the importance of systematic matching mechanisms and regulatory frameworks in addressing the wind turbine blade disposal issue, underscoring the need for collaborative efforts in shaping sustainable solutions for end-of-life turbine materials. 
Prioritizing shortcuts: A multilevel method for semi-rural walkability : Artikel
Get PDFRural and semi-rural municipalities often lack effective tools to evaluate and prioritize pedestrian infrastructure. This study aims to develop and test a resource-efficient method for identifying high-impact pedestrian improvements, using the Norwegian municipality of Skaun as a case study.A two-level framework was applied. At the local level, 25 potential pedestrian shortcuts were assessed across four dimensions: accessibility, safety, comfort, and attractiveness. This assessment utilized GIS-based indicators and a weighted scoring system. To determine the most effective shortcuts, cost estimates were used to calculate benefit–cost ratios. At the network level, an adapted Walk Score® methodology was used to compare three different network scenarios (no shortcuts, prioritized shortcuts, and all shortcuts) to quantify changes in walkability.The prioritized shortcuts delivered 65% of the total potential benefit, achieving nearly the same reductions in car-dependent areas as full implementation would have. The local assessment effectively identified the most cost-effective projects, while the network analysis demonstrated improvements that lead to more walkable areas with minimal investment.This first test showed that the method is replicable and suitable for data-limited contexts, enabling municipalities to make evidence-based decisions. Combining detailed local analysis with a network-wide indicator provides a strategic way to maximize impact within constrained budgets