Integrative Systems of Production

Tom Snow

doi:10.7577/formakademisk.3791

Abstract

Different branches of design are shifting from a primary focus on artefacts as ends to concentrating on means (e.g. forms of production), with ends encompassing larger societal goals. Concurrently, humanity is facing an increasingly carbon-and-freshwater-constrained world, combined with escalating realities of climate change and ecosystem degradation; thus, our means of production must evolve. An integrative framework and model has been developed to support designers (and other stakeholders) working on regenerative systems of production. The model integrates synergistic, circular, cascading and aggregate efficiency design systems based on ecosystem concepts, as well as regenerative agriculture, the bioeconomy and the (technical) circular economy. With this integrative approach, stakeholders may develop more productive, regenerative synergies and hybrid activities that produce zero waste. The model can be applied at the micro-, meso- and macro-scales.  Keywords: Systemic design, ecological design, biomimetics, circular economy, regenerative agriculture.

Highlights

Over the past 15 years, the global sustainability movement has been increasing in size and rate each year (Mang & Haggard, 2016)
A production systems framework and model based on ecological systems is only as good as the designer’s understanding of the ecological systems and the interpretations of what is and what is not important to highlight and build around
The integrative systems of production (ISP) framework, model and first principles do not provide any solutions; they attempt to create a way to structure the myriad of existing frameworks and facilitate their sharing between often-dispersed disciplines and stakeholders

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Over the past 15 years, the global sustainability movement has been increasing in size and rate each year (Mang & Haggard, 2016). The mental frameworks mentioned above were used to create the EMF model described in the www.FormAkademisk.org following subsection, and they have been used as analogies for the different ways humans ‘metabolise’ matter and use energy in different types of environments, for different forms of systems of production This will be discussed further at the end of this main section. Through the integration and practice of the three principle design strategies and hybrids and their corresponding forms of production, we should aim at maintaining or even increasing nutrient qualities In essence, this central node is an analogy of living soil, but in the ISP model, it expresses the dynamic and related resources that we share through our use and transformation processes—and with the ecosystems in which they are embedded. These can be reviewed within the planetary boundary framework developed by Rockström et al (2009)

Findings

DISCUSSION

CONCLUSIONS