New Dimensions for Circularity on Campus—Framework for the Application of Circular Principles in Campus Development

Birgit Hopff,Steffen Nijhuis,Leendert A. Verhoef

doi:10.3390/su11030627

Abstract

To what extent can transformation and development processes on a university or other campus fit in with the principles of circularity? This paper builds a bridge between the more theoretical approach of the circular economy and daily practice in campus development, using semi-structured in-depth interviews with a broad range of stakeholders in university management in Dutch universities. The study aims to show possible perspectives and offers insight into which factors are important for the sustainable development of a university or other campus, taking into account the principles of the circular economy. The paper introduces a framework for understanding the various dimensions and scales of campus operations. The aim is to make a practical contribution to the implementation of circular principles in campus development. The main conclusions are that circularity is an organisational issue, complexity must be reduced, and integral policy and specialised knowledge are required. Five recommendations towards an integrated strategy for circularity in campus development are given.

Highlights

The circular economy is a new field of research and the number of articles has grown rapidly over the past 10 years
These have usually involved establishing a close link between the concepts of the circular economy and sustainability, without this relationship being precisely defined in scientific terms [1]
The preliminary research was aimed at finding leading dimensions in campus development that are characteristic of a campus and that influence circularity

Summary

Introduction

The circular economy is a new field of research and the number of articles has grown rapidly over the past 10 years. These have usually involved establishing a close link between the concepts of the circular economy and sustainability, without this relationship being precisely defined in scientific terms [1]. Scientific studies on the circular economy often focus on the macro scale of a region or city, or on the micro scale of product development [6,7] and individual projects with an experimental character or limited circularity aspects [8]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion