Student Research Bursary Report
Design Research Society Student Research Bursary Report
Student Research Bursary Report Recipient: Kyungeun Sung, Nottingham Trent University Sustainable Production and Consumption by Upcycling in the UK This PhD research explores the emerging household behaviour of upcycling in the UK as an important opportunity at the household level and beyond to contribute to sustainable production and consumption by reducing materials and energy consumption.i Upcycling is defined as the creation or modification of any product from used materials, components or products to generate a product of higher quality or value than the compositional elements (Sung, Cooper, & Kettley, 2014). The particular interest in this study is in developing actionable strategies (e.g. policy and design interventions) for influencing behaviour in households and industries such that the change has a significant impact on the environment and society. The aims of the research are: a) to gain insights into upcycling in the UK; b) to identify the UK-specific key behaviour factors of upcycling; and c) to formulate policy and design interventions for scaling up (van den Bosch, 2010) upcycling.ii Semi-structured interviews for gaining insights into consumers and their behaviour, a large sample survey for identifying key behaviour factors, and use of semi-Delphi method (expert questionnaire study followed by an expert panel workshop) for exploring and assessing policy and design interventions were employed to meet the aims of the research. The DRS Student Research Bursary was used to support the participation in the Symposium on Sustainable Development Research at Universities in the United Kingdom in Manchester, in April 2016 to present part of the interview data analyses; to incentivise the survey respondents to ensure a sufficient number of responses; and to part fund the semi-Delphi study – incentivising the questionnaire study respondents, and preparing for the expert workshop. The interview study with 23 UK-based consumers with practical upcycling experiences provided insights into the variances in upcycling, context, behaviour factors, and potential differences arising from demographic characteristics. The statistical analysis of the survey data from 122 British residents revealed which factors show a stronger contribution in explaining the variance in the behaviour frequency and intention. Synthesising the results from interview and survey studies, the initial design and policy intervention strategies were formulated, and were subsequently explored and evaluated through the semi-Delphi study with 25 British experts (academics and policy-oriented professionals) across a range of disciplines including art and design, business management, engineering, psychology and policy. The semi-Delphi pinpointed the suitable actor(s) for each intervention, and sets of interventions for short-term and long-term success.iii
Kyungeun Sung / 20160426
Design Research Society Student Research Bursary Report
References Sung, K., Cooper, T., & Kettley, S. (2014). Individual upcycling practice: Exploring the possible determinants of upcycling based on a literature review. Sustainable Innovation 2014 Conference, Copenhagen. 237-244. van den Bosch, S. J. M. (2010). Transition experiments: Exploring societal changes towards sustainability. (PhD thesis). Rotterdam: Erasmus University Rotterdam.
i
This research is part of the Centre for Industrial Energy, Materials and Products, one of the six End Use Energy Demand Centres established
by the Research Council’s UK Energy Programme for achieving the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050. ii
Scaling up upcycling may include converting enthusiastic upcyclers into entrepreneurs; enabling more pragmatic makers to engage in
upcycling more frequently; making non-makers become makers/upcyclers; encouraging companies to adopt upcycling production techniques worth scaling up in terms of cost-effectiveness and sustainability in a large scale and to take back products and packaging for upcycling purposes; etc. iii
Interventions for short-term success have potential high impact on scaling up and are feasible within 2 years, whereas interventions for
long-term success have potential high impact and are feasible in 10 years.
Kyungeun Sung / 20160426
Student Research Bursary Report Recipient: Kyungeun Sung, Nottingham Trent University Sustainable Production and Consumption by Upcycling in the UK This PhD research explores the emerging household behaviour of upcycling in the UK as an important opportunity at the household level and beyond to contribute to sustainable production and consumption by reducing materials and energy consumption.i Upcycling is defined as the creation or modification of any product from used materials, components or products to generate a product of higher quality or value than the compositional elements (Sung, Cooper, & Kettley, 2014). The particular interest in this study is in developing actionable strategies (e.g. policy and design interventions) for influencing behaviour in households and industries such that the change has a significant impact on the environment and society. The aims of the research are: a) to gain insights into upcycling in the UK; b) to identify the UK-specific key behaviour factors of upcycling; and c) to formulate policy and design interventions for scaling up (van den Bosch, 2010) upcycling.ii Semi-structured interviews for gaining insights into consumers and their behaviour, a large sample survey for identifying key behaviour factors, and use of semi-Delphi method (expert questionnaire study followed by an expert panel workshop) for exploring and assessing policy and design interventions were employed to meet the aims of the research. The DRS Student Research Bursary was used to support the participation in the Symposium on Sustainable Development Research at Universities in the United Kingdom in Manchester, in April 2016 to present part of the interview data analyses; to incentivise the survey respondents to ensure a sufficient number of responses; and to part fund the semi-Delphi study – incentivising the questionnaire study respondents, and preparing for the expert workshop. The interview study with 23 UK-based consumers with practical upcycling experiences provided insights into the variances in upcycling, context, behaviour factors, and potential differences arising from demographic characteristics. The statistical analysis of the survey data from 122 British residents revealed which factors show a stronger contribution in explaining the variance in the behaviour frequency and intention. Synthesising the results from interview and survey studies, the initial design and policy intervention strategies were formulated, and were subsequently explored and evaluated through the semi-Delphi study with 25 British experts (academics and policy-oriented professionals) across a range of disciplines including art and design, business management, engineering, psychology and policy. The semi-Delphi pinpointed the suitable actor(s) for each intervention, and sets of interventions for short-term and long-term success.iii
Kyungeun Sung / 20160426
Design Research Society Student Research Bursary Report
References Sung, K., Cooper, T., & Kettley, S. (2014). Individual upcycling practice: Exploring the possible determinants of upcycling based on a literature review. Sustainable Innovation 2014 Conference, Copenhagen. 237-244. van den Bosch, S. J. M. (2010). Transition experiments: Exploring societal changes towards sustainability. (PhD thesis). Rotterdam: Erasmus University Rotterdam.
i
This research is part of the Centre for Industrial Energy, Materials and Products, one of the six End Use Energy Demand Centres established
by the Research Council’s UK Energy Programme for achieving the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050. ii
Scaling up upcycling may include converting enthusiastic upcyclers into entrepreneurs; enabling more pragmatic makers to engage in
upcycling more frequently; making non-makers become makers/upcyclers; encouraging companies to adopt upcycling production techniques worth scaling up in terms of cost-effectiveness and sustainability in a large scale and to take back products and packaging for upcycling purposes; etc. iii
Interventions for short-term success have potential high impact on scaling up and are feasible within 2 years, whereas interventions for
long-term success have potential high impact and are feasible in 10 years.
Kyungeun Sung / 20160426
