State-of-the-Art Upcycling Research and Practice Proceedings of the International Upcycling Symposium 2020

This book presents the proceedings of the first International Upcycling Symposium 2020, held on 4th September 2020 at De Montfort University (DMU) in Leicester, UK (online), as a joint effort between DMU, Lund University, Nottingham Trent University and Newcastle University. This book presents state of the art of research and practice in “upcycling” at the international level.

The subject of this book, upcycling, is a term to describe the processes of creating or modifying a product from used or waste materials, components and products, which is of equal or higher quality or value than the compositional elements. This book describes new theories, approaches and scientific research findings related to upcycling and presents examples of upcycling practice, across multiple sectors, scales and contexts. Bringing together research from over 35 multidisciplinary experts, the book discusses state-of-the-art knowledge and practices on upcycling in different geographical, economic, socio-cultural and technological contexts at an international level.

 Readers will gain fundamental understanding of upcycling with its varied definitions and forms across sectors and scales, and to be informed of the latest upcycling research and practices including valuable ideas, theories, projects, experiences and insights by global experts.  

Dr. Kyungeun Sung is Lecturer in the School of Art, Design and Architecture at De Montfort University in the UK. Dr Sung’s research broadly deals with design and sustainability focusing on upcycling. Her research investigates various aspects of upcycling in the context of sustainable art, craft, design, manufacturing, production, businesses, supply chain management, consumption, behaviour and lifestyles since 2013. She has published nineteen peer-reviewed papers and book chapters (seventeen first-authored) on upcycling in high-impact journals and with high-quality publishers. She has been invited to deliver presentations on her upcycling research in several national and international conferences and to review numerous academic papers for journals and conferences in the area of upcycling and other related fields. She has been endorsed by the Royal Academy of Engineering for exceptional promise as a potential world leader in her field of research.

Dr. Jagdeep Singh is Researcher in Environmental Science at the Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC) at Lund University. Dr Singh’s research investigates a range of aspects associated with sustainable resource management, e.g. circular economy, upcycling, sharing economy and sustainable business models. His research employs a systems perspective to production and consumption and evaluates the social, economic and environmental impacts of socio-economic activities. He has published 30 peer-reviewed publications, including journal articles, book chapters and conference papers. He serves as a reviewer for journals and conferences in the area of sustainable consumption and production. He has won several scholarships and awards, including the prestigious ISWA Publication Award 2015 by International Solid Waste Association for his exceptional research contribution on global waste management.

Dr. Ben Bridgens is Lecturer in Architectural Technology in the School of Architecture, Planning & Landscape at Newcastle University. His research focuses on the role of materials in design, making and experience. Collaborations with product designers, artists and architects have enabled him to apply technical expertise in material testing, modelling and characterisation, material ageing and responsive materials to broader questions of sustainable design, consumption and the circular economy. A particular research focus is understanding the interactions of people and materials, which is fundamental for the successful implementation of sustainable design strategies including design for longevity and design for reuse. Upcycling sits at the intersection of materials, design, sustainability and creativity and is a natural focus for this work, exemplified by Dr. Bridgens’ publication: “Creative upcycling: Reconnecting people, materials and place through making” (Journal of Cleaner Production, 189, 145-154).