Circular Economy Hub@RMIT

The Circular Economy Hub (CEH) at RMIT is a cross-disciplinary, industry-engaged network of researchers and experts across the University working on cutting edge and innovative CE research across Australia and internationally. Their work supports RMIT as an industry leader in circular economy research at national and global forums.

The RMIT Circular Economy Hub’s cross-disciplinary nature supports empirical approaches to holistic and systemic engagement across research partnerships, expanding the university’s impact and expertise on circular economy. It also supports the emergence of a new capability building platform across micro-credentials, executive training, vocational and higher educational outcomes.

Who is in the network?

Researchers and educators from the following schools:

Fashion & Textiles
Media & Communications
Science
Design
Global, Urban and Social Studies

Business
Law
Engineering
Property, Construction & Project Management

Key capabilities

The following categories represent five key thematic areas where the network has strong capabilities demonstrating real-world outcomes through projects.

Science and engineering

Science enables changing physical and chemical composition of products so they can be upcycled. Engineering plays a central role in identifying and re-engineering the use and reuse of by-products in a variety of industries and supply chains across various sectors.

Policy and governance

Circularity needs to be embraced in all sectors of the economy. Having the right policy and governance arrangements is central to the success of CE as they influence the uptake of CE.

Construction

Applying principles of circularity to construction ensures resources, materials and products entering and leaving the built environment contribute circular value in buildings and construction projects. Space sharing presents an opportunity.

Design

Circular economy is a design challenge. Design for long life ensures products remain in the system longer. Design for disassembly ensures that different components of a product can be upcycled.

Waste recovery

Waste is an opportunity. Circularity means going beyond recycling to ensure that value is maintained or upcycled, as well as reducing and avoiding the use of virgin resources altogether.

Contact

Professor Usha Iyer-Raniga
e: usha.iyer-raniga@rmit.edu.au

Policy and Governance
Dr Brian Coffey
e: brian.coffey@rmit.edu.au