A value mapping tool for sustainable business modelling

Purpose: Although business models that deliver sustainability are increasingly popular in the literature, few tools that assist in sustainable business modelling have been identified. This paper investigates how businesses might create balanced social, environmental and economic value through integrating sustainability more fully into the core of their business. A value mapping tool is developed to help firms create value propositions better suited for sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: In addition to a literature review, six sustainable companies were interviewed to understand their approaches to business modelling, using a case study approach. Building on the literature and practice, a tool was developed which was pilot tested through use in a workshop. The resulting improved tool and process was subsequently refined through use in 13 workshops. Findings: A novel value mapping tool was developed to support sustainable business modelling, which introduces three forms of value (value captured, missed/destroyed or wasted, and opportunity) and four major stakeholder groups (environment, society, customer, and network actors). Practical implications: This tool intends to support business modelling for sustainability by assisting firms in better understanding their overall value proposition, both positive and negative, for all relevant stakeholders in the value network. Originality/value: The tool adopts a multiple stakeholder view of value, a network rather than firm centric perspective, and introduces a novel way of conceptualising value that specifically introduces value destroyed or wasted/ missed, in addition to the current value proposition and new opportunities for value creation. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

A general mass law for broadband energy harvesting

It is well known that the power absorbed by a linear oscillator when excited by white noise base acceleration depends only on the mass of the oscillator and the spectral density of the base motion. This places an upper bound on the energy that can be harvested from a linear oscillator under broadband excitation, regardless of the stiffness of the system or the damping factor. It is shown here that the same result applies to any multi-degree-of-freedom nonlinear system that is subjected to white noise base acceleration: for a given spectral density of base motion the total power absorbed is proportional to the total mass of the system. The only restriction to this result is that the internal forces are assumed to be a function of the instantaneous value of the state vector. The result is derived analytically by several different approaches, and numerical results are presented for an example two-degree-of-freedom-system with various combinations of linear and nonlinear damping and stiffness. © 2013 The Author.

Making the deployment of pico-PV more sustainable along the value chain

Pico-PV is an excellent technology for bringing electric light to rural areas in the developing world and replacing kerosene lanterns and candles. However, as pico-PV is a comparatively new technology, relatively little is known about appropriate methods for sustainable product development and deployment. For this reason current dissemination methods are often ineffective and unsustainable. This research aims to help project developers deploy pico-PV technologies successfully and in a sustainable manner. To achieve this, a conceptual framework of key sustainability criteria along the value chain was developed and tested. The analysis revealed that the most important criteria for the sustainable deployment of pico-PV systems are: (a) easy and safe operation of the product; (b) that a system for product return is established; (c) the retailer understands the target market and (d) the end-user is aware of the product's existence and its benefits. This research reveals that criteria (b) and (c) are of greatest concern. In light of these findings, the authors propose to focus on the following five factors; namely: (a) raising awareness for certification and creating market reassurance; (b) introducing support mechanisms to facilitate local repair; (c) using existing supply channels and establishing in-country (dis)assembly; (d) introducing financial support mechanisms at product supply stages and; (e) undertaking marketing campaigns. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards more sustainable and environmentally-friendly concretes: The use of silica fume

Concrete is the most widely used construction material. At the same time, however, the concrete industry is a major CO2 emitter thus contributing towards global warming. While enhanced efficiency in the production of concrete is not likely to dramatically reduce the CO2 emissions, cement replacement by a supplementary material or mineral additive, such as silica fume, which is not associated with CO2 emission, can substantially reduce the aforementioned problem. The present work discusses the benefits of incorporating mineral additives in concrete and shows that these additives can improve both the mechanical and physical properties of the end-product, and hence its durability, albeit with a reduction in cement content. © 2009 WIT Press.