The slides presented at the "Regulatory frameworks for sustainable consumption" conference in the Faculty of Business, Law and Politics, University of Hull. This presentation summarises my PhD research focusing on evidence-based policy making.

1. Kyungeun Sung
Regulatory Frameworks for Sustainable Consumption (25/05/2018), University of Hull
Developing appropriate interventions for
scaling up niche sustainable consumer behaviour
The case of upcycling in the UK
Kyungeun Sung
Arts, Design and Humanities
De Montfort University

2. Kyungeun Sung
Table of contents
▪ Introduction
▪ Methods
▪ Key findings
▪ Conclusions

3. Kyungeun Sung
Introduction
Image source: Interview study participant

4. Kyungeun Sung
PhD research background
▪ DoS: Prof. Tim Cooper in Sustainable
Consumption (Nottingham Trent University)
▪ 2nd supervisor: Prof. Sarah Kettley in Material
and Design Innovation (University of
Edinburgh)
▪ Multidisciplinary research between design,
psychology, sociology and policy studies

5. Kyungeun Sung
Project background
UK target: Reductions
in GHGs by 80% from
1990 levels by 2050.
Government’s
commitment: RCUK
Energy Programme.
CIE-MAP goal: Identify opportunities that may
ultimately deliver a reduction in GHGs.
Source: http://ciemap.leeds.ac.uk/

6. Kyungeun Sung
Upcycling
http://ghk.h-cdn.co/assets/cm/15/11/54ff6adf88ead-peplum.jpg http://www.flashdrivepros.com/Images/1000recoveredflashdrives.jpg
Creation or modification of a product from used materials, components or
products which is of equal or higher quality or value than the compositional
elements
Source: Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2014). Individual upcycling practice: Exploring the possible determinants of upcycling based on a literature review. Proceedings of the Sustainable Innovation 2014 Conference, Copenhagen,
3-4 November (pp. 237-244); Sung, K., 2017. Sustainable production and consumption by upcycling: understanding and scaling-up niche environmentally significant behaviour (Doctoral dissertation, Nottingham Trent University).

7. Kyungeun Sung
Benefits of upcycling in households
▪ Environmental:
▪ extending lifetimes of used products, components and materials →
increasing material efficiency + reducing industrial energy consumption
→ lowering GHGs
▪ Reducing solid waste
▪ Economic: saving money
▪ Social: emotional/psychological well-being
Source: Sung, K., Cooper, T. and Kettley, S. (2014). Individual upcycling practice: Exploring the possible determinants of upcycling based on a literature review.
Proceedings of the Sustainable Innovation 2014 Conference, Copenhagen, 3-4 November (pp. 237-244); Sung, K., 2017. Sustainable production and
consumption by upcycling: understanding and scaling-up niche environmentally significant behaviour (Doctoral dissertation, Nottingham Trent University).

8. Kyungeun Sung
Research question
▪ Despite potential benefits, a marginal activity
▪ Scaled up → extended lifetimes → increased
material efficiency → reduced embodied
energy → GHGs reduction
▪ How can this emerging, yet still marginal
activity, be scaled up into a mainstream
everyday activity in households (and beyond) to
make a bigger impact on the environment and
society?
Source: Ceschin, F., 2012. The introduction and scaling up of sustainable product-service systems. A new role for strategic design for sustainability (Doctoral dissertation, Politecnico di Milano); Sung, K., 2017. Sustainable production
and consumption by upcycling: understanding and scaling-up niche environmentally significant behaviour (Doctoral dissertation, Nottingham Trent University); Van den Bosch, S.J.M., 2010. Transition experiments: Exploring societal
changes towards sustainability. (Doctoral dissertation, Erasmus University Rotterdam)

9. Kyungeun Sung
Aim and objectives
▪ Aim: develop actionable strategies for scaling-up upcycling in
households (and possibly beyond) in order to contribute to sustainable
production and consumption by reducing materials and energy
consumption, with the ultimate goal of reducing carbon emissions
▪ Objectives:
a) Gain insights into upcycling in the UK
b) Identify UK-specific key behavioural factors for upcycling
c) Develop appropriate interventions for scaling up upcycling

10. Kyungeun Sung
Methods
Image source: http://www.sarahturner.co.uk/Cola%2010/cola30.html

11. Kyungeun Sung
Overarching framework of methods
Interviews
Survey
Semi-Delphi

12. Kyungeun Sung
Interviews
▪ Semi-structured interview with 23 British residents with practical
upcycling experiences
▪ Sampling: Hackspaces/makerspaces in England through Google fora
▪ Interview schedule: context of and approaches to upcycling + factors
influencing upcycling
▪ Interviewees: from 9 cities; 24-66 years old; 74% British; 65% males;
52% in science and engineering and 30% in art and design
▪ Thematic analysis with QSR NVivo

13. Kyungeun Sung
Survey
▪ Online survey with 122 British residents
▪ Sampling: websites identified through interviews
▪ Questions: Triandis’ Theory of Interpersonal Behaviour + Ajzen’s Theory
of Planned Behaviour
▪ Respondents: 52% females; 52% between 30 and 49 + 30% of 50 years
old and over; 90% British; 84% White-British; 71% completed higher
education; 30% of £20-40K + 22% of under £20K + 16% of £40-60K;
29% in creative arts and design + 26% in science and engineering
▪ Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, logistic regression and non-
parametric statistics for comparing groups with SPSS

14. Kyungeun Sung
Semi-Delphi
▪ Initial promising interventions based on interview + survey
▪ Questionnaire + workshop with 25 British experts
▪ Sampling: expertise-base + CIEMAP
▪ Questions: importance + feasibility + suitable actors
▪ Participants: 60% males; Green Alliance + Greengage + 8 Universities; in policy,
engineering, psychology, sociology, art and design, business management and
economics
▪ Simple statistical analysis + reporting of the workshop results without
interpretation

15. Kyungeun Sung
Key findings
Image source: Interview study participants

16. Kyungeun Sung
Interviews: Understanding upcycling
▪ Current upcycling behaviour:
– Primarily utilising wood, metal and fabric mainly from online platforms
selected mostly for value, cost and quality to create something for
themselves at any suitable time at home
▪ Factors influencing upcycling:
– Practical, socio-cultural, psychological, environmental benefits
– Environmentally conscious norm + occupational and relationship roles
– Competence, materials, space, social situation, cultural perception, tools,
spare time and interest

17. Kyungeun Sung
Online survey: Key factors influencing upcycling
▪ Attitude: “Upcycling is
good, beneficial,
worthwhile, pleasant or
enjoyable.”
▪ Subjective norm: “Most
people who are important
to me expect me to upcycle
things.”
▪ Intention: “I intend to
upcycle items.”

18. Kyungeun Sung
Semi-Delphi: Interventions for scaling up upcycling
▪ Communication and
marketing (handbook,
brochures, social marketing,
promotion campaigns, etc.)
▪ Incentivisation (tax benefits,
subsidies, awards, grants,
etc.)
▪ Modelling (high profile
projects, change in
government procurement)
▪ …
MS
HL

19. Kyungeun Sung
Communication & marketing example: Love Food Hate Waste
▪ WRAP
▪ Useful references and communication materials for
local authorities to promote food waste reduction
▪ Consumer facing website for individuals, communities
and organisations to reduce food waste
▪ Awareness raising
▪ Practical advice and solutions
▪ Involving a wide range of partners
https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/

20. Kyungeun Sung
▪ Sweden
▪ VAT rate on repairs to bicycles,
clothes and shoes from 25% to 12%
▪ Claim back from income tax half of
the labour cost on repairs to
appliances
▪ Lowering the cost and making it
more rational economic behaviour to
repair goods
▪ Stimulating repair industry
Incentivisation example: Reduced VAT on repair services
Image soruce: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/19/waste-not-want-not-sweden-tax-breaks-repairs

21. Kyungeun Sung
▪ Scottish government
▪ Energy: “[…] there is a requirement across the public sector, where possible, to procure
energy from suppliers that can demonstrate a clear commitment to sourcing an
increasing amount of their energy supply from responsible generators of renewable
energy.”
▪ Electrical appliances: “Electrical appliances and other equipment/appliances/machinery
which consume energy must be of a high energy efficiency rating.”
▪ Food: “How food is produced, processed, distributed and consumed has a significant
impact on the environment with implications for soil, air and water quality, biodiversity
and GHGs. Food procurement policy and guidance must ensure these environmental
impacts are factors into the food buying decision making process.”
Modelling example: Procurement Reform Bill
Source: RSPB, 2013. Scottish Government Procurement Reform Bill: Consultation response from RSPB Scotland. [online] available at:
http://ww2.rspb.org.uk/Images/RSPB_response_procurement_reform_bill_tcm9-330048.pdf

22. Kyungeun Sung
Conclusions
http://www.upcyclingtextiles.net/#/shanghai-shirt-2014/

23. Kyungeun Sung
▪ Behaviour understanding based on
behaviour models in social psychology
▪ Developing interventions based on
evidences
▪ Testing ideas with experts
▪ Limited sample size
▪ Half cycle of behaviour intervention
▪ Prototyping with relevant stakeholders →
piloting and monitoring → evaluation →
feeding back in
Summary, implications, limitations and future work

24. Kyungeun Sung
Any questions?
Further questions
kyungeun.sung@dmu.ac.uk
0116 207 8498https://i.pinimg.com/originals/71/93/b0/7193b0002d52dcd6ecb0a78394d85543.png