Methods, tools and guidelines to design Sustainable Product-Service Systems applied to Distributed Economies
Second edition
by Carlo Vezzoli
with Hang Su, Alessandra Petrecca, and Gabriele Tempesta
The transition towards sustainability requires radical changes in the way we produce, consume and live. System innovations are therefore necessary to support sustainable transitions. The aim of this book is to describe and support the practice of System Design for Sustainability (SOS), focusing on two promising models: Sustainable Product-Service Systems (S.PSS) and Distributed Economies (DE).
Sustainable Product-Service Systems offer win-win opportunities by combining economic, environmental and socio-ethical sustainability. Distributed Economies are promising models for locally based and resilient sustainability. When coupled and appropriately designed, they can result in resilient solutions that reduce environmental impact and generate economic benefits for providers, while extending access to goods and services to low- and middle-income contexts.
The book provides a comprehensive overview of the practice of designing Sustainable Product-Service Systems applied to Distributed Economies. lt describes practical strategies, guidelines and examples to support the design of environmentally, socially and economically sustainable Product-Service Systems. lt also presents strategies and guidelines for designing Distributed Economies as Sustainable Product-Service Systems.
Finally, the book presents the Method for System Design for Sustainability (MSDS) and its main tools, developed to support designers in the design of S.PSS and DE.
This 2nd edition has been substantially revised, with updated data, cases and digital tools.
Carlo Vezzoli is Full Professor at the Department of Design, Politecnico di Milano, where he has researched and taught product and system design for sustainability for more than 25 years, as coordinator of the LeNSlab research group. In 2007, he founded the Learning Network on Sustainability (LeNS), a worldwide, multipolar network of more than 160 design universities across all continents, dedicated to spreading design for sustainability through an open-access ethos. In 2021 he was awarded the title of PhD Honoris Causa by the Federal University of Paranà.
Hang Su is a PhD researcher at LeNSlab. His research lies at the intersection of digital transformation and design for sustainability, with a specific focus on exploring and designing the nexus between smart mobile device systems (SMDS) and sustainable product-service systems (S.PSS) to promote environmentally and economically sustainable innovation. As a design practitioner, he also has expertise in life cycle design, sustainable system innovation, service design and speculative/critical design.
Alessandra Caroline Canfield Petrecca is a design researcher with experience spanning academia, consultancy and interdisciplinary projects. She holds a PhD in Design from Politecnico di Milano, where her research at LeNSlab focused on design strategies for preserving user agency and developing socio-ethically sustainable digital systems. Her interests include sustainable innovation, service and systems design, digital ethics, personal data governance and responsible technology.
Gabriele Tempesta is a design consultant specialising in design for sustainability and human-centred design, with a decade of professional experience in China. He is an alumnus of Politecnico di Milano, where he is a PhD researcher and operational manager of LeNSlab. His research explores how academic consultancies can effectively support the organisational adoption of sustainable product and system design. He is also an experienced public speaker, having delivered 60+ talks since 2015.
