SPARCE – Sustainable Product Assessment and Redesign for Circularity and Energy Efficiency. (SPARCE)

Electronic waste (e-waste) is rising at an alarming pace. In 2019, 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste were generated globally, with forecasts predicting this number will surpass 82 million tonnes by 2030. This trend is driven by shortened product lifespans, poor repairability, and limited options for upgrading components. Meanwhile, EU policy is rapidly evolving with regulations like ESPR (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation), the Digital Product Passport (DPP), and Right to Repair. However, many companies struggle to adapt due to a lack of modular design expertise, costly redesign cycles, and uncertainty around return on investment. The SPARCE project – Sustainable Product Assessment and Redesign for Circularity and Energy Efficiency – aims to address this gap by developing and validating an integrated methodology and digital toolset that empowers companies to continuously optimize energy performance and circularity in smart electronic products. It does so via two key services: SPARCE-SCAN, a scanning and scoring tool that evaluates products on energy use, upgrade potential, and compliance with circularity standards; and SPARCE-DESIGN, a decision-support toolkit that offers redesign strategies for improving modularity, repairability, and energy efficiency. SPARCE enables companies to meet evolving regulations while reducing e-waste, extending product lifespans, and exploring new value streams through modular upgrades and service models.

Keywords:CIRCULAR ECONOMY, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, CIRCULAR MATERIALS, MODULARITY

Disciplines:Ecodesign, Remanufacturing, Systems design