3rd PLATE Conference
Cooperation of Technische Universität Berlin and Fraunhofer IZM 2019

The 3rd international PLATE conference (Product Lifetimes and the Environment) addresses product lifetimes in the context of sustainability. While discussions on product lifetimes have been going on for a number of years, the topic has come to the forefront of current (political, scientific & societal) debates due to its interconnectedness with a number of recent prominent movements , such as the  circular economy, ecodesign and collaborative consumption. The conference encompasses these topics – whether they relate directly or indirectly to issues of product lifetimes and the environment – and is open to all product types, consumption, and production sectors and applications.

More than 200 participants from around the world met in Berlin from 18-20 September, 2019 for the 3rd Product Lifetimes and the Environment (PLATE) conference. As usual, the event, this time organized by Fraunhofer IZM in cooperation with Technische Universität Berlin, offered a strong scientific programme with 3 keynote speeches, 105 oral and 19 poster presentations arranged in 5 parallel tracks, and 11 workshops.

The biennial conference brought together academics, industry, civil society as well as policy makers and dealt with product lifetimes in the context of sustainability. Participants’ contributions focused predominantly on sustainable practices in the development, production, use, reuse and recycling of products from various fields like electronics, textiles, furniture, vehicles, etc. Particularly popular topics in 2019 were current trends in the circular economy, ecodesign and collaborative consumption.

A true highlight of the conference were the hands-on workshops taking place on Thursday and Friday morning. 11 workshops representing 11 different approaches to making products more sustainable or judging their sustainability: from “Proactive Obsolescence Management” and “The Sustainable Smartphone of the Future” to strategies for prolonging fashion products’ lifetime and “Testing for Premature Obsolescence”, there was something interesting for everyone to be found!

The welcome reception on the first day and the networking dinner on the second day were very well attended and provided a chance to network and discuss the day’s presentations and insights in a more relaxed setting. On the first evening there was an exhibition at which various NGOs and initiatives presented their work. We would like to thank all keynote presenters, speakers, session chairs, committee members and exhibitor.

2019 Committees

Conference Chairs

  • Dr. Nils F. Nissen, Fraunhofer IZM, Germany
  • Prof. Melanie Jaeger-Erben, TU Berlin, Germany

Conference Programme Chair

  • Prof. Kirsi Niinimäki, Aalto University, Finland

Conference Series Chair

  • Prof. Tim Cooper, Nottingham Trent University, UK

Scientific Advisory Committee

  • Prof. Cosette Armstrong, Oklahoma State University, USA
  • Prof. Conny Bakker, TU Delft, The Netherlands
  • Prof. Ruud Balkenende, TU Delft, The Netherlands
  • Prof. Casper Boks, NTNU, Norway
  • Prof. Maria Bovea, Universitat Jaume I., Spain
  • Prof. Brian Burns, Carleton University Ottawa, Canada
  • Prof. Jonathan Chapman, Carnegie Mellon University, USA
  • Prof. Martin Charter, UCA, UK
  • Dr. Rebecca Collins, University of Chester, UK
  • Prof. Ichiro Daigo, University of Tokyo, Japan
  • Dr. Sian Dixon, University of Worchester, UK
  • Prof. Kate Fletcher, London College of Fashion, UK
  • Dr. Daniel Guzzo, Univ. Sao Paulo, Brasil, and TU Delft, the Netherlands
  • Dr. Alison Gwilt, University of South Australia, Australia
  • Prof. Erik G. Hansen, Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, Austria
  • Christine Henseling, IZT, Germany
  • Dr. Sabine Hielscher, Technical University of Berlin, Germany
  • Prof. Mikko Jalas, Aalto University, Finland
  • Prof. Jouni Juntunen, Aalto University, Finland
  • Dr. Cindy Kohtala, Aalto University, Finland
  • Dr. Kirsi Laitala, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway
  • Dr. Debra Lilley, Loughborough University, UK
  • Dr. Tatu Marttila, Aalto University, Finland
  • Dr. Max Marwede, Fraunhofer IZM and TU Berlin, Germany
  • Dr. Ruth Mugge, TU Delft, The Netherlands
  • Dr. Pekka Murto, Aalto University, Finland
  • Dr. Mirja Niemelä, Aalto University, Finland
  • Dr. Masahiro Oguchi, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan
  • Dr. Riikka Räisänen, University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Prof. Ulla Raebild, Designskolen Kolding, Denmark
  • Dr. Valentina Rognoli, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
  • Prof. Jan Schoormans, TU Delft, the Netherlands
  • Dr. Pal Strandbakken, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway
  • Dr. Sonja van Dam, TU Delft, the Netherlands
  • Dr. Olaf Wittler, Fraunhofer IZM, Germany
  • Dr. Gordon Young, Sheffield Hallam University, UK

Additional reviewers

  • Laura Ackermann, FH Salzburg, Austria
  • Christian Clemm, Fraunhofer IZM, Germany
  • Christian Dickenhorst, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany
  • Gergana Dimitrova, Fraunhofer IZM, Germany
  • Jan Druschke, Fraunhofer IZM, Germany
  • Marium Durrani, Aalto University, Finland
  • Johanna Emmerich, TU Berlin, Germany
  • Tamina Hipp, TU Berlin, Germany
  • Florian Hofmann, Fraunhofer IZM, Germany
  • Emilia Ingemarsdotter, TU Delft, the Netherlands
  • Dr. Johannes Jaeschke, Fraunhofer IZM, Germany
  • Essi Karell, Aalto University, Finland
  • Wouter Kersten, TU Delft, the Netherlands
  • Irene Maldini, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
  • Erik Poppe, Sustainum, Germany
  • Marina Proske, Fraunhofer IZM and TU Berlin, Germany
  • Jana Rückschloss, Fraunhofer IZM, Germany
  • Marita Sauerwein, TU Delft, the Netherlands
  • Deborah Sumter, TU Delft, the Netherlands
  • Karsten Schischke, Fraunhofer IZM, Germany
  • Valle   Julia Valle-Noronha, Aalto University, Finland
  • Eduard Wagner, TU Berlin, Germany
  • Dr. Janis Winzer, Fraunhofer IZM, Germany