Christoph Herrmann, Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST and TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
Surface technologies are fundamental to a wide range of industrial applications and are typically integrated within comprehensive process chains comprising both upstream and downstream activities. Achieving sustainable development demands that engineered solutions operate within the Earth’s biophysical limits and adhere to established environmental boundaries. This necessitates the identification of challenges throughout circular value chains and emphasizes the importance of practical, application-oriented research into sustainable product and process innovations. Concurrently, it is crucial to ensure that micro-level engineering decisions are consistent with macro-level sustainability frameworks, such as planetary boundaries, which recognize the finite capacities of global climate and ecosystems. This presentation will outline a systematic methodology designed to identify and prioritize mitigation strategies, thereby providing valuable insights for engineering initiatives. Relevant case studies from the field of surface engineering will illustrate the effective implementation of this approach.