Circular Systems Engineering
Istvan David, Dominik Bork, Gerti Kappel
TL;DR
This paper defines circular systems engineering as a paradigm that embeds sustainability throughout the lifecycle of engineered systems to maximize value retention across multiple engineering cycles. It introduces two core principles—end-to-end sustainability and bipartite sustainability—and outlines how they interact with process networks, activities, and engineering methods. A maturity model is proposed, spanning traditional, sustainable, and circular levels, along with three maturation strategies (operational-excellence, sustainability-driven, and iterative-incremental) to guide organizations. The work also identifies key challenges in end-to-end process modeling, enactment, sustainability assessment, trade-off analysis, and digital enablement (e.g., digital twins, AI) and discusses opportunities for future research and industry adoption. Overall, the framework seeks to align technical and sustainability objectives under Industry 5.0, enabling practical pathways to more sustainable, circular engineering practices.
Abstract
The perception of the value and propriety of modern engineered systems is changing. In addition to their functional and extra-functional properties, nowadays' systems are also evaluated by their sustainability properties. The next generation of systems will be characterized by an overall elevated sustainability -- including their post-life, driven by efficient value retention mechanisms. Current systems engineering practices fall short of supporting these ambitions and need to be revised appropriately. In this paper, we introduce the concept of circular systems engineering, a novel paradigm for systems sustainability, and define two principles to successfully implement it: end-to-end sustainability and bipartite sustainability. We outline typical organizational evolution patterns that lead to the implementation and adoption of circularity principles, and outline key challenges and research opportunities.