BCIT Circular Economy Research Challenge
BCIT Circular Leadership Course is offering an opportunity for local businesses to identify a circular challenge and have students enrolled in the Circular Leadership Program at BCIT offer solutions to their challenge.
Here’s what you need to know about the CIRCULAR ECONOMY BITE-SIZED RESEARCH CHALLENGE
The deadline for the Fall challenge cycle is Oct 8, 2021. Challenges will run from Oct 21 – Dec 2. (There will be another cycle next Feb – Mar 2022).The bite-sized research challenge will involve a student team of 4-5 over 6 weeks.
You can expect students to commit about 60 hours of total student time per team. Challenges often primarily
involve secondary research, as well as some primary research including interviews and surveys
(the latter need to be supported by the client with a draft of questions and customer lists).
Students have a mixture of educational backgrounds with diplomas or degrees in business
administration, business operations, marketing etc. Other students have non-business
backgrounds in fields such as science, geography, psychology, communications, general arts,
engineering and more.
Sponsor Expectations
Businesses or organizations who serve as bite-sized research challenge sponsors are expected to
attend a kick-off meeting with their student team during class time (Thurs, Oct 21, 6:30 – 7:30
pm) and an optional presentation by the students on Thurs, Dec 2. Sponsors also need to be
available by email, Zoom or phone to answer questions on a bi-weekly basis. At the discretion of
the student team and sponsor you may choose additional check-in times.
Challenge Examples
How effective is Business#1 at reducing packaging waste?
• How much waste are our customers collectively reducing when they choose business#1
instead of buying the same items packaged from the grocery store?
• What are best practices to communicate this waste reduction to business#1’s customers?
What are the best resources and programs globally that support small and medium-sized
businesses to go Circular?
• What are the best place-based programs that support small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) to pursue circular business practices?
• What type of training, tools, webinars or resources do these programs provide?
• How are these programs governed and funded?
How can Business#2 choose a choose a tanning system that uses water in a circular manner and
what are the city regulations concerning this type of practice?
• What are the best options for capturing and reusing water in the process of tanning leather
in Vancouver?
• What are the regulations in the City of Vancouver and North Vancouver concerning circular
water tanning practices?
• Can Business#2 anticipate any pushback for circular tanning practices? What do they need
to get to ensure regulatory support from the City?
• What is the appropriate branch of each city and contact for this issue?
What is the opportunity for Business#3 to secure procurement opportunities for their
furniture and fixturing with medium-sized social housing agencies?
• Do medium-sized non-profit housing agencies include circularity such as durability/quality
and reclaimed wood in their furniture procurement criteria in addition to other social factors
such as local job creation?
• Would non-profits/housing agencies be interested in co-designing furniture with Business#3
to meet the needs of individuals who live in non-profit housing?
How can Business#4 measure and show the GHGs savings when consumers choose our
product to compost their food waste instead of throwing it out?
• What is a way to quantify GHG savings based on an estimate on how much food an average
household waste?
• How can the GHGs be considered across the value chain/lifecycle?
• (Optional if time) Because our product results in a compost that provides a better ratio of N
and C, are there cost and time savings for municipalities?
Contact Rosemary Cooper Rosemary Cooper, MES (Planning)
Project Director, Share Reuse Repair Initiative
e: RosemarySRRI@gmail.com
m: 778-996-2249
www.sharereuserepair.org
