Sustainable Consumption

Sustainable Consumption is a multidisciplinary research group that focuses on people’s influence on sustainability as users of products and services, ranging from consumer durables and clothing to buildings. Members apply theoretical and practical knowledge from design and related disciplines to environmental and social sustainability, often integrating expertise in design with research frameworks drawn from the social sciences.

The group is based in the College of Art & Design and the Built Environment but works closely with sustainability experts across the University. It has strong links with Future Factory, which supports sustainable design within small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the East Midlands, and with Co-oproduct, which promotes the creative reuse of household packaging and everyday waste materials.

We welcome applications to undertake a higher degree by research leading to the award of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Master of Philosophy (MPhil). Further information on research degrees is available on the University website.

Head of the group
Professor Tim Cooper is Head of the research group. After graduating from the University of Bath, Tim worked as an economist in industry for over a decade before undertaking research at the New Economics Foundation and Sheffield Hallam University. Contributing Editor of Longer Lasting Products (Gower, 2010), his research interests are multidisciplinary, embracing design, consumer behaviour, public policy and environmental ethics. He has managed research projects funded by the European Commission, Council of Europe, EPSRC, ESRC, Defra, WRAP and industry and third sector organisations and was Specialist Adviser to the House of Commons Environment Committee for its enquiry Reducing the Environmental Impact of Consumer Products.

Tim Cooper, Professor of Sustainable Design and Consumption
Email
Telephone: +44 (0)114 848 4329