Exploring Sustainable Production Systems (FutureLearn)

This form of production has become increasingly important in the global climate crisis as we fight to reduce our negative impact on the planet.

This three-week course from the Luleå University of Technology will introduce you to sustainable production systems and help you examine them through social, economic, and ecological perspectives.

Discover the benefits of sustainable production for waste and cost reduction

The current modes of production are centred on output in response to demand. Our population is reliant on products and services with fast turnaround times to satisfy their growing needs. This means that our systems of production are foregoing sustainability in favour of speed and quantity.

You’ll delve into systems of production to examine how alternative manufacturing can reduce waste, cost, and energy consumption while meeting public needs.

Assess production system design for sustainability

Like any product or means of manufacturing, production systems must meet certain standards or criteria to be deemed effective, safe and compliant.

With the guidance of your educators, you’ll explore how to assess production systems and make suggestions for how to make them socially, economically and ecologically sustainable.

Explore the possibilities of sustainable technological innovation

The Luleå University of Technology provides expertise and research on innovation and design of product and production systems.

With their help, you’ll be best positioned to examine how technological innovation in production systems can give way to a greener future.

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction to Sustainable Production

Week 2: Production Systems

Week 3: Designing Sustainable Production Systems

Learning on this course

You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

- Describe the principles of a sustainable production system.

- Reflect on sustainability aspects in a production system context in three dimensions (economic, social, and environmental).

- Perform basic assessment of production systems with regards to economic, social and ecologic sustainability.

- Explain different approaches to designing sustainable production system development.

- Apply sustainability aspects on a production system.