Sustainability through reuse of Decommissioned University goods

We are considering how to efficiently and widely disseminate information about decommissioned goods (TV monitors, chairs, tabled etc.) that would otherwise end up in skip-bins. Commercial systems to compare against would be https://www.warp-it.co.uk/">WARPit and https://egans.com.au/">Egans

The problem:

UWA does not currently have a Re-use program. In the past, staff were able to advertise unwanted furniture for collection and re-use in a Trading Post section of its staff newsletter. Generally this was not available to students.

UWA currently spends a considerable amount on waste management

With regards to furniture and e-waste disposal the keys teams involved are Campus Management and by UniIT. Generally this material ends up in skip bins located around the campuses.

E-waste os removed at set times ech year (generally twice for campus management) - a more flexible approach would allow goods to be removed as they were no longer needed

We are looking for a point of difference in the tool to assist with logistics, rapid identification, discimination and removing of items, avoiding costs associated with warehousing. The application would require database management skills and app development supporting GPS tagging of equipment and QR-code item identification (or RFID).

1) items easily added to the data base/advertised

2) items tagged and located easily

3) items easily removed from the site and subsequently the data base

A fast turn around and efficient system is desired, getting the equipment into the hands of staff and students for re-use.

Other comparative university systems include:

https://www.monash.edu/environmental-sustainability/campus-initiatives/waste-recycling/furniture-reuse-program">Furniture Reuse Program at Monash University

https://www.arc.unsw.edu.au/volunteering/ereuse">UNSW eReuse Program

https://sustainablecampus.unimelb.edu.au/a-z/f/furniture">The University of Melbourne's Furniture and Equipment Re-use Online Service

https://staff.mq.edu.au/support/office-and-property-services/equipment-and-furniture/furniture-reuse">Macquarie University's Furniture Reuse Program

This tool would not only enable UWA to take a more leadership role in the e-waste/sustainability space, but is also a key step to achieving the overall waste targets of the university

Client

IP Exploitation Model

Department of Computer Science & Software Engineering The University of Western Australia Last modified: 21 July 2020 Modified By: Michael Wise