**Description**
The concept of the Circular Economy provides a framework for a more efficient closed loop economy. A significant amount of literature has been published focusing on circular business models and assessment of environmental impact throughout the lifecycle. A move towards more Circular Business models, where the focus transitions to delivery of capability rather than delivery of product, presents new challenges to manufacturers of complex or certified engineered products. The aviation industry has established several engineering disciplines, lifecycle design, and certification approaches that (while not designed with the circular economy in mind) underpin principles of the Circular Economy. This paper provides a new conceptual framework for the Circular Economy that integrates the engineering principles that drive circularity around the life cycle for designing, producing and operating complex and certified engineering systems. It also identifies the engineering and operational principles that support the implementation of Circular Economy principles for both complex and certified engineering systems, those that are already established and those that would benefit from further research and development in the future. Then goes on to explore how these principles, when applied by companies, industry ecosystems and policy makers, can be used to underpin the move from linear to circular principles.

**Author(s) - ranked in descending order of contribution / as it should appear when published**
Rebecca Meldrum
Innovation and Sustainability Consultant at Meldrum Consulting &
EASA Approved Independent External Expert



Designing and Innovating for Circularity: An Engineering Lifecycle Approach to the Circular Economy for Complex and Certified Products

SAE International’s AeroTech is the premier global aerospace technology conference and exhibition focused on and celebrating innovation in virtually every facet of modern aerospace and defense mobility, including platform, system, subsystem, component, and material research and development, engineering, manufacturing, assembly, test and validation, certification, integration, deployment, sustainment, safety, security, and sustainability. Innovators and thought-leaders from the global aerospace community convene annually at AeroTech to share and learn about the latest advancements and achievements, advance technical knowledge and innovation, discuss challenges and practical solutions, discover new technologies and techniques, uncover trends and opportunities, network, and collaborate.