My name is Dario Toso, I’m an Eco-Designer (Ph.D.) from Turin, Italy.

The aim of my professional and academic career is Environmental Sustainability through the application of Systemic Design in industrial processes as well as the ecodesign approach for products and services in order to promote a Circular Economy. I have more than 10+ years of work experience as a sustainability consultant and project manager with a specific focus on Design for Sustainability and  Systemic Design approach.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2016 – now     Co-founder and Senior Consultant at 4th Phase, Inc

2016 – 2017    Postdoctoral Fellow, Politecnico di Torino, Italy

2015 – 2016    Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Washington (Seattle, US)

2015                 Ph.D  in Production Systems and Industrial Design at Politecnico di Torino, Italy

2013 – 2014    Senior Consultant, Ferrino Spa, Italy

2008 – 2012   Research Fellow, Politecnico di Torino, Italy

2008 – now    Senior Sustainability Consultant, Life Cycle Engineering Srl, Italy

2007 – now    Senior Consultant, Cinelli – GRUPPO Srl, Italy

2007                Master of Science in Ecodesign at Politecnico di Torino, Italy (110/110 and dignity of printing)

PROFILE

I received a Master’s degree in Ecodesign from Politecnico di Torino in 2007 (110/110 and dignity of printing).

Right after that, I joined Life Cycle Engineering, Srl, a company based in Turin that provides environmental sustainability research and consulting services with particular regard to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Eco-design and environmental communication such as Environmental and Sustainability Product Declarations (EPD and SPD).  During the long lasting collaboration with LCE, Srl I had the opportunity to develop strong skills in design for sustainability both at a strategic and technical level. I’ve been involved in various Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) projects finalized to the product development and/or to the Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) and eco-labelling. Together with LCE, Srl in collaboration with Granta Design, I’ve worked on the EcoAudit tool development that supports designers during the decision-making phase in the process towards more sustainable solutions. | Life Cycle Engineering, Srl

Meanwhile, I’ve continued the collaboration with the Systemic Design Group at Politecnico di Torino as research fellow,  by taking part in some innovative research projects related to bio-based material development (Namatech), coffee waste recycling (Buone previsioni dai fondi di caffè, Lavazza), food packaging design (Easy Eating) and eco-friendly accessories for enhancing the urban mobility (Bici e Carta).

In 2015, I received a Ph.D. in Production Systems and Industrial Design. The Ph.D. research was performed at Politecnico di Torino in collaboration with SMAT, the Metropolitan Water Company in Turin (Italy), and the Pollack Laboratory (University of Washington). Specifically, I have deepened the Systemic Design methodology applied to innovative water treatment for its domestic purpose. | Politecnico di Torino

I had the great opportunity to join the Pollack Laboratory at the University of Washington in Seattle as postdoctoral research fellow involved in a ground-breaking water filtration system research. The filtration system is based on the phenomenon of the Exclusion Zone, a zone near hydrophilic surfaces where the main solutes vacate the zone, leaving pure water. This phenomenon has been well investigated at Pollack Laboratory over the last 15 yearsPollack Laboratory – UW

In 2016, together with G.H.Pollack, Chris Gronet and Kurt Kung I started 4th-Phase Inc. with the aim of developing water purification technologies based on the Exclusion Zone Phenomenon. We are now working on the development of a membrane-less and free energy device for water purification. As an interesting note, Pro snowboarder, Travis Rice was inspired by our work and made a film titled, The Fourth Phase, supported by RedBull.

While pursuing my Ph.D., I had the opportunity to work extensively with Cinelli to develop concepts and products for the Cinelli Bootleg line. I focused on reducing resource consumption, long lifetime, designing products easy to assemble and disassemble, as well as recyclable. The result is the Cinelli HoBootleg that I designed after my personal experiences at Tour d’Afrique 2012.  The Cinelli HoBootleg, that I tested during the Tour d’Afrique 2013, proved to be a vast improvement over the former Cinelli Bootleg that I rode on the Tour d’Afrique 2012. In 2014, Paola Gianotti, on Cinelli HoBootleg, has successfully earned the Guinness World Record for fastest circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle. | Cinelli – Gruppo, Srl

In late 2014 I’ve started a fruitful collaboration with Giro Sport Design to support its product design team on the environmental aspects related to the design of a new helmet. Together with LCE.Srl we performed a Life Cycle Assessment to establish a solid base on which to start the eco-design process. Thanks to this scrupulous approach on sustainability the design process has generated Silo, a revolution in helmet construction. Silo features an exclusive E-PLA liner that has a lower environmental burden than traditional expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, yet it performs like EPS when managing impact energy. | Giro Sport Design

In late 2017, I became a Team Member of the the MonViso Institute, an evolving playful mountain hub for research, education and entrepreneurship in sustainability transformations and social-ecological design | Monviso Institute

Recently, I started a collaboration with the ZERI Foundation with the aim to promote Blue Economy in Central Asia. | The Blue Economy

 

EDUCATION

> Ph.D. in Production System & Industrial Design at Politecnico di Torino

> Master of Science in Systemic Design at Politecnico di Torino

> Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design at Politecnico di Torino

 

PUBLICATIONS

\\ Elia V., Oliva R., Napoli E., Germano R., Pinto G., Lista L,  Niccoli M., Toso D., Vitiello G., Trifuoggi M., Giarra A., Yinnon T. A., (2018) Experimental study of physicochemicalchanges in water by iterative contact with hydrophilic polymers: A comparison betweenCellulose and Nafion. Molliq, doi:10.1016/j.molliq.2018.07.045

\\ Toso D., (2017) The Systemic Design Approach for understanding the water social behavior. In Proceedings of Relating Systems Thinking and Design (RSD6) 2017 Symposium. Oslo, Norway, October 18-20, 2017. ISSN 2371-8404

\\ Toso D., (2017) New findings in water purification treatment: free vortex Technology. In: 12th Water Conference – Conference on the Physics, Chemistry and Biology of Water,  Sofia, Bulgaria, 26 – 29 October, 2017

\\ Abha Sharma, Dario Toso, Kurt Kung, Gun-Woong Bahng, and Gerald H. Pollack (2017) QELBY„-Induced Enhancement of Exclusion Zone Buildup and Seed Germination – Advances in Materials Science and Engineering.

\\ Toso D., (2015) New findings in water purification treatment. In: 10th Water Conference – Conference on the Physics, Chemistry and Biology of Water,  Varna, Bulgaria, 1 – 3 October, 2015

\\ Toso Dario (2015), Visione Sistemica dell’Acqua. PhD Thesis in Ecodesign

\\ Toso D., Binetti R., Brussolo E., Bistagnino L., Meucci L. (2015) Exclusion Zone: studio di fattibilità di trattamenti innovative nel settore acquedottistico – Industry and Chemistry (Pro-Medianet) n. 4 Luglio-Agosto ’15

\\ Toso D., (2014) Systemic Design applied to the water treatment for its domestic purpose: The Exclusion Zone and the Vortex Technology. In: 9th Water Conference – Conference on the Physics, Chemistry and Biology of Water,  Pamporovo, Bulgaria, 8 – 12 October, 2014

\\ Toso D. Re T. (2014) Systemic Design applied to the water treatment for its domestic purpose – Urban Water 2014 – Algarve, Portugal, 27-29 May 2014

\\ Toso D., (2013) A dynamic database for the environmental assessment of human activities, International Journal of Engineering, XI,1 – ISSN 1584-2665

\\ Toso D. (2013) Systemic Design applied to the water treatment for its domestic purpose – ICWRER 2013 – Koblenz Germany, 6-8 June 2013.

\\ Toso D., Tecchio P., Rollino S., Freni P. (2012) Bioplastics In The Packaging Field: Ecodesign Approach And Critical Issues, Biopolpack – MilanoFiera – Centro Servizi, May 10, 2012

\\ Toso D., Barbero S., Tamborrini P. (2012) Systemic Design: Beyond Ecodesign. In: 18th Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference, University of Hull, 24-26 June 2012.

\\ Toso D., (2012) Dynamic database for the environmental assessment of human activities. In: MOTSP 2012, Management of Technology Step to Sustainable Production, Zadar 14-16 June 2012.

\\ Bozzola M., Ferrigno E., Toso D. (2011) Sistemi per il trasporto e il consumo di prodotti enogastronomici: le proposte. In: EasyEATING. Packaging sostenibilie in carta per prodotti enogastronomici / Bozzola M. Edizioni Dativo, Milano, pp. 38-88. ISBN 9788890281860

\\ S. Barbero, C. Campagnaro, C. Ceppa, F. Fassio A. Balbo, S. Corsaro, V. Gallio, A. Marchiò, L. Mingrone, L. Signori, D. Toso (2011) Progetti sperimentali – casi studio. In: Design Sistemico. Progettare la sostenibilità produttiva e ambientale / Luigi Bistagnino. Slow Food Editore, Bra (CN), pp. 73-196. ISBN 9788884992703

\\ Barbero S., Campagnaro C., Ceppa C., Fassio F., Balbo A., Corsaro S., Gallio V., Marchio’ A., Mingrone L., Signori L., Toso D. (2011) Experimental projects – case studies. In: SYSTEMIC DESIGN. Designing the productive and environmental sustainability / LUIGI BISTAGNINO. Slow Food® Editore srl, Bra – CN, pp. 73-196. ISBN 9788884992710

\\ Foschia M., Toso D., Bocchini S., Talon O. (2010) – Un contributo per valutare quanto sono verdi le “plastiche verdi”? – Biopolpack, Parma.

\\ S. Barbero, D. Toso (2010) – Systemic Design of a Productive Chain: Reusing Coffee Waste as an Input to Agricultural Production – Environmental Quality Management / DOI 10.1002/tqem

\\ S. Barbero, D. Toso (2009) – Systemic Design, Buone previsioni dai fondi di caffè – Quaderni di Design, Time&Mind, Torino, 2008

\\ C.Allione, B. Lerma, D.Toso (2009) – Design ed ecoefficienza: Approccio semplificato alla lettura dei parametri ambientali dei materiali coinvolti nel ciclo di vita di un prodotto – Bioedilizia Italia, Uniamo le Energie, Torino.

\\ B.De Benedetti, D.Toso, G.L. Baldo, S.Rollino (2009) – ECOAUDIT: a renewed simplified approach to facilitate the environmentally informed material choice, orienting the further life cycle analysis for ecodesigners – Materials Transactions, Vol.51 No.05 (2010) pp.832-837

 

TEACHING

> from 2018 to 2019 – “Requisiti Ambientali di Prodotto” – Industrial Design, Politecnico di Torino

> from 2009 to 2012 – “Ecodesign Principles” – COREP, European Master in “Project technologies and environment evaluation”, Torino

> from 2009 to 2012 – “Ecodesign Guidelines” – COREP, European Master in “Materiali per energia e ambiente”, Novara

> 2010 – “Ecodesign and Ecoinnovation” – IAL Marche, Master in “Tecnico Sistemi Integrati di Certificazione”, Fano (PU)

> 2009 – “Ecodesign Principles in material selection” – PROPLAST, “La Progettazione di Packaging Sostenibile”, Alessandria

 

 

Teaching Assistant Activities

> 2014 – “Design per Componenti” – Industrial Design, Politecnico di Torino

> 2013 – “Communication Design 1” – Industrial Design, Politecnico di Torino

> 2013 – “Sistemi aperti” – Industrial Design, Politecnico di Torino

> 2013 – “Design per Componenti” – Industrial Design, Politecnico di Torino

> 2012 – “Design 1” – Industrial Design, Politecnico di Torino

> 2012 – “Communication Design 1” – Industrial Design, Politecnico di Torino

> 2012 – “Sistemi aperti” – Industrial Design, Politecnico di Torino

> 2012 – “Design per Componenti” – Industrial Design, Politecnico di Torino

> 2011 – “Paper craftwork and Packaging” – Graphic & Virtual Design, Politecnico di Torino

> 2011 – “Design per Componenti” – Industrial Design, Politecnico di Torino

> 2010 – “Quality Control of Object in Use” – Industrial Design, Politecnico di Torino

> 2010 – “Paper craftwork and Packaging” – Graphic & Virtual Design, Politecnico di Torino

> 2009-2010 – “Industrial Design for Visual Communications II” – Graphic & Virtual Design, Politecnico di Torino

 

Co-tutoring on BSc Thesis

> 2015 – Dadyar A., Biciclette e mobilità sostenibile: una proposta progettuale per Torino – Politecnico di Torino (DAD

> 2014 – Girotto F., Giocare con la carta: Analisi e sviluppo di una linea di giochi educativi in materiali cellulosici – Politecnico di Torino (DAD)

> 2013 – Ganassin G., Home anywhere: Psicogeogra a nel 2013, quando il flaneur incontra la rete – Politecnico di Torino (DAD)

> 2013 – Innocente E., LOOPS-bag Analisi e progetto di borsa leggera e plurifunzionale per il cicloturismo veloce – Politecnico di Torino (DAD)

> 2013 – Danna, Camperi, Frutta di IV gamma, dall’albero allo spicchiato – Politecnico di Torino (DAD)

> 2012 – Garcevic T., Alimentazione: parola ai bambini proposte progettuali per avvicinare i bambini ad una dieta sana – Politecnico di Torino (DAD)

> 2012 – Barbalinardo M., Nuovi scenari per il food packaging: potenzialità e criticità delle nuove soluzioni introdotte sul mercato – Politecnico di Torino (DAD)

> 2011 – Cadoni E., Il Packaging farmaceutico: analisi funzionale e ambientale e proposte metaprogettuali – Politecnico di Torino (DAD)

> 2010 – Chiavazza A., Il Packaging dei prodotti caseari: Analisi e definizione dello scenario metaprogettuale – Politecnico di Torino (DAD)

> 2010 – Bezzone C., Il Packaging della frutta secca: analisi e scenari metaprogettuali – Politecnico di Torino (DAD)

 

CONFERENCE SPEAKING

\\ 2008, November 19 – Ecodesign e direttiva EuP – (IMQ) Workshop, Milano. \\ 2009, March 26 – Il Design Creativo, Gli imballi in EPS – (AIPE) Workshop, Milano. \\ 2009, May 20 – il packaging alimentare – Workshop, Milano \\ 2009, May 27 – EcoAudit – Aperitivi con la Ricerca, Firenze \\ 2009, October 30 – “Kunst&Future: Sviluppo, Energia, Ambiente” – Confindustria Canavese, Ivrea \\ 2010, March 12 – il Condominio Sostenibile – Uniamo le Energie, Milano \\ 2010, June 3 – Biopolymers and LCA Seminary – Politecnico di Torino, Alessandria \\ 2010, September 23 – Plastica e sostenibilità: l’approccio di ECODESIGN – EcoDesign Center – Proplast, Tortona \\ 2012, May 10 – Biopolpack, Milano – Fiera, Milano \\ 2012, June 15 – MOTSP 2012, Management of Technology Step to Sustainable Production, Zadar \\ 2012, 18th Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference, University of Hull, England, 24-26 June \\ 2013, ICWRER 2013 – Koblenz Germany,  June 6-8\\ 2014, URBAN WATER 2014 – Algarve, Portugal, May 27-29  \\ 2014, International Conference on the Physics, Chemistry and Biology of Water, October 8-12\\ 2015, International Conference on the Physics, Chemistry and Biology of Water,  October 1-3\\ 2017, Relating Systems Thinking and Design 6, Oslo, Norway October 18-20\\ 2017, International Conference on the Physics, Chemistry and Biology of Water,  October 26-29