♻️ City Innovation Lab: Urban Waste Solutions through Innovation
Empowering communities, shaping sustainable cities
Organized by the KMITL Lifelong Learning Center (KLLC) in collaboration with the National Innovation Agency (NIA), the City Innovation Lab was held as part of the Regional Innovation Hub Initiative to foster local innovation ecosystems and support KMITL’s Green University policy.
💬 Opening Remarks & Participation
Asst. Prof. Dr. Chotchunok Atthaphong, Assistant to the President for Environment and Sustainability, participated in the event.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jaraswan Koyvanich, Director of KLLC, welcomed participants and encouraged collaborative dialogue on household and municipal waste management.
🧠 Project Background & Urban Development Models
Asst. Prof. Dr. Sakarin Saepu, project leader and Assistant Director of KLLC, shared the development vision for three urban innovation zones:
Inner-city commercial innovation area (Punnawithi District)
Riverfront/Industrial transformation zone (Bang Na)
Research and innovation zone in suburban area (Lat Krabang)
He also emphasized common urban waste issues, including increasing waste volume, limited disposal capacity, and poor sorting practices.
🌱 Key Stakeholder Engagement
Ms. Yaowarat Kekina, Innovation Infrastructure Officer from NIA, presented the project’s origin and objectives.
Ms. Yuwadee Boonpiam, Director of CSR at WasteBuy Delivery (partnered with Wongpanit Suvarnabhumi Recycle Station), introduced the WasteBuy Delivery App, a door-to-door waste collection service.
Mr. Akkharaphon Thongpoon, Subcommittee on Integrated Waste & Environmental Management, Thai Parliament, presented:
Current waste management challenges in Thailand
International models for comparison
Structural issues in waste separation and potential solutions
🧩 Interactive Workshops:
Participants engaged in a hands-on co-creation workshop using board games and scenario mapping to explore:
Workshop 01: Waste character identification, core problems, and behavioral motivation
Workshop 02: Policy-level insights and potential scalability
Workshop 03: Co-design of functional Waste Stations
👥 Participants included:
KMITL students, faculty, and staff, along with representatives from the Lat Krabang District Office, including senior cleaning supervisors, general public service officers, and community representatives.
🌏 Sustainable Event Practices:
The event was designed with low-carbon principles:
Reused and recyclable materials for workshop tools
Food and packaging sourced with minimal carbon footprint
Carbon impact of all activities carefully considered
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