The ACTAS project was created with the goal of supporting the furniture sector, particularly the contract furniture segment, in its transition towards more sustainable and circular business models.
The initiative aims to co-develop and test a servitization model and a transition process that involve both internal company actors and external stakeholders, fostering a shift from the traditional product sales model to the provision of Product-Service Systems (PSS).

The project is part of the PE_000004 Circular and Sustainable Made in Italy (MICS) programme — a partnership funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) with resources from the European Union under the NextGenerationEU programme.

The project follows a structured two-phase approach:

• Exploratory phase: the research focuses on an in-depth analysis of the contract furniture sector, combining a review of existing literature with the study of real-world cases and best practices.
• Experimental phase: companies are directly involved in pilot projects, which allow the testing and concrete validation of the potential of Product-Service Systems (PSS) in a sustainable perspective.
  

Main Objectives

ACTAS aims to develop design-driven strategies, methods, and tools tailored to the contract furniture sector, capable of guiding Italian companies and their stakeholders — including manufacturers, suppliers, intermediaries, and service providers — in the transition from a product-oriented to a service-oriented model, thereby promoting sustainability and competitiveness.
The project pays particular attention to the hospitality and working space sectors, integrating design culture as a driving force for innovation and organizational change within companies.

Expected Results

• Mapping of the state of the art and sustainable innovation practices in the sector.
• Definition of new circular and replicable business models.
• Implementation and monitoring of pilot projects applicable to companies in the field.
• Development of design scenarios aimed at guiding the future of contract furniture towards greater environmental and organizational sustainability.