Public higher education institutions have a particular moral responsibility in increasing the awareness, knowledge, skills and values required to create a fair and sustainable future. Through sustainable design, the Project Refill_H20 aims to eliminate the use of plastic water bottles in the 6 schools of the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo (IPVC), respective bars, canteens and halls of residence A survey of the academic community will identify the set of physical, aesthetic and functional features to create the product specifications for the Smartbottle and Water Refill Station. ICT and IoT technologies will encourage autonomy, pedagogically helping users to acknowledge, identify and reduce their environmental footprint. Applying the principles of circular economy, this academic project promotes the reduction of plastic consumption, production and waste. Contributing towards a paradigm shift, sustainable design canvasses conditions to reduce plastic in the oceans, improving the environment and the quality of life on Earth.