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Sustainable Procurement

The Strategy for Sustainable Construction published by HM Government in association with the SFfC in June 2008 underlined the importance of construction procurement as a means of achieving sustainability and value creation. Indeed, best practice in construction procurement is crucially important to support sustainable construction while reducing the overall project costs and increasing whole life value.
 
To achieve best practice in construction procurement the Strategy strongly encourages the adoption of the Construction Commitments which cover the areas of Integration, Commitment to People, Client Leadership, Sustainability, Design Quality and Health and Safety. The implementation of these guidelines aims towards the achievement of the overarching target of using procurement to deliver wider sustainability (social, environmental and economic) goals as well as to maximise the value created in the supply chain.
 
To facilitate a better view, addressing sustainable procurement can be viewed from two different perspectives including challenges related to projects and the industry as a whole.
 
The following figure presents a basic model for embedding sustainability principles in procurement practices throughout the supply chain and through the stages of a construction project.
 
 Sustainable Project Procurement
To support change towards sustainable construction across the industry Constructing Excellence South West (CESW) and Future Foundations (FF) aim to:
  • Promote the economic case for sustainable construction
  • Provide leadership, support collaboration
  • Capitalise on existing knowledge and networks
  • Support and accelerate culture change
  • Build capacity, skills for ‘sustainable communities’
  • Encourage continuous client-led demand for sustainability.

The above list of objectives has been established in order to address the main challenges of adopting sustainable procurement in construction at an industry level and is to be achieved through training, networking and knowledge transfer events. These activities and particularly capturing and disseminating best practice will also be supported by the development and publication of a number of regional case studies.

For additional information on sustainable procurement please email Christos Vidalakis

The South West Sustainable Procurement Network

The South West Sustainable Procurement Network (SWSPN) is a two year project funded by South West Regional Improvement & Efficiency Partnership (SW RIEP).  The project is headed by Bristol City Council, with the remit to provide information, training and support to South West public sector bodies.

Please, follow the link to their website www.swspn.org.uk which provides a range of tools and guidance to assist public bodies to tackle social, economic and environmental issues within public procurement.

Small Construction Firm achieves Environmental Management Standard - Find out more here

Requirements for sustainable procurement

The following is a list of requirements that need to be addressed in order to make sustainable construction a norm. The list is based on findings related to environmental social and economic aspects of construction procurement as identified at the CESW/FF and SWSPN Sustainable Construction Procurement Conference, April, 2011.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

  1. Need to create demand for tools and schemes through appropriate procurement arrangements
  2. Need to standardise/regulate available schemes (need for one national standard?)
  3. Need for process integration, early involvement of suppliers
  4. Need for appropriate training and schemes, support for local builders (repair and maintenance)

SOCIAL ASPECTS

  1. Need to increase regulation (similarly to environmental standards)
  2. Need for involving the local community as early as possible, preferably before the design brief
  3. Need for giving back to the community through sponsorships, charities, etc.
  4. Need to encourage participation of local supply chains, local labour employment and apprenticeships

ECONOMIC ASPECTS

  1. Need for clients to appreciate the value of sustainable construction or/and corporate social responsibility
  2. Need for a life cycle costing approach rather than capital cost approach to procurement
  3. Need for long term agreements so as to enjoy the long term benefits of sustainable solutions
  4. Need to encourage investment in local supply chains, local labour and apprenticeships