Going Green in Construction

Professor Terrence Daintith wrote in 1979 that ”it is now generally acknowledged that public bodies are entitled to frame general policies to guide them in the exercise of their statutory powers” referring to the use of different policy objectives in public procurement. This is still under discussion today and in 2016 the practice of sustainable public procurement has become codified in European law. In Sweden, new legislation on public procurement is about to come into force, clarifying the strategic use of public procurement for various societal objectives, including sustainable development. This report is the result of a study on how sustainable public procurement is implemented in practice in the construction sector in Sweden. It highlights both the experiences of the public sector but also the private sector regarding sustainable public procurement and public procurement to stimulate innovation. The report highlights the importance of leadership and change agents in sustainable public procurement construction practice, as well as the limitations to innovation and creativity in public procurement and the focus on lowest price selection criteria