The Potential of Public Procurement to Achieve Low or Zero-emission Construction Sites - A case study from Norway

Abstract

Although the construction industry is one of largest and oldest industries of all times, it constantly scores low on topics like sustainable development and innovation. Public entities however have a great potential to reposition the construction business as an environmental-friendly and innovative leader in today s market. Such change comes from the ability of public buyers to influence and even shape the market by employing the tools of public procurement effectively. The purpose of this study is to investigate the ability of public procurement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the process of project execution at construction sites. A literature review and a case study of a major Norwegian municipality are carried out to draw answers to the study s problem statement.