The Role of Public Sector Buyers: Influencing Systemic Change in the Construction Sector

Abstract

Construction machinery is essential to all construction projects and is also a significant contributor to both air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Non-Road Mobile Machinery Market (NRMM), otherwise known as the construction machinery market, largely operates using diesel fuel nowadays which has significant negative environmental impacts. It is critical that governmental leaders push suppliers to innovate and implement sustainable solutions in the construction sector. Green Public Procurement (GPP) and Innovation Orientated Public Procurement (IOPP) have emerged as potentially powerful instruments to drive green innovation by providing ‘lead markets’ for new technologies. City municipalities, regions, nations, and supranational government structures such as the European Union (EU) are starting to use public purchasing to achieve cleaner construction and Zero Emission Construction Sites (ZEMCONs). Early Market Dialogues (EMD) prior to the release of procurement documents can be an effective tool for achieving innovative solutions and for creating positive buyer and supplier collaboration. This case illustrates how the CapSEM Model and toolbox can operate from a top-down approach, initiating collaborative approaches amongst multiple actors, across multiple CapSEM Levels.