Tag Archives: procurement

A PQQ for Regenerative Construction

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Originating in FutuREstorative and further developed in conjunction with COST RESTORE, this PQQ for Assessing Regenerative Sustainability Capability template details areas of regenerative sustainability that a client, the design team (or design and build contractor) should be considering, and seeking evidence of understanding, approach and experience from the potential supply chain in written responses and in interview

REGENERATIVE SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT

From COST Restore publication: Regenerative Construction and Operation
Bridging the gap between design and construction, following a Life Cycle Approach consisting of practical approaches for procurement, construction, operation and future life.

Regenerative Sustainable procurement is the transition between the sustainable design vision and the realisation of that vision. Within the regenerative sustainability paradigm, it is vital that the construction process of the project along with the facilities management of the project is undertaken in a manner that is not only socially just and ecologically sound but is regenerative in enabling human and ecosystems to thrive.

The template should be tailored to meet project specifics.

Request a customisable copy of the Regenerative Sustainability PQQ

Climate and Biodiversity Emergency commitment, expectations and actions: the new bidding and procurement criteria?

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Are commitments and actions towards Climate and Biodiversity becoming procurement criteria for consultants, designers, contractors and building product manufacturers, and criteria for selecting which contracts to bid?

Practices and organisations who are making climate and biodiversity emergency Promise of Declarations are questioned on their actions, and outcomes on issues pledged within the declarations, for example:

  • Raising awareness,
  • Moving to regenerative design practices
  • Set mitigation as critical measures for awards, prizes and listings.
  • Sharing knowledge on open source basis
  • Evaluate all new projects against (climate declaration)
  • Going beyond net zero carbon
  • Collaborate (on climate / biodiversity emergencies)
  • Shift to low embodied carbon materials in all work

The pressure from investment organisations such as the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) in expecting material companies to make commitments on:

  • Accountability and oversight of climate change risk and opportunities.
  • Action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across their value chain consistent with the Paris Agreement’s goal
  • Provide corporate disclosure

Interesting the Creative Climate declaration contains the pledge to

  • Reveal income from fossil fuel and high carbon clients
  • Not work with fossil fuel client briefs’

Assessing Regenerative Sustainability Capacity

Although written before the current raft of declarations, the RESTORE WG3 Publication provides a Regenerative PQQ procurement guide. (Pages 41-45)

Header image by Mehmet Kürşat Değer on Unsplash

The Preston Model: lessons for local value in property, construction, food …

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The local Preston Model for ‘guerilla localism’ has received coverage in the Guardian over the last month or so. For those interested in how localism approaches can favour SME’s rather than out-of-town large investors, these reports make good reading.

In 2011 Preston hit rock bottom. Then it took back control

The Preston model – event review: ‘Cities are looking to us for hope’

Related: in the light of Carillion collapse, Nottingham City framework will be broken down into smaller packages to favour smaller construction organisations in the region.

Related: my LinkedIn article Co-Benefits of Built Environment.

Gaining a deeper understanding of sustainability.

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RESTORE TS LogoA reminder that there only a few days remaining to apply for our funded RESTORE Training School to be held in November.

Restorative sustainability will move us beyond the intersection of ‘old’ and ‘new’ sustainability, and attending this training school will equip you with knowledge and greater understanding for the new emerging sustainability era..

Aldo Leopold quote

In addition to learning from leading experts in areas such as Biophilia, Sustainable Education & Restorative Sustainability, visit inspiring sustainability projects, you will also gain an understanding of the forward thinking work from the RESTORE working groups.

Applications received to date indicate a wonderful range of backgrounds and experience from across Europe that will enable you to learn, to share and to form working collaborations with other training school delegates.

We encourage you to get your application (or expression of interest) to us now, and to share this opportunity with your colleagues and friends.  The application details are at www.eurestore.eu/ts. but should you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask Dorin Beu (dorin.beu@rogbc.org) or myself.

The Training School is fully funded by COST RESTORE (subject to the COST rules outlined in the application) and hence represents great, unmissable value.

I look forward to welcoming you to Lancaster and the Training School in November …

training school images

Blockchain: Explainer and Grenfell relevance.

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In relation to transparency and responsibility in the material supply chain we have covered material passport on a few occasions on this blog and in event workshops, (Cradle to Cradle, LBC Declare etc)

 

censorship-free-social-network-akasha-aims-to-tackle-internet-censorship-with-blockchain-technology-950x528

 

Emerging Blockchain technology, the technology of trust is redefining the way we transact. Combining the internet’s openness with cryptography security,  Blockchain can give everyone a faster, safer way to verify supply chain transactions, verify key information and (re)establish trust. 

pw tweet grenfell

Being able to verify everything we specify, procure and install on building projects will go a big way to removing the uncertainty highlighted in the Grenfell Tower materials issue.

 

Blockchain can provide that certainty.

Blockchain is designed to store information in a way that makes it virtually impossible to add, remove or change data without being detected by other users.

 

But what is Blockchain?

This Blockchain explainer from Goldman Sachs is one of the best introductions (despite its clunky format!)

blockchain

Image: http://www.goldmansachs.com/our-thinking/pages/blockchain/

PAS91: Update for LCBPC

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Although we still await the revision to PAS91 that will align it with the Government Construction Strategy, PAS91 was included in the Lancashire Construction Best Practice Club event looking at winning work, reducing costs and adding value through adapting the elements within the Strategy;

To be updated when the revised PAS91 is issued!

The other presentations from the Winning Work event can be viewed on the LCBP Slideshare page or via links here:
Nw b im_hub_-_march2013 Mark Stodgell

Social Value Act, CSR and Construction

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Could the Social Value Act 2012 which came into being earlier this year have profound implications on construction procurement and on construction’s approach to Corporate Social Responsibility?

Indications are that it will.

The Social Value Act requires local authorities, when entering into public procurement contracts, to give greater consideration to economic, social or environmental wellbeing during the procurement stage.

(3) The authority must consider—

(a) how what is proposed to be procured might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the relevant area, and

(b) how, in conducting the process of procurement, it might act with a view to securing that improvement.

This will require the authority to pre-determine social value expected, along with measures and targets for both the project procurement and delivery. Raising the game on construction understanding of Social Value and CSR.

In response, bids will clearly demonstrate how social value will be created and delivered (as a result of selection to the project). We could (will?) see more weighting and scores afforded to social value issues making ‘soft’ issues ever more competitive.

What are currently seen as innovative differentiators could well become the norm and common place (such as free fruit in site canteens, free whole person health checks for operatives, demonstrating localism through mapping carbons of site travel etc)

Construction can have a huge influence and impact on social value and social wealth, through employment, transport, material purchase, SME procurement, environmental and social impacts … and more. With a little rethinking those impacts, often seen as negative, can deliver real positive value.

Construction, and built environment CSR strategies and performance will need to become ever more important, more strategic and more informed. At one level demonstrating a coherent approach to social value and at another as a competitive differentiator.

Hence now, as ever, is the best time to ensure that CSR approaches are robust, realistic and aligned with staff client and society expectations.

If you are interested in the growing debate on the impact of the Social Value Act and CSR in construction, please join me on twitter @fairsnape, using the #socialvalueact hashtag. You can also comment below and or subscribe to this blog or get in touch to discuss wider CSR and Bidding support.

We have a planned CSR in Construction Tweetchat scheduled for the 18th June where we will be debating, over twitter, the impact of the Social Value Act. (Using hashtag #GVischat)