L’Échelle de Performance CO2 stimule la passation de marchés publics durables en Irlande et aide les entreprises irlandaises et le gouvernement à traduire leurs ambitions climatiques en actions concrètes.
En 2023, le Irish Green Building Council (IGBC) a lancé un projet pilote de l’Échelle de Performance CO2 en Irlande, avec les premiers marchés publics par Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Le premier projet complet de l’Échelle en Irlande a été achevé fin 2024, avec Jons Civil engineering exécutant le projet au niveau 4.
En utilisant l’Échelle, le secteur public irlandais peut promouvoir le développement durable par le biais des marchés publics, les entreprises étant récompensées pour la réduction des émissions de CO2 . Pat Barry, PDG du CIGB, a souligné que cet outil, qui a fait ses preuves aux Pays-Bas, permettra de généraliser les marchés publics durables en Irlande, aidant ainsi les entreprises et le gouvernement à atteindre leurs objectifs en matière de climat.
“En intégrant l’Échelle de Performance CO2 dans leurs procédures de marchés publics, les organismes publics peuvent envoyer un message clair au marché : la durabilité n’est pas une option, c’est un impératif. L’Échelle de Performance CO2 est un instrument qui a fait ses preuves en matière de marchés publics et de réduction des émissions de carbone.”
– Pat Barry, directeur général de l’Irish Green Building Council (Conseil irlandais de la construction écologique)
Notre partenaire irlandais
L’Échelle de Performance CO2 en Irlande est coordonnée par le Irish Green Building Council (IGBC) en collaboration avec la Fondation pour les Achats et les Entreprises Respectueux du Climat (en néerlandais : SKAO).
Vous souhaitez obtenir plus d’informations sur la mise en œuvre en Irlande ou vous lancer dans l’aventure ? Consultez le site igbc.ie ou contactez Marianne Ibrahim.
Micheál O’Connor, Senior Procurement Executive at Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) talks about his experience implementing the Ladder into their procurement process.
Micheál O’Connor, Senior Procurement Executive at Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) talks about his experience implementing the Ladder into their procurement process.
Belgium was the first country after the Netherlands to use the CO2 Performance Ladder. Between 2019 and 2023, 24 pilot projects in three regions were launched implementing the Ladder. The results of the pilot are positive among both participating companies and contracting authorities, and can be read in the report on this successful pilot period. Now that it’s time to map out the further integration and scaling-up of the system in Belgium, the various actors came together for a roundtable discussion.
Step towards a more sustainable construction sector
Construction companies praise the Ladder’s clarity and simplicity. Jan Van Steirteghem, Chief operating officer (COO) of construction company BESIX: “It is not overly complicated. That offers two advantages. First, the initial investment is easy to recoup. Secondly, you can spend more time on achieving the objective that the certificate aims at (namely carbon reduction), than you do on the administration of obtaining the certificate. That’s important, especially for the younger generation who really want to make an impact.”
In addition, the Ladder puts the topic of CO2 reduction on the map within the construction sector and among companies. “The Ladder provides focus, unlike all the other things that are coming our way, like the CSRD”, Van Steirteghem says. “We started in the Netherlands at level 3 and a year later we reached level 5. On our major infrastructure works, experts enthusiastically search for CO2 reduction opportunities on the worksites. For Brice Duchêne, responsible for environment and sustainable development at Duchêne, the Ladder provides a framework to develop an action plan. Philippe Goblet, Chief executive officer (CEO) of Duchêne, jumps in: “We stepped into this to bring down our carbon footprint. This is the example we want to set as a bigger player. After all, it is still going to take a lot of effort to make our colleagues aware of the importance of CO2 reduction. But those who use the Ladder are very positive about its ease of use.”
“We stepped into this to bring down our carbon footprint. This is the example we want to set as a bigger player.” – Philippe Goblet, CEO at Duchêne
Unburdening of contracting authorities
Initially, there was some reluctance among contracting authorities, but during the pilot period, the popularity of the CO2 Performance Ladder grew, resulting in wider acceptance and application. Integration into public procurement involves little extra work.
Dirk van Troyen, road measurement engineer at the Agency for Roads and Traffic (AWV), notes that it is easy to integrate the CO2 Performance Ladder into tender documents. “The clauses can be found online. It is not an additional cost and creates little extra work for officials.” Alexander Lemmens, a lawyer at the Agency for Facility Operations, refers to the positive experience in the public contract for the renovation of buildings on the Martelaarsplein in Brussels: “The integration into the contract documents requires little extra effort. The checks and audits are done by accredited certification bodies, which, in case of a positive result, issue a certificate to the contractor. Thus, the contracting authority does not have to carry out detailed checks itself, but only checks that the contractor has a valid certificate at the appropriate level. This shifts the burden away from the contracting authorities, which is certainly also relevant for the lower levels. The CO2 Performance Ladder provides insight into the course of events and creates a clear framework for all involved.”
There are also positive signs on the Walloon side. Sylvie Loutz, Sustainable Development Project Manager at the Service public de Wallonie (SPW), argues that people see the usefulness of working with the Ladder. The targets are easy to verify. According to her, it is one of the tools that can help meet European climate targets.
Call for structural implementation
Now that it is time to map out the next steps, industry is asking for commitment from the government to get started with the CO2 Performance Ladder and implement it structurally in public procurement.
According to Philippe Goblet, the issue is starting to take hold in the market, but action is needed from the government. “Even though many see its benefit, they remain too hesitant. You can compare it to the introduction of the ISO9001 standard. It is there, but it takes years to implement and when it comes to sustainability, we don’t have that time. We need to take action together now. It is up to the government to take the lead, taking into account the resources and capabilities of all companies.”
“We need to take action together now. It is up to the government to take the lead, taking into account the resources and capabilities of all companies.” – Philippe Goblet, CEO at Duchêne
Need to support green premium
While companies are convinced of the added value of the Ladder, they want governments to pay attention to the costs involved. This is another reason why commitment from the government is needed. That way, the playing field is equal for all players.
Jan Van Steirteghem points out that green alternatives come at an additional cost. He questions who will pay ‘the Green Premium’: “In the Netherlands, subsidies are given for buying sustainable construction equipment. If you can show that you reduce CO2 emissions by 50 per cent and become 10 per cent more expensive, you can win the tender. In Belgium, this is unthinkable and governments still only focus on price. The CO2 Performance Ladder can be a catalyst to immediately lay down in the specifications which sustainable alternatives must be used.”
According to Alexander Lemmens, this awareness is growing among the government. He says the notional discounts for the Ladder are already shifting the focus towards quality.
Approach Flanders vs Wallonia
Several government agencies, such as the Public Waste Agency of Flanders (OVAM) and the Agency for Roads and Traffic and the Flemish Waterways, both linked to the Flemish department for mobility and public works (MOW), have already decided to implement the Ladder structurally, while others, such as SWDE and SOWAER in Wallonia, are positive towards further integration.
Sylvie Loutz argues that the differences between Wallonia and Flanders should be taken into account. There are currently consultations with colleagues on the integration of the Ladder but nothing has been decided yet. If Wallonia integrates a sustainability tool into public procurement, it will of course be the same as in neighbouring countries and Flanders. However, there is still a lot of work to convince companies in Wallonia.
The management of the Flemish MOW has already approved the implementation of the CO2 Performance Ladder. “We will include the Ladder in specifications for infra works from 1 January 2025 starting from five million euros and progressing gradually”, says Dirk van Troyen.
Finally, BESIX and Duchêne hope to raise awareness among subcontractors. Jan van Steirteghem: “We need to get them on board. We often need data to meet Ladder requirements, but it is sometimes difficult to obtain. Other sectors, such as concrete, steel and aluminium, also need to take responsibility. That’s where the biggest impact is. We need to cooperate across national borders and impose conditions. We need a Coalition of the Willing where governments take the lead.”
Belgium was the first country after the Netherlands to use the CO2 Performance Ladder. Between 2019 and 2023, 24 pilot projects in three regions were launched implementing the Ladder. The results of the pilot are positive among both participating companies and contracting authorities, and can be read in the report on this successful pilot period. Now that it’s time to map out the further integration and scaling-up of the system in Belgium, the various actors came together for a roundtable discussion.
Step towards a more sustainable construction sector
Construction companies praise the Ladder’s clarity and simplicity. Jan Van Steirteghem, Chief operating officer (COO) of construction company BESIX: “It is not overly complicated. That offers two advantages. First, the initial investment is easy to recoup. Secondly, you can spend more time on achieving the objective that the certificate aims at (namely carbon reduction), than you do on the administration of obtaining the certificate. That’s important, especially for the younger generation who really want to make an impact.”
In addition, the Ladder puts the topic of CO2 reduction on the map within the construction sector and among companies. “The Ladder provides focus, unlike all the other things that are coming our way, like the CSRD”, Van Steirteghem says. “We started in the Netherlands at level 3 and a year later we reached level 5. On our major infrastructure works, experts enthusiastically search for CO2 reduction opportunities on the worksites. For Brice Duchêne, responsible for environment and sustainable development at Duchêne, the Ladder provides a framework to develop an action plan. Philippe Goblet, Chief executive officer (CEO) of Duchêne, jumps in: “We stepped into this to bring down our carbon footprint. This is the example we want to set as a bigger player. After all, it is still going to take a lot of effort to make our colleagues aware of the importance of CO2 reduction. But those who use the Ladder are very positive about its ease of use.”
“We stepped into this to bring down our carbon footprint. This is the example we want to set as a bigger player.” – Philippe Goblet, CEO at Duchêne
Unburdening of contracting authorities
Initially, there was some reluctance among contracting authorities, but during the pilot period, the popularity of the CO2 Performance Ladder grew, resulting in wider acceptance and application. Integration into public procurement involves little extra work.
Dirk van Troyen, road measurement engineer at the Agency for Roads and Traffic (AWV), notes that it is easy to integrate the CO2 Performance Ladder into tender documents. “The clauses can be found online. It is not an additional cost and creates little extra work for officials.” Alexander Lemmens, a lawyer at the Agency for Facility Operations, refers to the positive experience in the public contract for the renovation of buildings on the Martelaarsplein in Brussels: “The integration into the contract documents requires little extra effort. The checks and audits are done by accredited certification bodies, which, in case of a positive result, issue a certificate to the contractor. Thus, the contracting authority does not have to carry out detailed checks itself, but only checks that the contractor has a valid certificate at the appropriate level. This shifts the burden away from the contracting authorities, which is certainly also relevant for the lower levels. The CO2 Performance Ladder provides insight into the course of events and creates a clear framework for all involved.”
There are also positive signs on the Walloon side. Sylvie Loutz, Sustainable Development Project Manager at the Service public de Wallonie (SPW), argues that people see the usefulness of working with the Ladder. The targets are easy to verify. According to her, it is one of the tools that can help meet European climate targets.
Call for structural implementation
Now that it is time to map out the next steps, industry is asking for commitment from the government to get started with the CO2 Performance Ladder and implement it structurally in public procurement.
According to Philippe Goblet, the issue is starting to take hold in the market, but action is needed from the government. “Even though many see its benefit, they remain too hesitant. You can compare it to the introduction of the ISO9001 standard. It is there, but it takes years to implement and when it comes to sustainability, we don’t have that time. We need to take action together now. It is up to the government to take the lead, taking into account the resources and capabilities of all companies.”
“We need to take action together now. It is up to the government to take the lead, taking into account the resources and capabilities of all companies.” – Philippe Goblet, CEO at Duchêne
Need to support green premium
While companies are convinced of the added value of the Ladder, they want governments to pay attention to the costs involved. This is another reason why commitment from the government is needed. That way, the playing field is equal for all players.
Jan Van Steirteghem points out that green alternatives come at an additional cost. He questions who will pay ‘the Green Premium’: “In the Netherlands, subsidies are given for buying sustainable construction equipment. If you can show that you reduce CO2 emissions by 50 per cent and become 10 per cent more expensive, you can win the tender. In Belgium, this is unthinkable and governments still only focus on price. The CO2 Performance Ladder can be a catalyst to immediately lay down in the specifications which sustainable alternatives must be used.”
According to Alexander Lemmens, this awareness is growing among the government. He says the notional discounts for the Ladder are already shifting the focus towards quality.
Approach Flanders vs Wallonia
Several government agencies, such as the Public Waste Agency of Flanders (OVAM) and the Agency for Roads and Traffic and the Flemish Waterways, both linked to the Flemish department for mobility and public works (MOW), have already decided to implement the Ladder structurally, while others, such as SWDE and SOWAER in Wallonia, are positive towards further integration.
Sylvie Loutz argues that the differences between Wallonia and Flanders should be taken into account. There are currently consultations with colleagues on the integration of the Ladder but nothing has been decided yet. If Wallonia integrates a sustainability tool into public procurement, it will of course be the same as in neighbouring countries and Flanders. However, there is still a lot of work to convince companies in Wallonia.
The management of the Flemish MOW has already approved the implementation of the CO2 Performance Ladder. “We will include the Ladder in specifications for infra works from 1 January 2025 starting from five million euros and progressing gradually”, says Dirk van Troyen.
Finally, BESIX and Duchêne hope to raise awareness among subcontractors. Jan van Steirteghem: “We need to get them on board. We often need data to meet Ladder requirements, but it is sometimes difficult to obtain. Other sectors, such as concrete, steel and aluminium, also need to take responsibility. That’s where the biggest impact is. We need to cooperate across national borders and impose conditions. We need a Coalition of the Willing where governments take the lead.”
IISD conducted a feasibility study of using the CO2 Performance Ladder as a procurement tool and CO2 management tool in Europe. Compared to other European carbon tools and approaches, the CO2 Performance Ladder stands out for its track record of use in public procurement, its proven carbon mitigation impact, and its third-party verification system.
Due to increasing international interest (including a pilot project in Belgium), the Foundation for Climate Friendly Procurement and Business (SKAO), together with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), is investigating the feasibility of the CO2 Performance Ladder in several European countries.
The project – ‘Accelerating decarbonisation through the power of procurement, by dissemination of the CO2 Performance Ladder in Europe’ (CO₂PLEU) – researches the possibilities to extend the use of this best practice instrument, towards a Europe wide dissemination. In this way the CO2 Performance Ladder can boost green public procurement and CO2 reduction even further.
Feasibility study
The feasibility study, conducted by IISD, provides insights about the procurement context in 10 European countries: Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. For each of the countries, the study provides information about:
Sustainable Public Procurement: What are key priorities and activities in the country? Which tools, instruments and labels are used for sustainable public procurement?
Low carbon procurement: What are emission reduction targets in the country? What is the status of low carbon procurement of goods, works and services, and how is this monitored?
The study shows the potential of the CO2 Performance Ladder in 10 studied countries
Key observations by country
Below Table provides an overview of key observations on the potential for uptake of the CO2 Performance Ladder through public procurement processes in the 10 studied countries.
IISD conducted a feasibility study of using the CO2 Performance Ladder as a procurement tool and CO2 management tool in Europe. Compared to other European carbon tools and approaches, the CO2 Performance Ladder stands out for its track record of use in public procurement, its proven carbon mitigation impact, and its third-party verification system.
Due to increasing international interest (including a pilot project in Belgium), the Foundation for Climate Friendly Procurement and Business (SKAO), together with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), is investigating the feasibility of the CO2 Performance Ladder in several European countries.
The project – ‘Accelerating decarbonisation through the power of procurement, by dissemination of the CO2 Performance Ladder in Europe’ (CO₂PLEU) – researches the possibilities to extend the use of this best practice instrument, towards a Europe wide dissemination. In this way the CO2 Performance Ladder can boost green public procurement and CO2 reduction even further.
Feasibility study
The feasibility study, conducted by IISD, provides insights about the procurement context in 10 European countries: Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. For each of the countries, the study provides information about:
Sustainable Public Procurement: What are key priorities and activities in the country? Which tools, instruments and labels are used for sustainable public procurement?
Low carbon procurement: What are emission reduction targets in the country? What is the status of low carbon procurement of goods, works and services, and how is this monitored?
The study shows the potential of the CO2 Performance Ladder in 10 studied countries
Key observations by country
Below Table provides an overview of key observations on the potential for uptake of the CO2 Performance Ladder through public procurement processes in the 10 studied countries.
IISD study: CO₂ Performance Ladder feasable for use in Europe
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Micheál O’Connor, Senior Procurement Executive at Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) talks about his experience implementing the Ladder into their procurement process.
