| 1. |
- Eriksson, Per-Erik, et al.
(författare)
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Collaborative Procurement Strategies for Infrastructure Projects : A Multiple Case Study
- 2019
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers. - : Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). - 1751-4304 .- 1751-4312. ; 172:5, s. 197-205
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- With the announcement to tender a project, several strategic decisions are made that have significant impact on the innovation and efficiency potential of a project. The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare how different types of integrative and collaborative procurement strategies may enhance the opportunities for improved efficiency and innovation in infrastructure projects. Hence, it contributes to the scientific debate on buyer-supplier relationships in relation to project performance. Furthermore, it guides public client organizations in steering explicitly for integration and innovation in their projects. Interview-based case studies of ten public infrastructure projects procured based on four different types of collaborative procurement strategies in Sweden and the Netherlands were conducted. The findings indicate that the duration of the collaboration is fundamental in setting the limits for innovation, and that early involvement as well as long-term commitments in maintenance open up for more innovation. Naturally, the potential for increased efficiency is higher than for innovation, and also occurs in collaborations with limited duration. The findings confirm the importance of a learning perspective on procurement strategies for public client organizations and show the importance of explicit considerations on incentives and project governance issues in the front-end phase of a project.
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| 2. |
- Eriksson, Per Erik, et al.
(författare)
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Procurement of Railway Infrastructure Projects : A European Benchmarking Study
- 2017
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Ingår i: Civil Engineering Journal. - : C EJ PUBLISHING GROUP. - 2476-3055. ; 3:4, s. 199-213
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This benchmarking study compares how railway investments are procured in five European countries: Sweden, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK. In total, 19 procurement managers and project managers were interviewed. This study compares the national rail clients' procurement strategies regarding: delivery system, reward system, contractor selection, and collaboration model. Historically, these clients have used in-house production. The first step towards a gradually increased usage of the market was to outsource the construction activities while keeping the design and development competence in-house. All five countries have mainly used Design-Bid-Build contracts in their initial outsourcing. However, the last few years there is a discernible trend in Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and the UK towards allocating more design and development responsibilities to contractors (i.e. Design-Build contracts) and increasing the strategic focus on cooperation. The UK and the Netherlands are forerunners in this trend that can be viewed as a third step in the transition towards a market oriented railway sector. Norway and Sweden is in the middle of this transition, whereas Germany has not initiated this change. The transition towards a gradually increased usage of the market has two main dimensions; degree of cooperation and degree of contractor freedom, which differs among the countries. The UK and Sweden focus on increasing both these dimensions, while The Netherlands and Norway mostly focus on increasing the degree of contractor freedom. Germany still limits both dimensions by performing design and development in-house and letting contractors compete for construction work in Design-Bid-Build contracts. Due to historical and cultural reasons, Deutsche Bahn in Germany is very hesitant to engage in collaboration with external suppliers; focusing on competition is considered more appropriate and less controversial.
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| 3. |
- Kadefors, Anna, Professor, 1962-, et al.
(författare)
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Procurement Requirements for Carbon Reduction in Infrastructure Construction Projects : An International Case Study
- 2019
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Executive SummaryIntroductionFollowing alarming reports from the IPCC, climate change has engaged policymakers world-wide to chart policies at different administrative levels to mitigate increasing greenhouse gas emissions. The construction sector causes a substantial part of all greenhouse gas emissions, primarily carbon dioxide. Traditionally in this sector, the focus of carbon reduction measures has been on improving the energy efficiency of buildings. Further, various sustainability assessment schemes (BREEAM, LEED, Green Star, etc.) have been developed to assess sustainability performance. More recently, awareness has increased of the considerable greenhouse gas emissions arising from the manufacturing of construction materials and components, and also from construction processes and transport. Consequently, the infrastructure construction sector is now considered as a major source of greenhouse gases. In the UK, The Infrastructure Carbon Review has estimated that the construction, maintenance and operations of infrastructure assets account for 16% of the nation’s total carbon dioxide emissions. It is widely acknowledged that these emissions need to be significantly reduced if the international and national reduction targets are to be met.About the projectThis research project has investigated the institutional and organisational contexts, policies, procurement requirements and implementation strategies used to drive greenhouse gas reduction in large infrastructure projects in five countries world-wide: Australia, The Netherlands, Sweden, the UK and the US (see below for an overview of case study projects). The study is based on interviews with key partners on the client side and in the supply chain of each project. To provide a contextual understanding of the strategies used in these projects, we further include descriptions of the policy background that underlies current strategies and ambitions. Thus, the project traces the pathway from political and organisational goals to actual realisation in projects.Overview of case studies in the Impres projectCountryImpres case studiesAustraliaSydney Metro NorthwestNewcastle Light RailThe NetherlandsMotorway A6 AlmereSwedenResults from the Swedish Transport Administration research project Control Station 2018 - an evaluation of carbon procurement requirements in Swedish infrastructure projects.UKHigh Speed 2Anglian Water (Grafham WTW Resilience and Dalton Piercy WTW) USACalifornia High-Speed RailSFO AirTrain Extension The title of this research project is Implementation of procurement requirements for sustainable collaboration in infrastructure projects, also referred to as Impres. The project is a collaboration between the engineering consultancy firm WSP, the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Lund University and the construction company Skanska. The project is co-financed by Construction Climate Challenge (CCC), a sustainability research fund and network initiated by Volvo Construction Equipment, and the Swedish Research Council Formas. The latter funding comes through a grant for the Strong Research Environment ProcSIBE, Procurement for Sustainable Innovation in the Built Environment[1].We expect that results from this research project will be useful for decision-makers on the client side that are in charge of developing policies, procurement strategies and procurement requirements to reduce carbon emissions in the construction sector. Further, client and contractor project managers, environmental specialists and procurement staff responsible for implementing policies will be interested in experiences gained in similar initiatives in other countries. In parallel with this report, scientific articles are being developed by the authors to analyse and discuss the results described in this report more thoroughly in relation to other studies and to theory.ConclusionsIn all countries studied, there is an ongoing process to develop and implement policies for carbon reduction in infrastructure projects, with raised ambitions over time. In some cases, the development has initially been driven by a few dedicated individuals, but today there are frameworks and executive mandates in place that would make it hard to avoid carbon reduction commitments. National and regional reduction policies were found to be important in encouraging clients to develop ambitious carbon requirements that can contribute to setting new industry standards.Carbon reduction measures such as optimisation of constructions, minimised transport, reuse of excavated material and cement clinker replacement are applied in the studied cases. However, most of these measures are also cost efficient and would – or should – have been undertaken in a normal design and construction optimisation process. The positive side of this is that considerable carbon reductions may be achieved within existing budgets, and in most cases will even reduce cost, and that an increased focus on carbon may contribute to finding more such options. However, it also raises the question of what constitutes a relevant reference case, or baseline. Further, to meet the target levels of the Paris agreement, costly measures will also be needed, and this research identified only a few examples of such policies being implemented. Goals for carbon reduction are still new to many in the sector, and both clients and industry partners need time to adjust and develop new competencies. In countries with a longer history of carbon management, procurement strategies and requirements have advanced through continuous interaction between clients and industry actors over longer periods of time. Clients are wary of introducing requirements that may limit competition, and requirements to comply with rating schemes or to supply EPDs have been introduced successively to match the development of industry capacity. Award (MEAT) criteria related to carbon are used, but more often to increase awareness of carbon reduction rather than as a substantive basis for selection. Front-runner contractors and material suppliers were found to play important roles in reducing obstacles to innovation-oriented procurement. Moreover, the development of procurement requirements has been aligned with information and training initiatives, tool kits and guidelines to support low-carbon design and the calculation of emissions. In general, client environmental specialists have taken an active part in supporting the implementation of requirements in supply chains.Procurement requirements are considered important in driving carbon reductions in all countries, but the preferred style of these requirements vary. This diversity was partly related to general carbon management maturity and partly to general contracting practice and policy culture in the country or region. All countries used some form of contract-level reduction requirements, in most cases set in relation to a carbon emissions baseline. Overall, reduction requirements are perceived to encourage innovation, but our results show that such requirements were often more complex than foreseen and associated with administrative costs. First, to produce change and avoid speculation it is important to set requirements and incentives at the right level, which requires awareness on the client side of both the supplier’s competence and of the opportunities for carbon reduction in the specific project. Also, sharp requirements call for equally sharp and transparent performance evaluation. Moreover, much time was spent on calculation and re-calculation of baselines which could detract from measures for actual reduction of carbon emissions. In effect, time constraints in the projects limited the opportunities to involve subcontractors and material suppliers, which meant that all possible reductions were not realised. We conclude that expectations for substantial and innovative carbon reductions through functional reduction requirements may be too high. To influence sub-contractors and suppliers directly, several clients use specific requirements.Collaborative contracting models are a flexible option to encourage innovation and integrate knowledge of different participants. Many interviewees state the importance of breaking silo-thinking and integrating the supply chain in order to reach greater carbon reductions. Also, long-term alliances allow for continuous learning and more transformational innovation, including incentivising contractors to find ways of fulfilling client goals while building less. However, it should be emphasised that strong client leadership and commitment are essential both to legitimise collaborative contracting models and to achieve more fundamental behavioural change within collaborative projects and alliance schemes.Clients in mega-projects perceive an obligation to conform to national policy goals and may also have ambitions to be industry-level change agents. Since such projects have vast budgets, last for long periods of time and engage highly competent firms and individuals, they are often expected to show high performance in the area of innovation. However, mega-projects have many goals to fulfil, are technically and organisationally complex and associated with high risks. Therefore, time and willingness to develop new ways of working or implement new technology may be lacking. Further, even large projects may not be long enough to encompass processes to develop, test and approve new solutions. Thus, to support more efficient innovation processes in the industry, a long-term system perspective is needed. Interviewees suggested using smaller pilot projects for quicker testing of new materials, tools and technologies and, once proven, use procurement requirements in large projects to implement these more widely in the market.Overall, the study shows that the applicability of procurement requirements for carbon reduction is dependent on how well these requirements are aligned
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| 4. |
- Kadefors, Anna, Professor, 1962-, et al.
(författare)
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Public procurement for carbon reduction in infrastructure projects : an international overview
- 2019
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Ingår i: Proceedings SBE19 Graz Sustainable Built Environment Conference 2019. - : IOP Publishing. - 9783851256840
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Carbon emissions emanating from infrastructure construction projects are substantial and stem primarily from production of construction materials and use of energy for construction transport and site activities. In recent years, public infrastructure clients world-wide have begun to include carbon reduction goals in their procurement requirements. This is however a new and complex field where practices vary and are still developing. In this paper, we compare models for carbon reduction requirements in infrastructure construction projects based on case studies of large projects in Australia, USA, the Netherlands, Sweden and UK. We found that open, functional carbon reduction requirements were considered innovative but entailed costs for calculating baselines and risks for speculation. Also, high time pressure in projects limits contractors' opportunities to explore reduction opportunities. Thus, specific, prescriptive requirements may play an important role in client-led, long-term innovation processes. Organizational competence and resources on the buyer side are essential, and policies for carbon reduction should aim to increase client capacity. Further, procurement practices are developed in mutual interaction between clients and suppliers over longer periods of time, which limits possibilities to transfer procurement policies and requirements between contexts.
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| 5. |
- Karrbom Gustavsson, Tina, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
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Procurement Research: Current State and Future Challenges in the Nordic Countries
- 2019
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Ingår i: 10th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization (Emerald Reach Proceedings Series, Volume 2). - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. ; , s. 195-204, s. 195-204
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeThe purpose of the study is to map previous and current construction procurement research to further develop the research in the Nordic counties.Design/Methodology/ApproachMapping of previous and current research based on search in national database. The analysis is based on research perspectives, empirical contexts and research methods.FindingsThat the blind spots are partly overlapping, but that there is potential for knowledge transfer in some areas. There is also the potential for a Nordic research program on one or several of the blind spots.Research Limitations/ImplicationsThe study is limited to PhD and licentiate-thesis reports in Norway and Sweden. Further research should include the other Nordic countries and a more extensive literature review including journal articles to broaden the scope. Findings have implications on collaborative Nordic research initiatives, knowledge transfer and in a longer perspective on the level of procurement knowledge in industry and society.Practical ImplicationsFindings provide a base for future research collaborations, initiatives and applications.Originality/ValueFindings provide a comprehensive understanding of construction procurement research in the Nordic countries, starting with Norway and Sweden. This understanding is needed for developing research collaborations and applications.
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| 6. |
- Lingegård, Sofia, et al.
(författare)
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Integrated Product Service Offerings for rail infrastructure : benefits and challenges regarding knowledge transfer and cultural change in a Swedish case
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Cleaner Production. - : Elsevier. - 0959-6526 .- 1879-1786. ; 98, s. 166-174
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this paper is to investigate potential benefits and challenges regarding knowledge transfer and cultural change from the provider and buyer perspectives when using IPSOs for Swedish rail infrastructure. Considering material use and the importance of availability of the tracks makes rail infrastructure an interesting candidate for a business model based on a life-cycle approach, which can result in a reduction in cost and environmental impact.The concept of the Integrated Product Service Offering (IPSO) has in several business areas proven to be a means with potential to reduce the environmental impact of products and services, increase cost efficiency and quality, and act as a driver for change. The business model, which is based on a life-cycle approach, focuses on the function instead of the initial price of the product.Among the main findings are the lack of information and knowledge transfer that act as a barrier for innovation, and that the buyer's conservative business culture makes it difficult to implement new types of contracts. Since IPSO contracts require improved information transfer, they could potentially stimulate innovation as well as processes for evaluation of the contracts. By involving the contractors in the design phase their knowledge could be used in a better way, creating a feedback loop from practice to design.The empirical part, focusing on the rail infrastructure industry in Sweden, has been collected using individual interviews and a group interview approach.
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| 7. |
- Lingegård, Sofia, et al.
(författare)
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Life-cycle Cost Strategies for Harbors – A Case Study
- 2015
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Ingår i: Procedia CIRP. - : Elsevier. - 2212-8271 .- 2212-8271. ; 30, s. 317-322
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper discusses maintenance strategies for large technical systems with long life-cycles and critical availability needs. The use of sea freight is rapidly increasing, and thereby the use of container harbors as well. The case of Gothenburg harbor in Sweden is used to discuss appropriate construction and maintenance strategies focusing on availability. Investment costs, operational costs and societal costs are discussed along with environmental impact considerations. Different aspects and considerations affecting costs are also discussed, such as pay-back time and external uncertainties. The paper is based on an extensive literature review as well as interviews with harbor personnel.
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| 8. |
- Lingegård, Sofia, et al.
(författare)
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Partnering as a Stepping Stone in the Transition to PSS for the Construction Industry
- 2015
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Ingår i: Procedia CIRP. - : Elsevier. - 2212-8271 .- 2212-8271. ; 30, s. 347-352
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The paper aims to explain and analyze how the construction industry can benefit from PSS, and how collaborative approaches such as partnering can be a stepping stone in this transition. The potential sub-optimization between construction and maintenance, as well as the necessity of availability in roads for example, make Product Service Systems a suitable approach for improvement. Adapted solutions though the iterative design approach, co-located actors, an active buyer and functioning information flows resulted in a successful project. Interviews conducted with the buyer, the contractor and the design consultant, as well as project documentation, were used to collect data.
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| 9. |
- Melander, Lisa, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Is the pace of technology development a threat or opportunity for sustainability? : the case of remanufactured industrial robots
- 2018
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Ingår i: Procedia CIRP. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 2212-8271. ; , s. 247-252
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Remanufacturing has been identified as having much potential and providing a wide range of benefits. However, challenges remain for remanufacturing to be widely accepted, both from customers as well as within industrial firms. Business models for remanufacturing are complex and remanufacturing requires multiple competences across the firm. This paper is a study of the remanufacturing market for industrial products and is exemplified by a case study of a leading robot company in the US market. The study shows that rapid technology development impacts the remanufacturing possibilities and as such has an impact on sustainability. Technology development can be seen as a threat to remanufacturing e.g. making products become obsolete as well as leading to compatibility problems where it is difficult to find spare parts. Technology development also results in cheaper robots, making it difficult to provide economic incentives to buy remanufactured products. However, fast technology development can also be a possibility to firms that have well developed remanufacturing processes, as they are able to adjust to newer technologies. The study also points to the importance of cross-functional collaboration in the design phase of products, where remanufacturing needs to be considered. The article provides implications on how to manage rapid technology development in remanufacturing.
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