Construction & Infrastructure

P1.1 – Enable inter-ministerial collaboration for integrated building policies 

Foster strong government leadership by promoting collaboration across ministries (e.g., Environment, Energy, Construction, Finance) to develop integrated building policies and codes that address both operational and embodied carbon, enable circularity strategies, and apply whole life cycle assessments supported by joint certifications, budgets, and incentives. Key implementers: National/sub-national governments (ministries), energy agencies, construction departments or equivalent. 

P1.2 - Adopt whole life cycle assessment for public projects 

Implement comprehensive whole life cycle assessments for all public construction projects by 2030, establishing clear metrics and methodologies to quantify carbon impacts across the entire building lifecycle. Where not immediately possible, use appropriate policy guidelines and phased implementation approaches. Key implementers: National/sub-national governments, public procurement agencies. 

P1.3 - Prioritise retrofitting and integrate circular procurement into national and urban plans

Ensure that circular and sustainable public procurement, including strategies for retrofitting existing buildings, material circularity, and long service life design, is explicitly embedded in national and subnational strategies and action plans−such as Climate Action Roadmaps, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), and urban development frameworks−to reduce whole life cycle GHG emissions and align procurement with long-term sustainability goals. Key implementers: National ministries, planning agencies, environ

P2.1 - Reform building codes for circularity, energy efficiency and zero carbon 

Strengthen circular objectives and principles within green building codes and planning regulations, including measures to enable the regularisation of reused, recycled, and repurposed building elements; integrate passive design strategies systems to minimize operational energy demands; and require zero-carbon heating and cooling technologies to fill remaining heating/cooling demand. Revisions should aim to eliminate regulatory barriers and facilitate the widespread adoption of circular and climate-responsive construction practices. Key implementers: Building authorities, standards organizations, planning departments. 

P2.2 - Embed circularity in funding mechanisms 

Integrate circularity principles into funding mechanisms and financial incentives for public construction projects, making circular approaches a condition for receiving public funds. Key implementers: Finance ministries, development banks, infrastructure funding agencies. 

P2.3 - Develop life cycle standards and certification 

Support the development and adoption of life cycle based technical standards, ecolabels, certification schemes, and credible product and service declaration schemes that enable informed decision-making. Key implementers: Standards bodies, certification organizations, quality infrastructure institutions.

P3.1 - Implement whole life cycle costing 

Promote award criteria beyond initial price, institutionalising the use of whole life cycle costing and comprehensive environmental impact assessments in bid evaluation processes, with clear weighting that prioritises sustainability. Key implementers: Procurement agencies, finance departments, evaluation committees. 

P3.2 - Adopt performance-based procurement 

Implement performance-based and innovation-oriented procurement approaches that incentivise and specify outcomes rather than means, allowing suppliers to propose circular solutions that meet or exceed performance requirements. Key implementers: Procurement innovation units, technical departments. 

P3.3 - Utilise collaborative procurement methods 

Promote collaborative procurement methods, such as Competitive Dialogues, Early Contractor Involvement (ECI), or Rapid Circular Contracting, that leverage suppliers' knowledge and expertise to drive circularity innovations. Key implementers: Procurement officials, legal departments, project managers.

P4.1 - Develop targeted practitioner skills and support green job growth 

Implement focused skills development programs for procurement officials, construction professionals, and the broader workforce, emphasising upskilling and reskilling for a circular built environment. Training should go beyond general awareness to include technical competencies such as whole life carbon assessment, material passports, circular design principles, and energy efficiency strategies (e.g., passive design, high-efficiency mechanical systems). Support diverse learning pathways—including recognition of prior learning and non-traditional skill routes—and ensure alignment with job standards embedded in SPP policies and the public project pipeline. Key implementers: Professional training institutions, higher education, industry associations. 

P4.2 - Mainstream circular procurement education 

Facilitate access to educational resources and professional certification programs for procurement professionals and design teams, making circular economy principles a standard part of professional qualification. Key implementers: Educational institutions, professional credentialing bodies, online learning platforms. 

P4.3 - Establish knowledge exchange networks 

Support the establishment of regional and local circular procurement networks focused on practical knowledge exchange, peer learning, and collaborative problem-solving among procurement practitioners. Key implementers: Local government associations, procurement networks, international organizations.

P5.1 – Establish and implement monitoring and reporting systems that include socio-economic indicators 

Develop and implement metrics to assess the social impacts of construction procurement, including job creation, skills development, gender-responsive practices, and benefits to local communities. Establish comprehensive monitoring systems to track the implementation and outcomes of sustainable public procurement in the construction sector, including digital platforms for data collection, analysis, and reporting aligned with SDG indicator 12.7.1. Key implementers: Statistical agencies, sustainability departments, procurement monitoring units. 

P5.2 - Adopt integrated impact assessment 

Implement comprehensive approaches that address the full spectrum of environmental and social impacts within construction procurement, including biodiversity, water use, pollution, and social equity considerations. Key implementers: Labour departments, community organisations, environmental agencies, social development departments, procurement policy units.

P5.3 - Establish collaborative reporting mechanisms 

Develop systematic approaches to track, monitor, measure, consolidate and report the implementation of the 'Framework for Action' annually in collaboration with the Buildings Breakthrough Priority Action B2, creating accountability and enabling continuous improvement. Key implementers: International coordinating bodies, national reporting agencies.