INTEGRATING ECO-LABELS & ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT STANDARDS INTO - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1 INTEGRATING ECO-LABELS & ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT STANDARDS INTO PUBLIC PROCUREMENT SOLICITATIONS Experiences from the City of Portland, Oregon May 20, 2014 Stacey Foreman, LEED AP O+M , Sustainable Procurement Coordinator, Procurement Services

Example Eco-Labels or Standards We Use 2  Energy Star, Water Sense  ANSI/BIFMA e3 & level  Green Seal  UL Environment (EcoLogo, Greenguard)  EPEAT  USGBC LEED  SCS (Indoor Advantage, others)  Green-e  BPI Compostable  Oeko-Tex, GOTS  NSF 140, 332  USDA Organic  e-Stewards  And more….  FSC May 20, 2014

Using Eco-Labels & Standards - Why 3  Don’t have to be a scientist, chemist, LCA expert, etc.  Can save staff time  Easier specification development  Faster product compliance verification  Can anticipate availability of compliant products & distributors May 20, 2014

Using Eco-Labels & Standards - How 4  Mandatory – integrate into technical specifications  Mandatory – with delayed compliance  Preference – integrate into evaluative criteria May 20, 2014

Challenges & Work-Throughs 5 May 20, 2014

Source: www.takepart.com 6 May 20, 2014

Challenges & Work-Throughs 7 Challenges:  Lots of players – not always sure where to start, what’s credible  Multiple labels or standards per product category is confusing Work-Through:  Do the research, create guidance tools for end-users/staff  Network (what have others used?)  Drawback: not always time to do this; guidance documents need to be kept up to date May 20, 2014

Challenges & Work-Throughs 8 Challenge:  Not always clear where to find product registry or there are multiple registries for the same standard Work-Through:  Ask bidders/proposers for compliance/certification documentation  Drawbacks:  Not all compliance documentations are created equal  This does not help with availability research done as part of spec devo May 20, 2014

Challenges & Work-Throughs 9 Challenge:  Lack of complete, public transparency (e.g. some scorecard labels) Work-Through:  Ask bidders/proposers to provide copy of product scorecard  Drawbacks:  Refusal to provide scorecard  Can be a challenge for small distributors to get this information  This does not help with availability research done as part of spec devo May 20, 2014

Challenges & Work-Throughs 10 Challenges:  City’s relatively small spend = hard to mandate new standards  Certification still a challenge for smaller manufacturers, local startups Work-Through:  Allow for delayed/phased compliance  Drawbacks:  Takes extra time and follow-through  Risk having it not work out May 20, 2014

Challenges & Work-Throughs 11 Challenges:  Standards/Labels sometimes conflict with one another  Standards/Labels not “green” enough Work-Through:  Customization (use standard/label, ++)  Drawbacks:  Adds compliance work for purchasing staff  Confusing to bidders/proposers May 20, 2014

Challenges & Work-Throughs 12 Challenge:  Demonstrating benefits from specifying certified products Work-Through:  ??? May 20, 2014

Thank You 13  City of Portland’s Sustainable Procurement Program www.portlandoregon.gov/buygreen May 20, 2014