Scaling the implementation of circular economy requirements in public procurement for construction projects
Vergani, Francesca LU
and Norinder, Henrik
LU
(2026)
In Journal of Public Procurement
- Abstract
- Public procurement has the potential to serve as a strategic driver for circular economy implementation and urban sustainability transitions. Purpose: This study explores how municipalities incorporate circular requirements into construction project procurement processes. The aim is to identify practical strategies that support circular implementation in construction projects. Methodology: Using a qualitative approach based on a case study and semi-structured interviews with Swedish public purchasers, the research moves from a complex landscape of barriers to circular public procurement to identify actionable practices to overcome them. Findings: The findings show that while the implementation of circular public procurement for... (More)
- Public procurement has the potential to serve as a strategic driver for circular economy implementation and urban sustainability transitions. Purpose: This study explores how municipalities incorporate circular requirements into construction project procurement processes. The aim is to identify practical strategies that support circular implementation in construction projects. Methodology: Using a qualitative approach based on a case study and semi-structured interviews with Swedish public purchasers, the research moves from a complex landscape of barriers to circular public procurement to identify actionable practices to overcome them. Findings: The findings show that while the implementation of circular public procurement for construction projects remains in its infancy in Sweden, municipalities are starting to adopt strategies to align procurement practices with circular principles. These strategies include internal alignment, education and training activities, stronger dialogue and collaboration networks and clear formulation of the circular requirements while keeping adherence to legal principles. Findings underscore the pivotal role of procurement departments in translating environmental goals into actionable procedures and the importance of strategic, context-specific approaches in project-based construction settings. Originality: This study contributes to the growing literature on the circular economy in the construction sector, focusing on the implications of this implementation on public procurement processes, a high-impact but underexplored research area. Social implementation: It offers transferable insights for municipalities operating within similar procurement frameworks and expands the discussion on how public authorities can function as drivers of institutional innovation for sustainable urban development. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/b6083188-65ac-42b6-a1d0-e8f026412980
- author
- Vergani, Francesca
LU
and Norinder, Henrik
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- in press
- subject
- in
- Journal of Public Procurement
- publisher
- Emerald Group Publishing Limited
- ISSN
- 1535-0118
- project
- Building circular futures.
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- b6083188-65ac-42b6-a1d0-e8f026412980
- date added to LUP
- 2026-04-09 12:59:19
- date last changed
- 2026-04-13 13:01:58
@article{b6083188-65ac-42b6-a1d0-e8f026412980,
abstract = {{Public procurement has the potential to serve as a strategic driver for circular economy implementation and urban sustainability transitions. Purpose: This study explores how municipalities incorporate circular requirements into construction project procurement processes. The aim is to identify practical strategies that support circular implementation in construction projects. Methodology: Using a qualitative approach based on a case study and semi-structured interviews with Swedish public purchasers, the research moves from a complex landscape of barriers to circular public procurement to identify actionable practices to overcome them. Findings: The findings show that while the implementation of circular public procurement for construction projects remains in its infancy in Sweden, municipalities are starting to adopt strategies to align procurement practices with circular principles. These strategies include internal alignment, education and training activities, stronger dialogue and collaboration networks and clear formulation of the circular requirements while keeping adherence to legal principles. Findings underscore the pivotal role of procurement departments in translating environmental goals into actionable procedures and the importance of strategic, context-specific approaches in project-based construction settings. Originality: This study contributes to the growing literature on the circular economy in the construction sector, focusing on the implications of this implementation on public procurement processes, a high-impact but underexplored research area. Social implementation: It offers transferable insights for municipalities operating within similar procurement frameworks and expands the discussion on how public authorities can function as drivers of institutional innovation for sustainable urban development.}},
author = {{Vergani, Francesca and Norinder, Henrik}},
issn = {{1535-0118}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Emerald Group Publishing Limited}},
series = {{Journal of Public Procurement}},
title = {{Scaling the implementation of circular economy requirements in public procurement for construction projects}},
year = {{2026}},
}