About PRIMES

Develop basic skills and provide hands-on support

The project aim is to develop basic skills and provide hands-on support for public purchasing organizations in order to overcome barriers and implement Green Public Purchasing. This will support a consequent energy and CO2 reduction. 

Small and medium sized municipalities

Many lack capacity and knowledge; particularly small and medium sized municipalities. PRIMES will demonstrate how such support can be delivered at conditions which are favorable for even the smallest purchasing organisations; by sharing and co-operating; or by working with a regional energy agency, a cluster organization or the regional authorities.

A 'learning by doing' process

Task forces of experts will work with purchasing organisations on specific contracts. It will be a "learning by doing" process to draw up tender specifications and evaluation criteria which will deliver better outcomes – i.e. more energy efficient products and services. The task forces will also provide expert advice on specific product groups, legal issues, life-cycle costing etc.

GPP Capacity Building from ICLEI

Expert partner ICLEI will also provide a package of "GPP Capacity Building" material for the task forces to deliver to their purchasing organisations. Where possible this training will be delivered to several organisations at the same time – not only to achieve economies of scale but also to share experiences. The aim is to create a fundamental understanding of the environmental and economic benefits of GPP and encourage "mainstreaming" of GPP into all public sector tenders.

Via an ambitious programme of dissemination, including activities in the frame of the Covenant of Mayors, the aim is to build capacity and political will in similar small and medium sized purchasing organisations across Europe creating a snowball effect of GPP good practices and consequent energy and CO2 reduction.

Detailed case studies for sharing between the partners and in the wider EU will include the following product groups:

• New efficient white goods appliances
• Energy efficient street lighting
• Green Electricity
• Indoor lighting systems
• Window replacement
• Renovation of the thermal building envelope
• Building maintenance works
• Printers
• PCs, Monitors, Lap tops
• Photocopiers
• Supply of vehicles
• Green Gas 

The project is co-funded by Intelligent Energy Europe

See all PRIMES partners' activities

Watch a movie about PRIMES