GPP4Growth project - Inspiring existing experiences visit in Province of Antwerp
March 27 and 28 the province of Antwerp welcomed the partners and stakeholders to the second existing experiences visit in Antwerp and Mechelen.
After the successful visit to Wexford, Ireland in October 2018, the GPP4Growth partners and stakeholders enjoyed a complementary program.
Several local and regional authorities presented diverse good examples of GPP concerning classic topics as well as more innovative trends. The participants were inspired by the more circular approach of ICT by Digipolis (City of Antwerp) and the project CircuIT (BBL, Province of Antwerp). The contributions on the greening of the vehicle fleet showed the possibilities and the importance of TCO to prove that GPP is often not only the most sustainable but also the most economical choice (City of Antwerp). The Ecoscore instrument proved useful as award citerium in GPP (Province of Antwerp). Other topics were ustainable office equipment (Province of Antwerp and OVAM (Flemish authority)), sustainable catering, C2C sanitary disposables and dispensers, biological cleaning, (Province of Antwerp), light as a service (City of Mechelen), circular textile and work clothing (Public Social Welfare Centre Leuven and City Leuven), office supplies (Flemish authority).
Of course Province of Antwerp showed off the new House of the Province (running for the BREEAM-certificate).
Attention was also given to enabling frameworks like environmental management systems, the Green Deal Circular Procurement or the Flemish Energy Company.
The case studies demonstrated that GPP is possible for a wide range of products and services and is within reach of public authorities at all levels. Greener purchasing decisions often result in long run savings, even without taking in to account environmental and health gains.
