Regulatory barriers to innovative solutions for pedestrian and bicycle paths

Purpose and goal:

The goal of the project was to start from an existing request for tender (RFT) document for a procured contract to build a pedestrian and cycle path and to map what barriers exist in regulations so that the RFT could have opened up to perform the GC path with an alternative, innovative solution with major climate benefits, such as a raised GC path in wood. Bill of quantities and other documents for RFT have been developed, barriers have been mapped and differences in climate impact and costs between the solutions have been studied. The project´s objective has thus been fulfilled.

Expected results and effects:

The study shows that the biggest barrier for building the wooden solution is the client´s requirements on design for very heavy maintenance vehicles. However, the wooden solution is designed for lighter maintenance vehicles. An adaptation of requirements is therefore needed.

The cost and climate analysis shows that the wooden solution is more expensive than the traditional one but has significantly lower emissions of greenhouse gases and can be climate neutral if carbon sinks in wood is included. With climate bonus in the contract, it could then also be cost-neutral. Approach and implementation:

The project was carried out in the following activities: - Development of description of alternative solution - Design of alternative, fictitious, documentation for request for tender (RFT) - Comparative cost and climate analysis - Reference group meetings - Synthesis and report writing - Project management and coordination