Local authority
biodiversity, construction carbon, public procurement
From 22 August 2026, your public contracts must include an environmental award criterion. IRICE provides the certified tools to formulate that criterion, measure biodiversity and construction carbon across your projects, and produce defensible decisions.
What is changing for local authorities in 2026
Three deadlines converge in 2026-2027 and profoundly reshape public procurement for local authorities:
Article 35 Climate Act
22 August 2026
Every public contract must include at least one environmental award criterion. A price-only criterion is no longer permitted.
Directive 2024/825
27 September 2026
Unverified environmental claims become unlawful. Assessments and certifications must be traceable.
ZAN — SCoT integration
22 February 2027
SCoT planning documents must incorporate Zero Net Artificialisation targets. Project-level biodiversity becomes a territorial priority.
For authorities subject to the SPASER scheme (threshold lowered to EUR 50 M, covering roughly 280 authorities), these obligations are cumulative with the requirement to adopt a responsible public procurement plan.
Three IRICE tools for your contracts
Effinature Certification
Accredited certification of biodiversity performance for real estate and development projects. Three frameworks: NCO (new construction), EVO (renovation), HOR (outdoor development).
Local authority use: require certification in the technical specifications or tender rules. The HOR framework is particularly suited to development operations (ZAC, public spaces, urban regeneration).
View Effinature certification →Efficarbone — construction carbon measurement
Tool for measuring site-stage carbon (A4-A9 modules) from the client-side perspective. Pre-assessment to calibrate the tender criterion, benchmarking of received bids, auditable report with ADEME emission factors.
Local authority use: formulate the construction carbon criterion in your tenders (Art. 35), compare bids on an objective basis, document the award decision.
View Efficarbone →BPS — Biodiversity Performance Score
Biodiversity score across 70+ criteria covering the three project phases (design, construction, operation). Produces a quantitative indicator that can be integrated into ESG reports and regulatory submissions.
Local authority use: assess biodiversity performance across your estate, track progress over time, feed the biodiversity section of your territorial development report.
View the BPS →Use cases by project type
| Project type | Relevant tool(s) | Tender criterion |
|---|---|---|
| New school complex | Effinature NCO + Efficarbone | Biodiversity certification + construction carbon criterion |
| Care home refurbishment | Effinature EVO + Efficarbone | Renovation biodiversity performance + site-stage carbon measurement |
| ZAC development | Effinature HOR + BPS + Efficarbone | Development certification + plot scoring + carbon |
| Public space regeneration | Effinature HOR + BPS | Outdoor development biodiversity certification |
| Existing estate (audit) | BPS | Baseline assessment, multi-year monitoring |
SPASER and responsible procurement plan
Local authorities whose annual procurement exceeds EUR 50 M must adopt a SPASER (Responsible Public Procurement Promotion Plan). This plan sets measurable targets for responsible purchasing — including the environmental dimension.
Integrating IRICE tools into the SPASER turns a regulatory obligation into an operational lever: every contract awarded with an Effinature or Efficarbone criterion automatically feeds the plan's indicators.
What the SPASER can include
- — Number of contracts including a certified biodiversity criterion (Effinature)
- — Number of contracts including a measured construction carbon criterion (Efficarbone)
- — Average BPS score across the authority's real estate portfolio
- — Improvement trajectory over the electoral term
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The HOR 25.05 framework (ZAC Development) is specifically designed for development operations at neighbourhood or business zone scale. It assesses biodiversity at masterplan and public space level.
The certification cost can be included in the preliminary studies budget for the project. Certain funding mechanisms (green funds, ADEME, regional authorities) support environmental certification processes for local authorities.
Yes. The BPS measures net artificialisation and ecological soil quality — indicators directly linked to ZAN objectives. Effinature certification documents how biodiversity is factored into the design, contributing to the authority's ZAN trajectory.
Prepare your 2026 public contracts
Biodiversity certification, construction carbon measurement, ESG scoring — certified and traceable tools for your environmental criteria.