Olympic Legacy - A valuable insight into implementing practical sustainable procurement

A blueprint for the UK construction industry has been launched by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) in a bid to maintain and replicate the high standards set by the London 2012 project. Learning Legacy - www.london2012.com/learninglegacy - is a collaborative approach between the ODA, contractors, professional institutes, government bodies and academia, and builds on the ethos set by the ODA of setting targets well above the industry benchmarks, meeting the majority of these and, in a number of cases, exceeding expectations. It marks the first time that a construction project in the UK has sought to capture intellectual capital on this scale.

The programme, which is set to be a major showcase for UK plc as the Government looks to capitalise on the positive effect the London 2012 construction project has had on the industry, will see the organisations involved taking ownership of ten themes to help businesses raise the bar in areas such as design and engineering, planning, procurement and project management. In addition it will set out how the ODA tackled issues such as getting more women into construction, building better health and safety records, creating a green landscape from a former industrial site and completing projects on time and within budget.

The website will also be open to contributions over time; becoming a comprehensive online library for companies of all shapes and sizes to refer to. It will go some way towards the ODA's own legacy of sharing best practice and ensuring that the valuable lessons learned on the project can be replicated by others.

ODA Chairman John Armitt said: "The Learning Legacy framework is the embodiment of a new benchmark that has been created in delivering Europe's largest construction project to the ultimate deadline and within budget. The scale and speed of the coordinated UK effort to build the venues and infrastructure is unprecedented and the knowledge and lessons gained during construction will both benefit the industry and act as a catalyst for inward investment."

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "The Olympic Park is a showcase for the best of British design, engineering, construction and project management. We want companies to win new contracts off the back of this success story but also to share the best practice across industry as a whole. Learning Legacy will ensure that important lessons are shared throughout the industry."

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