Ireland’s two-year pilot of the CO₂ Performance Ladder (2023–2025) has been successfully completed. Led by the Irish Green Building Council (IGBC) in partnership with the Foundation for Climate-Friendly Procurement and Business (SKAO), the pilot demonstrated that the Ladder is both feasible and effective within the Irish context – and that it can drive meaningful carbon reduction across the built environment. 

Proven results on the ground 

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) was the first procuring authority to integrate the Ladder as an award criterion, applying it in the tendering of the M7 Kildare Bypass High Speed Pavement Scheme. All five tenderers opted to pursue certification, demonstrating strong market engagement from the outset. Across the project supply chain – from main contractor Jons Civil Engineering and subcontractor Kilsaran to designer AtkinsRéalis – the Ladder was embedded in the contract’s pricing model, making carbon reduction commitments binding. 

The results were striking: an 84.5% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions and a 20.3% reduction in Scope 3 emissions, amounting to 311 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (CO2e) saved on a single scheme. The project also enabled the first-ever use of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) on an Irish motorway – an innovation directly supported by the structure and guidance the Ladder provides. Read more about the M7 project in our earlier article on the first completed Ladder tender in Ireland. 

Industry-wide impact 

Feedback from across the supply chain confirmed that the Ladder changed how organisations approach sustainability in procurement. TII highlighted that the Ladder helped translate strategic climate ambitions into practical, on-site delivery. Contractors and designers noted that it introduced a new, meaningful dimension to the tendering process, incentivising ambitious carbon reductions and strengthening collaboration throughout the supply chain. 

The M7 project has received multiple awards, including the Engineering Excellence Award, Environmental Project of the Year 2025, and Best Green Public Procurement Project of the Year 2025. 

What’s next: from pilot to national rollout 

Building on this success, TII has already embedded the Ladder into three new four-year frameworks and confirmed that all upcoming tenders across its high-speed pavement renewal programme will include the Ladder. Three organisations – Roadstone, Jons Civil Engineering, and Colas JV – have now achieved company-wide Ladder certification, reporting benefits including improved data quality, stronger decision-making, and greater supply-chain collaboration. 

IGBC is now preparing for a broader national rollout, supported by funding from Construct Innovate, Ireland’s national research centre for construction technology and innovation. Several additional public bodies have expressed strong interest in adopting the Ladder, and TII has pledged to support organisations ready to advance their carbon management practices. 

The successful completion of the Irish pilot confirms what we have seen in the Netherlands, Belgium and beyond: the CO₂ Performance Ladder works. We look forward to supporting IGBC and the growing community of Irish procurers and organisations as the Ladder moves into its next phase. 

For the full account of the pilot, including detailed reflections from TII, Kilsaran, and AtkinsRéalis, read IGBC’s wrap-up article. 

Learn more about the CO₂ Performance Ladder in Ireland on our Ireland country page.