Zero Emission Delivery (ZED) 2.0

Overview

The two-day event brought together four Nordic cities and two central government procurement bodies and a global innovation driver to share their experiences and lessons learnt on green public procurement pilot projects.

Projects updates, challenges and successes were presented in collaborative and interactive discussions. Whereby fostering knowledge sharing and green innovation in logistics in the public sectors across the Nordics.

Hosted by The City of Stockholm, the group gathered at the Tekniska nämndshuset and discussions were moderated by the Leverandørerutviklingsprogram (LUP). The gathering fullfills a primay goal of the project: to increase cooperation and experience exchange accross Nordic cities.

In the Nordic Region, we have shown time after time that we are stronger together.

The Nordic Prime Ministers

Participants

• The City of Stockholm Environmental Administration, Stockholms stad miljöförvaltningen, with Älskade and menigo as service delivery partners
• NAV Assistive Technology Centre in Agder, NAV Hjelpemiddelsentral i Agder
• Bærum Municipality
• The Municipality of Oslo Development and Skills Agency, Utviklings- og kompetanseetaten i Oslo (UKE)
• The National Agency for Public Procurement, Upphandlingsmyndigheten
• The Suppliers Development Program, Leverandørutviklingsprogrammet (LUP)
• The Norwegian Agency for Public and Financial Management, Direktoratet for forvaltning og økonomistyring (DFØ)

Agenda highlights

• Experience Sharing by Bærum Municipality focusing on their analysis tool for sustainable delivery.
• Brainstorming Session where the group discussed how the project experiences can benefit cities and municipalities outside of the ZED 2.0 project. Facilitated by LUP, the session explored ideas such as websites, media coverage, webinars, online sharing, meetings, and more.
• Experience Sharing by The City of Stockholm on Off Peak Delivery project where logistics partners menigo presented strategies and successes with off-peak delivery solutions.
• Team Building activities to strengthen collaboration as a diverse Nordic group.

Appendix

Time frame

Q3 2023 – Q3 2024

Background

NAV Assistive Technology Centre Agder has undertaken significant measures to enhance the sustainability of its transport and logistics operations. By focusing on groupage and efficient coordination, the Centre aims to better utilise available transport capacity, thereby reducing emissions and operational costs.

Problem statement

The Centre faces challenges with spare capacity in its transport system, both during deliveries and returns. This underutilisation leads to unnecessary trips, increased emissions, and higher operational costs.

Objectives

• Improve delivery efficiency for assistive devices.
• Reduce the number of vehicles on the roads, thereby cutting emissions.
• Lower time and administrative costs associated with logistics.

Challenges

• Coordinating transport to fully utilise available capacity.
• Minimising empty driving, which significantly contributes to the transport industry's greenhouse gas emissions.
• Integrating innovative solutions into existing logistics flows.

Circular approach

NAV Assistive Technology Centre Agder has embraced a holistic approach by initiating a pilot project in collaboration with Always Cargo. This involves using an innovative logistics platform to optimise capacity and reduce unnecessary trips, aligning with broader ESG and net-zero goals.

Sectors involved

• Digitalisation of services
• Transport
• Water, sewerage, and infrastructure

Process and progress

1. Pilot project initiation: A letter of intent has been signed with Always Cargo to test their app solution to optimise NAV's existing logistics solution.
2. System integration: Adapting the Always Cargo platform to fit the Centre’s logistics flow, establishing new processes and routines.
3. Test period: The pilot is scheduled to run until the 3rd quarter of 2024.

Expected outcomes

• Significant reduction in kilometers driven, leading to lower emissions of environmental toxins.
• Decreased wear and tear on roads.
• Cost savings from reduced transport expenses and administrative overhead.
• Enhanced operational efficiency and service delivery.

Conclusion

NAV Assistive Technology Centre Agder’s initiative showcases the potential of innovative logistics solutions in driving sustainability and efficiency. By leveraging digital tools and fostering collaboration, the Centre aims to achieve substantial environmental and economic benefits. This case study serves as an instructive model for other organisations aiming to integrate sustainability principles into their logistics operations.

Time frame

Q3 2023 – Q4 2024

Background

Municipalities across Norway face significant challenges in managing transport and logistics for the goods delivered to them. The current lack of reliable and comprehensive data on transport and logistics hinders their ability to implement and measure the effectiveness of strategies aimed at reducing transport emissions. Consequently, measures often lack precision and tend to be resource-intensive.

Problem statement

Municipalities and their suppliers use systems that are incompatible for cross-system data transfer and comparison. Current analysis tools require substantial manual effort to consolidate data, leading to high operational costs and increased risk of errors. The existing methods rely on suppliers to actively input data into the analysis tools, which further complicates the process.

Objectives

The municipalities need an analysis tool that provides robust data to ensure effective strategies for reducing transport and emissions in their goods deliveries. This tool should minimise manual data handling and the associated risks of misreporting, and enable users to monitor their logistics solutions in an efficient manner.

Challenges

1. Data integration: Incompatibility of different systems used by municipalities, suppliers, and transporters.
2. Manual effort: High dependency on manual data input and consolidation.
3. Customisation: Need for adaptation to each municipality's specific needs and existing systems.
4. Resource intensive: Current processes are costly and prone to errors.

Strategic approach

To address these challenges, a market dialogue was held in January 2024, leading to the development of the goal is to create an analysis tool that:

• Integrates data from various systems used by different stakeholders.
• Automates data consolidation to reduce manual labor and errors.
• Is customisable to meet the unique needs of each municipality.
• Ensures accurate tracking and reporting of emission-free vehicle usage.

Sectors involved

• ICT software and systems
• Climate and environmental technology
• Logistic suppliers (Posten, Schenker, PostNord etc.) 
• Municipal services
• Water, roads, and infrastructure

Process and progress

The initiative is currently in the piloting phase. This process aims to ensure that the tool is both efficient and scalable, thereby enabling municipalities to make data-driven decisions to reduce emissions from their deliveries. 

Expected outcomes

By implementing this analysis tool, municipalities can:

• Ensure more targeted and effective measures to reduce transport emissions.
• Streamline data integration and analysis processes.
• Reduce reliance on manual data entry, thus lowering the risk of errors.
• Facilitate compliance with emission-free vehicle usage in a more resource-efficient manner.

Conclusion

This case study exemplifies the proactive steps that the three Norwegian municipalities of Bærum, Oslo and Drammen are taking to improve their sustainability efforts in goods delivery. By addressing data integration and manual processing challenges, they aim to implement more effective and resource-efficient emission reduction strategies, contributing to a greener future. . It aslo shows that one needs to collaborate across sectors and borders to achieve sustainable solutions. 

Time frame

Q3 2023 – Q4 2024

Background

In an effort to improve urban logistics and sustainability, Stockholm city has partnered with Menigo Foodservice AB to pilot off-peak delivery of food supplies to schools, preschools, and care homes. This initiative, set for Q1 and Q2 of 2024, aims to test and verify the feasibility and benefits of scheduling deliveries outside traditional hours.

Problem statement

Traditional delivery schedules between 08:00 and 14:00 contribute to traffic congestion, inefficiencies, and higher transportation costs. This window also poses challenges for maintaining delivery reliability and food safety, while impeding the city's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. There is a need to explore alternative delivery times to enhance efficiency and sustainability.

Objectives

• Transport efficiency: Reduce traffic congestion and fuel consumption by shifting to off-peak hours.
• Economic viability: Lower transportation costs and optimise resource use.
• Delivery reliability: Ensure timely and consistent deliveries outside regular business hours.
• Food safety: Maintain stringent temperature controls for perishable items.
• Scalability: Develop recommendations for broader adoption of off-peak deliveries in future procurement processes.

Challenges

• Logistical coordination: Ensuring smooth access to school properties during off-peak hours.
• Temperature control: Maintaining food safety standards during transport outside normal operating times.
• Stakeholder buy-In: Securing support from all stakeholders, including school staff and delivery personnel.
• Infrastructure readiness: Adapting existing infrastructure to accommodate off-peak deliveries.

Circular approach

The pilot embraces sustainability principles by optimising resource use and minimising waste. By scheduling deliveries outside peak hours, The City of Stockholm aims to reduce emissions, lower energy consumption, and enhance the overall efficiency of its food supply chain. This approach aligns with the city’s broader sustainability and net-zero goals.

Sectors involved

• ICT software and systems: Leveraging technology for efficient route planning and delivery tracking.
• Climate and environmental technology: Utilising electric trucks to reduce carbon emissions.
• Municipal Services: Coordinating with city services for logistical support.
• Transport: Engaging with transportation providers to ensure efficient and reliable deliveries.

Process and progress

The project began with organisational planning and needs assessment in the fall of 2023. The pilot involves ten schools of varying sizes, serving between 600 and 5000 meals daily, to ensure a diverse sample for analysis. Key activities include:

• Planning and coordination: Establishing clear protocols for off-peak deliveries.
• Implementation: Conducting deliveries during evenings and nights.
• Monitoring: Tracking transport efficiency, delivery reliability, and food safety metrics.
• Evaluation: Assessing economic viability and overall impact.

Expected outcomes

• Environmental impact: A significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.
• Economic benefits: Lower transportation costs and more efficient use of electric trucks.
• Operational resilience: Enhanced supply chain resilience and flexibility.
• Service improvement: Reduced daytime disruptions and timely meal preparation for schools and care homes.

Conclusion

Stockholm’s off-peak delivery pilot represents a pioneering effort to integrate circular economy principles into urban logistics. By shifting deliveries to off-peak hours, the city aims to achieve substantial environmental, economic, and social benefits. The insights gained from this pilot will inform future procurement processes, potentially transforming how urban food supply chains operate. As the project progresses, it will provide a scalable model for other municipalities seeking innovative and sustainable logistics solutions. NAV Agder has also adapted this thinking to their project and is testing this out. This shows that learning across borders, and collaboration has a positive effect.