ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses institutional dynamics and institutional barriers, looking at the way policy towards sustainable construction has been developed, and at the introduction of environmental standards and guidelines to traditional methods and traditional contracts. The three countries have introduced measures to conserve energy, use more renewables, manage the use of water and reduce air pollution. In France and the Netherlands, the creation of a code of sustainability, supported by the huge evolution in heating regulations, involves new competencies and a different management of projects by involving professionals, users and local politicians differently. In France, policy has focused on specific building projects and on achieving measurable goals over a specific range of criteria and on environmental project management. In the Netherlands, a national tradition of creating consensus in planning policies has been harnessed to the control of natural resources in sustainable urban design and sustainable building design. In the United Kingdom, a broader agenda has been pursued, emphasising improvements in the quality of life. However, construction industry tendering methods and forms of contract have made this agenda harder to implement.
