Hands on the REPID software tool and PROSPER requirements assisting Rail Eco-Procurement

The second international Rail Eco-Procurement Network Meeting was successfully held in Krefeld (Germany) 30-31 March 2004, organised by UIC and UNIFE and hosted by Siemens. The REPID & PROSPER teams presented here to more than 50 railway technical experts from the industry and operators (product designers, procurement and environment experts) the final results of the REPID methodology as well as environmental requirements for the PROSPER project. Additionally, Siemens organised a technical visit to its production site in Krefeld, allowing for the network participants to experience a site, which considers environment for its production line, employees and products.

The REPID & PROSPER teams are formed by the operating companies DB, SNCF, SNCB, Trenitalia, DSB, SBB and UIC; for the railway industry Alstom, Bombardier, Siemens and UNIFE; assisted by the Chalmers University, the German consultant IZT and Swedish IT supplier Semcon .

The REPID project ending August 2004 would provide to sub-suppliers, system integrators and operators a comprehensive Eco-Procurement methodology resulting in an IT application based on common environmental indicators and data formats. These elements are now being demonstrated with a view to implementation – in an initial stage by the operating companies and industry partners in the REPID team. In addition a Rail Eco-Procurement Board would be setup to ensure the continued quality of the specifications e.g. for data formats.

The PROSPER project is now in its second phase and is currently hosting expert discussions between railway operators and the industry on defining joint requirements for the environmental performance of rolling stock. This would result in a technical reference document published as a UIC leaflet.

This second network meeting showed a very positive and increasing interest as well as commitment from all partners in the rail sector towards implementing these common standards for Eco-Procurement. The next steps are the final agreement of a joint set of rolling stock environmental performance indicators (EPIs) and requirements, followed by implementation of the software and setup of the Rail Eco-Procurement Board.

The two projects are closely linked sharing results and further building the Rail Eco-procurement network.

The next network meeting would take place in spring 2005.

For more information contact suzanne.lami@unife.org