The DEEP project (concluded in 2007) promoted opportunities in improving energy efficiency through high environmental standards for public office buildings. European public procurement criteria and guidance for building materials, insulation standards, and green electricity were developed. Three background reports on the framework for public procurement of the product groups in question were published, each of them covering the EU-25 with a specific focus on Austria, Spain, Greece, Italy and France.

The reports also provided an overview of good practice, framework conditions, available standards and the latest legal and market developments for buildings and green electricity. Based on the background reports, three sets of criteria for public procurement of building materials, insulation standards, and green electricity, including supporting information on environmental, financial and organisational implications were developed, adopted and promoted by public authorities committed to sustainable procurement. Information and training tools for public authorities’ suppliers and public purchasers were developed, and links between procurement and other related policies were established. In order to overcome the barriers identified, a set of European policy recommendations were prepared which took into account the project findings.

The project also produced the second edition of the Procura+ Manual: A Guide to Cost-Effective Sustainable Public Procurement.