The Failure of Eco-Neighborhood Projects in the City of Madrid (Spain)

Abstract

The objective of this article is to analyze the implementation of eco-neighborhoods in the city of Madrid. This is a new formulation that joins, within neighborhood scale, purposes of environmental sustainability with social and economic aims. First, we make a general approach reviewing the initiatives proposed in the capital city and then we will make an analysis of the eco-neighborhood of Vallecas, the only one still working. We have looked through the official approach, the present bibliography, the official statements, the interpretations of the technicians, the resident’s opinions exposed in websites, social networks and press. The field research and the collection of information through conversations with the agents involved were the keys to verify the real results of the projects. We consider that the development and the conclusion of these initiatives have been a failure. The reasons are in its origin and the process of realization, but mainly in the confused premises that were the foundation of its design and localization. The absence of dialogue with neighbors and associations turned the official speeches and plans in something strange to the citizen’s necessities of the southern area, with the lowest rents of Madrid.

When Green Procurement Meets Complexity: The Case of Sustainable Neighborhood Projects

“…Our study demonstrates that the complex nature of SN programs can hamper green procurement performance and success at the neighborhood level. By looking at the program and project levels, our results reveal different performance levels in terms of the initial promises of zero-emission goals, confirming that the gap between promises and delivery tends to be wider on complex and larger scales, as underlined by previous research [9,18]. This was evident when the original zero-emission ambitions at the neighborhood level deteriorated due to the failure to reach an agreement and maintain the original mobility and parking requirements, resulting in a new, less ambitious revision of the masterplan.…”

“…A better understanding of procurement is vital, given that complex projects and programs have long been associated with failure [16][17][18]. We provide a 'nearly decomposable' view [19] to improve our understanding of green procurement in complex projects and programs.…”

The architecture of procurement in sustainable and zero-emission neighborhood projects—strategic challenges and new realities

“…In addition, previous research has shown that more decision-making criteria are involved in sustainable purchasing, as the purchased offering must meet additional parameters compared to conventional offerings (Igarashi et al 2015). This complexity in ZEN projects often causes project managers and developers to adopt inadequate collaborative strategies and practices, which can lead to inefficiency and, in some cases, failure (Canosa Zamora and García Carballo 2018;Gansmo 2012).…”