As construction projects are becoming more complex and uncertain, and there is an increased focus on sustainability and green building, partnering is a way of enabling a non-adversarial environment. This creates a flexible process that helps e. g. retrofit projects achieving their goals. The purpose of this paper is to identify key elements that ensure the success of partnering projects for the different stakeholders. This paper will seek to answer the following questions: What elements are used in partnering projects? Is there a link between the use of the different partnering elements and the project's success seen from the client, contractor and user perspective? The research is carried out as a review of partnering literature, as well as an investigation of 10 partnering projects within the Norwegian context, using a case study approach. The investigated projects were both new buildings and retrofittings. A preliminary survey with additional in-depth, semi-structured interviews of clients and contractors was conducted. A document study was also carried out as a supplement to the survey and interviews. Key partnering elements such as early involvement, value-based procurement and start-up workshop were identified through this study. Further analysis revealed that these partnering elements, in combination with soft elements such as trust, commitment and competence, help facilitate success for stakeholders. The identified key partnering elements gives practitioners an implication of which partnering elements should be implemented to achieve project success and more sustainable buildings. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.