Building it Green: European Report

Build it Green European reportThe European report aims to assess how far both climate and energy literacy are embedded in the VET systems of different European countries.Climate literacy means greater awareness of why zero energy and zero carbon standards are required and what role each worker has in fulfilling these, implying greater participation of workers, represented by their respective unions. European context In Europe the building sector accounts for approximately 40% of energy use and 36% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.Addressing this, the Energy Performance of the Building Directive (EPBD) requires nearly zero energy buildings (NZEB) across the European Union (EU) from 2020.Further the target of the Renewable Energy Directive is that 49% of building energy use be from renewables.To support the development of NZEB competencies, the EU launched the Build UP skills initiative, revealing varied approaches to preparing the construction workforce, from long-term efforts to mainstream climate and energy literacy within vocational education and training (VET) programmes to add-on modules. The report details this variation with examples from six European countries, from the 'occupational'approaches of the coordinated market economies (CMEs), heavily dependent on the state and educational institutions (Belgium, Sweden) or more reliant on social partnership (Denmark, Germany), to the 'skillbased' approaches of liberal market economies (LMEs), whether involving employers and unions (Ireland) or entirely employer-based (Britain). The size of the EU construction workforce is 22m, whilst that of each country varies -Germany (3m), UK(2.2m), Belgium (500,000), Sweden (465,000), Denmark (168,000) and Ireland (128,000).Each country reports serious labour shortages.Where the sector is composed of a myriad of micro firms and selfemployed (e.g.Britain, Ireland), the training infrastructure is weaker as firms have difficulty monitoring trainees' work experience and providing a range of activities.The converse holds in the Denmark, Sweden, Belgium and Germany, where proportions of self-employed and small firms are lower. The overall rate of unionisation is highest in Sweden (68%) and Denmark (67%), followed by Belgium (50%), Ireland (26%), UK (25%), and Germany (16.3%), compared with Canada (30%) and US (11%).Sweden Swedish VET represents a state-funded, school/college-based system, providing students with three years initially in a public, private, or industry-run school/college, followed by one-two years' work-based experience in a firm.Curricula relating to particular construction occupations contain little enhanced climate and energy literacy, though employers seek more detailed technical knowledge.Barriers identified include training the trainers and the time taken to update curricula.Denmark Danish construction VET is governed by social partners and is leading in the EU in embedding of energy literacy in the curriculum.Trainees generally have the status of apprentice, and the system is well-equipped, of high quality and comprehensive, combining work and college-based learning on an alternance basis in blocks of about six months.For the main trades (e.g.carpentry and bricklaying), the total duration is 3.5 years and for electricians 4.5.As elsewhere, there is a growing problem to obtain work placements.Belgium Belgian construction VET is a hybrid of a college-and social partner-based system, with responsibility assigned to Constructiv, financed through social security and employer contributions.Constructiv leads the development of detailed occupational profiles (not including building services), indicating the underpinning knowledge required for each training pathway to draw up educational profiles.A distinctive feature is the overlap provided between different but related occupations.Curricula are drawn up by schools/training organisations, responsible for meeting learning objectives.Though there is as yet no specific climate literacy module, the detailed modules for each occupation incorporate NZEB elements and refer to climate change.Germany The dual VET system for construction in Germany is regulated by the social partners with the state responsible for setting the legislative framework and supervision and unions and employers associations involved formally in training and education bodies at all levels, though low unionisation means unions have limited capacity to intervene.The broad structure of VET provides scope for updating and overseeing the curricula to include climate and energy literacy, whilst social partnership ensures relevant perspectives are represented and detailed pedagogic materials cover both practical and theoretical elements of VET for NZEB.The system encompasses over 20 construction occupations, with trainees applying to a company and levy-

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