The Erasmus+ project has highlighted, together with two Horizon 2020 projects, the skills and knowledge that enable energy efficiency in the building sector.
Today, Construction Blueprint participated together with the Construye 2020+ initiative, also led by Fundación Laboral de la Construcción, and GoSafe with ESI in the webinar on ‘EU-driven solutions enabling energy efficiency in buildings’, organised by Horizon Results Booster, a new initiative supported by the European Commission that seeks to maximise the impact of funded research projects.
The aim of the meeting was to discuss the European Union’s (EU) challenge to achieve a climate-neutral continent by 2050 by setting strict targets on emission reductions, renewable energy production and energy efficiency. In this way, the EU aims to meet the demand for green and energy efficient buildings requires new skills and competencies and new ways of creating trust in future energy savings to mobilise such investments.
Following the European Green Deal
Zoe Wildiers of the Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) of the European Commission, was in charge of welcoming the seminar and highlighted the contributions of this agency to achieve the objectives of the EU Green Deal, among them:
- The implementation of a new line that will support the objectives of the Deal. In this regard, CINEA is working on a roadmap for making the EU’s economy sustainable.
- Aiming to boost the efficient use of resources by moving to a clean circular economy, restore biodiversity, cut pollution and achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
- The CINEA Agency will become the EU’s focal point for green and infrastructure projects.
For their part, the other speakers presented the progress of the three European projects on the road to achieving the European ‘green’ objectives.
Training as a driving force to boost energy efficiency in construction
Esther Rodríguez from Fundación Laboral de la Construcción and coordinator of the Construye 2020+ project presented the training and accreditation plan on green skills developed by the consortium. She also took advantage of her intervention to share the good practices learned during the implementation of the project and how they have managed to adapt to the situation arising from Covid-19, to meet the objectives of the initiative.
Despite the health crisis, Construye 2020+ had more than 200 collaborators who participated in discussion groups, workshops or as validators of the results; and more than 800 people who attended the dissemination events in which the benefits of energy efficiency were promoted among SMEs or the Public Administration. As Rodríguez defended: “From the consortium we are happy with these figures and we believe that this is due to three factors: the national scope of the project, the participatory methodology of using the Quintuple Helix and the alignment of the project and the partners”.
nd coordinator of GoSafe with ESI project defended the usefulness of the project’s results, as it proposes “smart solutions to secure investments in energy efficiency”. In her speech, Miethke presented the objectives of the European project, among which she highlighted: Market Assessment and prioritised sectors and technologies; Development od the ESI model elements; Capacity building, communication and promotion; and Building a pipeline of pilot projects.
Finally, Silvia Santos from Fundación Laboral de la Construcción, and coordinator of Construction Blueprint, presented the results and objectives of the project: “To develop specific ainnovative relevant instruments to address skills demand and supply, as well as the upgrade of professional occupations in terms of green and digital competences”.
Afterwards, a round of questions was opened in which the speakers took the opportunity to emphasise the importance of receiving quality and up-to-date training that responds to the emerging challenges of the construction industry. Without it, professionals will not be able to build energy efficient buildings.