Groups sat around tables with information on the screen.
Irish NZEB Training Centre.

About the project

This project is led by the European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC) and the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW), with external experts from the University of Westminster and Kings College London. It is funded by the European Commission.

The objective of the study is to identify problems that arise in providing the vocational education and training (VET) required for low energy construction (LEC) and the opportunities existing to enhance the attractiveness and inclusiveness of the sector and advance energy literacy. It features Linda Clarke, Fernando Duran-Palma, Colin Gleeson, Melahat Sahin-Dikmen from the University of Westminster and Christopher Winch from Kings College London

The project focuses on the ways in which different European countries develop the knowledge, skills and competences needed for LEC within their varying VET, industrial relations, legislative and construction site contexts and in particular with regard to exemplary case study projects. The research focused on 10 countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Slovenia and Spain. The outputs include criteria for a core curriculum in energy literacy compatible with the European Qualifications Framework and guidelines on enhancing the inclusivity of the sector.

Contact

For further information, email:

Outputs

  • View the final report on the VET4LEC website.
  • Clarke, L., Sahin-Dikmen, M., and Winch, C., (2022) Vocational education and training for a greener construction sector: low road or high road approaches to apprenticeships? In Apprenticeships for green economies and societies, pp. 87-96, Thessaloniki: CEDEFOP
  • Clarke, L., and Sahin-Dikmen, M., (2021) Why radical transformation is necessary for gender equality and a zero carbon European construction sector, in Gender, intersectionality and Climate Institutions in Industrialized States, Routledge
  • Clarke, L., Duran-Palma, F., and Sahin-Dikmen, M., (2021) Towards nearly zero energy building in Europe: challenges of vocational education, in the Encyclopaedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure edited by Filho W.L., Azul A.M., Brandli L.L., Salvia A.L., and Wall, T. Springer.
  • Clarke, L., Sahin-Dikmen, M., and Winch, C., (2020) Overcoming diverse approaches to vocational education and training to combat climate change? the case of low energy construction in Europe, Oxford Review of Education, 46/5: 619-636
  • Clarke, L., Sahin-Dikmen, M., and Winch, C. (2020). Transforming vocational education and training for nearly zero-energy building. Buildings and Cities, 1(1), pp. 650–661
  • Clarke, L., Gleeson, C., Sahin-Dikmen, M., Winch, C., and Duran-Palma, F. (2019) Inclusive Vocational Education and Training for Low Energy Construction: VET4LEC, 1) Final Report; 2) Country Summaries, European Federation of Building and Woodworkers and European Construction Industry Federation, Brussels

  • 28–29 May 2019: Climate change, labour and the built environment, at Debating the Future of Work: challenges and prospects, ILO conference, Sheffield
  • 23 November 2018: VET4LEC: Towards European Standards for VET in Low-energy Construction, Learning and Skills Research Network, Kings College, London
  • 22 March 2018, Challenges for Vocational Education and Training for Low Energy Construction in Europe: divergent contexts, approaches and practices, Green Jobs and Sustainability conference, Middlesex University