Training crucial for energy efficient refurbishment
The European Commission recommends education and training of the building sector workforce as a prime means to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings. Experts agree, so a technical college is about to take the first step in this direction. The message is clear: it is necessary to take action today to be prepared for future challenges.
In an increasing number of countries, new buildings are being constructed in compliance with new, stricter energy efficiency standards. But what can be done to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings? The answer is refurbishment. Yet full utilisation of the best available technology requires training and education of the building sector workforce.
Skills needed
The recast of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, which was agreed on 17 November, calls for mutual recognition across the EU of training programmes and of certified installation personnel and inspectors.
Along the same lines, a publication from the European Commission, “7 Measures for 2 Million New EU Jobs”, emphasises the importance of a skilled workforce and suggests that construction workers and architects should participate in mandatory “low energy building” courses. The European Commission’s document recommends the expansion of the workforce capacity of people who are “skilled enough to design, build, install, operate and maintain energy efficient buildings at reasonable cost”.
The EU, as well as many individual countries, has taken steps to increase energy efficiency in buildings, but more action is needed; attempts to improve existing buildings will be futile unless the workforce receives proper training.
Lessons to be learned
An inspirational case is the technical college in Northern Denmark - “EUC Nord”. Here the refurbishment of the school will be combined with the training of carpenters’ apprentices. The school management sees this as a unique opportunity for the apprentices to learn building techniques, while at the same time gaining knowledge about future building standards.
The school is about to refurbish and extend its existing buildings. As part of their education, the carpenters’ apprentices will produce 1:1 scale models of the energy saving parts of the building. The whole school, including the existing buildings, will be transformed into passive energy buildings, meaning that they will comply with strict criteria such as being almost self-sufficient for heat from solar energy.
Expert enthusiasm
The new initiatives to improve construction workers’ skills are praised by the Danish national Knowledge Center for Energy Savings in Buildings. The Center was established in 2008 as an independent state-funded unit with the aim of improving the energy efficiency of buildings, primarily by offering information and training to the construction trade.
Head of the Center Vagn Holk says:
“Refurbishment is the key to improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings. Training and education are absolutely vital, because specialist knowledge is required to refurbish buildings correctly – and get the building owners persuaded to do so. This applies both for new apprentices and for experienced construction workers who need to become familiar with requirements and techniques that save energy in existing buildings.”
Vagn Holk encourages decisionmakers to act now because there is much to be gained from refurbishment.
“After all, there are far more old buildings than new ones. We can save energy and money, and at the same time reduce CO2 emissions, by paying more attention to the energy efficiency of our existing buildings,” he says.
