Industry leaders IFMA EMEA, EU.BAC and REHVA have launched a new agreement that focuses on upskilling and reskilling workers amid green building transitions across the European Union.
The Pact for Skills for Sustainable Facilities targets training for building operations and maintenance as the EU develops a road map to achieve energy and sustainability goals.
Operations and maintenance account for more than 85 per cent of a building’s cost over its useful life. It is during the operational phase of a building’s life cycle when energy savings are achieved and sustained. As demand for built environment efficiency evolves, so too does the skill set required to operate and optimize facilities and the systems that support them.
“Continuing education has always been important to building sector professionals; but even more so now amid rapidly advancing technologies, elevated focus on occupant well-being and a global urgency to reduce buildings’ environmental impact,” Managing Director of IFMA EMEA Lara Paemen said in a statement. “Knowledge and skills requirements are expanding for all professionals who design, construct, manage and maintain the built environment.
“Ensuring the industries we represent have the training, resources and workforce necessary to meet increasing demands for sustainable operations takes a collaborative effort between organizations dedicated to achieving the same goals.”
The Pact for Skills for Sustainable Facilities will enhance:
- Continuous improvement of skills and knowledge: The signatories commit to continuous learning and improving the skills and knowledge of sustainable operations professionals through ongoing education, certification and training.
- Awareness about the role of building operations in achieving designs for performance.
- Development of Pan-European resources to upskill professionals currently working in the building environment.
The European Commission’s Pact for Skills, one of the flagship actions of the European Skills Agenda, can be accessed here: pact-for-skills.ec.europa.eu/index_en.
