Abstract *

The urgency of the climate crisis requires accelerating the transfer and adoption of climate change mitigation skills and tools to workers, businesses, policy makers, and the public. Around 40% of GHG emissions come from building operations and an additional 10-20% from embodied emissions, making the construction ecosystem a major contributor to the climate crisis and a necessary sector to transform. One of the main obstacles to transformation is the massive need for skilled workers and educated professionals on all levels. More than three quarters of companies in the EU report difficulties in finding workers with the necessary skills. The twin green and digital transformation of the construction ecosystem is an enormous opportunity to create sustainable employment in urban and rural areas and is central to decarbonising Europe’s economy and fighting climate change. Our objective is to establish an international network, the New European Bauhaus Academy Alliance (NEBA Alliance), which will ensure high quality training for higher education, VET, and life-long learning is available and delivered to as many workers as possible across Europe and the surrounding regions. The project will establish Hubs that have regional coverage and/or expertise in specific topics, create a joint business plan and operational models, then link them through a digital platform that will serve as a matchmaker between learners and trainers, as well as an open directory and repository for NEBA certified training contents addressing bio-based, circular, regenerative, and long-life processes, concepts, and solutions with microcredentials available. The project will also provide Skills Agenda and Policy Roadmap, guiding implementation of the Green Deal, Renovation Wave, Circular Bioeconomy and related policy initiatives. The NEBA Alliance will be the first and most dynamic entry in a massive push for skills/education across all levels of the construction sector and the society.