Nature-based solutions: Green roofs training for urban and building sustainability.

NaturBuild seeks to create module-based training course to skill blue-collars from the construction sector in South Europe, for an adequate installation, maintenance, and deconstruction of nature-...

NaturBuild project aimed to develop a training course to address the skills gap on nature-based solutions (NBS), more concretely on green roofs, and their digitalization. Thanks to this course, the Partnership wanted to achieve: - Provided workers with the required skills to meet market trends and EU objectives on green construction and sustainability. - Digitalized construction VET with innovative training curricula and resources, easing the learning process of certain concepts and phases thanks to the digital and more visual resources developed. The objective was to move towards more innovative VET provision, trainers and, finally, learners with improved digital skills. - Prepared VET centers and trainers with updated training materials of green roofs, to align VET training offer with market trends, and aligning VET training with United Nation’s SDGs and EU’S strategies and goals. - Raised construction workers’, trainers’, and companies’ awareness on the importance and benefits of NBS, boosted by development a whole module with this approach. As the “Education for Climate Coalition” initiative shows, awareness is a key element towards fighting climate change, and NBS highly reduces energy consumption and pollution.

The activities implemented have been divided in 4 main areas: Project management, Dissemination and Communication, Project Results, and Other Activities. PROJECT MANAGEMENT: * Management and monitoring of the project. This includes the project coordination activities, implementation of the Quality Plan, risk assessment and control, communication mechanisms, financial management, reporting etc. * 5 Steering meetings, 11 monthly meetings and other management actions, have set the framework for cooperative work and efficient management between partners. DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION: * Dissemination, valorisation, and sustainability. Dissemination Plan, visual identity of the project, project dissemination products and materials, Memorandum of Understanding development, Sustainability Plan. * 5 Multiplier events, involving all partner countries developed when the results have been about to be ready. * A final conference, with more 232 participants (online and in-person) PROJECT RESULTS For PROJECT RESULTS 1-4 (modules on global awareness, installation, maintenance, and deconstruction), the activities followed have been similar with some specificities, now detailed: 1. Documentary analysis to gather the latest legislation, documentation, and practices at EU & national levels. For project results 2&3, concrete occupations that take part in those phases (installation and maintenance) have been also identified. 2. Experts’ consultation to deepen the results of the previous task. This task has been validated with a fine-tuning of the preliminary results and a second analysis by the partners. This expert’s group have been maintained throughout the project for validation purposes. 3. Development of the content based on the new curricula and needs identified in previous tasks. 4. A final fine-tuning of the module and its translation once experts' feedback is collected through a digital pilot with trainers and experts. PROJECT RESULT 5 (online training platform) have had different activities to accomplish it: 1. Decision on the most suitable digital solution, considering the target, the content, etc. 2. The structure of the digital solution and the main elements it needs to include. 3. The adaptation of the developed training material to the digital media. 4. Development of digital educational resources, such as 3D objects, videos and/or AR. 5. Fine-tuning the digital solution based on the feedback received. 6. Replication of the complete course into the languages of the consortium (ES, GR, IT, PT) OTHER ACTIVITIES (results-related): * Digital pilot testing. 4 focus group with 28 researchers, trainers, and experts have been carried out to test the developed modules and the digital platform. * Translation of the course resources (trainer guide, etc.), the created modules and digital training platform.

RESULT 1. Global awareness module (8 hours). A training module to establish a common background for all occupations involved on the building process of nature-based solutions, providing an overview of the state of art. At the same time, it has raised awareness on nature-based solutions and the benefits it brings to the building performance, urban climate, and biodiversity. RESULT 2. Installation module (25 hours). Module that has provided clear instructions on the steps to be followed in each phase of the installation process, divided by occupations so that the module is specialised according to professional profiles involved in the installation of green roofs. RESULT 3. Maintenance module (25 hours), whose objective has been to provide instructions on the steps to be followed in the different maintenance tasks. This module has covered also the more appropriate vegetation to be used within the Mediterranean climate in each of the covered green roof type. RESULT 4. Deconstruction module (12 hours, 4 more than expected). Module with two main objectives: (1) How to deconstruct a green roof to install a new one. This may happen for cases in which the green roof was not properly installed or for those green roofs that are not sustainable (for example, due to the type of vegetation used or improper installation) and thus a more appropriate one should be installed. (2) How to deconstruct a (normal) roof. For those cases in which the green roof is to be installed in a building where a common roof is installed. RESULT 5. Online training platform. To improve not only the digitalisation of the training in the construction sector, but also of its workers' skills, the developed modules will go through a digitalisation to include them as part of the training offer of the VET centres that are part of the consortium. Besides project results, further OUTCOMES that this project has achieved are: 1. Research and analysis of green roofs skills demand (labour market and EU policies) and related skills gaps (occupational profiles involved) and definition of skills perimeter. 2. Sound training structure and learning outcomes by means of the contribution and endorsement of key experts in education, construction labour market, innovation, and sustainability. Based on the feedback from the interim report, the Partnership has included the skills analysis in a report named “Programme Module” (there are 4 reports, one per module), where the learning of each module are described in terms of knowledge, skills and responsibility and autonomy; as well as the link between each training unit and the learning outcomes acquired after the learning process. This analysis is available in the project website, and in the Erasmus+ Project Results. Moreover, it has been activated a functionality in the Moodle platform where the trainee can check these learning outcomes. This update has the objective to enhance applicability, improve transferability, and broaden the project’s impact. 3. Design and development a modular training course following the EQF methodology- learning-outcome oriented- and underpinned with EQAVET principles. (R 1-4) 4. Analysis of the adaptation of the training course to the priorities identified (online pilot testing and validation) 5. Enhancing VET innovation by offering an updated green training for blue-collars by means of e-learning and Open Educational Resources, in EN, GR, IT, ES and PT. (R 5) 6. Paving the way for the uptake of training course and its recognition. 7. Better meet common challenges, such as energy efficiency and climate change, by common approaches and harmonisation among countries. 8. Improvement of the construction VET providers' and trainers’ activity to include an appealing training offer for the current and potential construction sector workers. 9. Building mutual trust and facilitating cross-border recognition with the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the sustainability of the course and its endorsement. 10. Dissemination of key information of the project at regional, national, and European level, paving the way for the uptake of project outcomes, generating interest, raising awareness and attracting attention of key actors, target groups and industry in general. 11. Contribution to urban and building sustainability by providing construction workers with the needed training for the installation, maintenance, and deconstruction of green roofs. 12. Spread the word, share solutions and know-how, enabling a wider community to benefit from EU funding.