BUILD UP Skills – Upskilling and reskilling interventions enabling a decarbonised building stock and energy system integration

Closed

Programme Category

EU Competitive Programmes

Programme Name

LIFE: Environment & Climate Action

Programme Description

The LIFE Programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action. The general objective of LIFE is to contribute to the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental and climate policy and legislation by co-financing projects with European added value. After 22 years, €3.4 billion and 4.170 projects, the LIFE Programme continues to finance actions for the environment and climate action.

Programme Details

Identifier Code

LIFE-2023-CET-BUILDSKILLS

Call

BUILD UP Skills – Upskilling and reskilling interventions enabling a decarbonised building stock and energy system integration

Summary

The main objective is to increase the number of skilled building professionals at all levels of the building design, operation and maintenance value chain.

The main focus of proposals should be on continuous vocational education and training (or professional training) of professionals, i.e. after their initial, compulsory education and training or after they have entered working life. This includes the retraining of professionals from other sectors with skills transferable to construction and building renovation. Proposals are also encouraged to address other parts of education and training (e.g. initial education and training, higher education), provided this is justified based on needs detected in the countries targeted.

Detailed Call Description

The proposed action should address one of the following thematic areas:

1. Skills development and deployment supporting the implementation of core provisions of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD)

2. Skills development and deployment supporting the decarbonisation of the building stock

3. Skills development for small-scale renewable energy deployment and energy system integration, covering one or several of the following:

4. Development and delivery of innovative on-site training methods (especially for on-site workers/ craftspeople) as part of renovation projects, in cooperation with product manufacturers. Actions should focus on the skills needed to carry out deep renovation. The proposed methods should help address one of the main barriers to upskilling, i.e. the lack of time from companies and professionals to enrol in upskilling activities. The proposed training should ultimately facilitate the cooperation and understanding between different crafts and professions, and support a holistic vision of the building and of renovation works.

5. Skills development and deployment for the implementation and effective operation of integrated home renovation services (or one-stop-shops), providing coordinated and coherent responses to the needs of building owners at each step of their renovation journey: from technical and social diagnosis, technical offer, obtaining permits, finding qualified professionals, contracting of works, structuring and provision of finance (e.g. loans), facilitating access to available subsidies or other support schemes, to the monitoring of works and quality assurance.

Regardless of the thematic area addressed, proposals should:

  • provide details on the actual scope and content of the training and qualification schemes to be developed/upgraded, e.g. professional profiles and levels in the European Qualification Framework targeted; thematic coverage; duration of the training; validation mechanisms.
  • include activities ensuring the recognition of trained and qualified professionals.
  • include train-the-trainer activities.
  • include a testing and validation phase for the new or upgraded qualification schemes developed; this testing and validation phase should take place during the project lifetime. It will take the form of training sessions for building professionals, during which participants will trial and test the draft qualification scheme, the curriculum, the training materials as well as the recognition mechanisms developed within the project. Infrastructure costs for developing new or upgrading existing training facilities will not be considered eligible.
  • include activities to develop a strategy ensuring that the proposed schemes will be scaled up and sustained after the end of the project, linking to available sources of funding at national and EU level.

Call Total Budget

€6 000 000

Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan

95%

Expected maximum EU contribution: €1 000 000 – €1 500 000

Thematic Categories

  • Education and training
  • Employment
  • Environment and Climate Change
  • Other Thematic Category
  • Urban Development

Eligibility for Participation

  • International Organisations
  • Large Enterprises
  • Private Bodies
  • State-owned Enterprises
  • Training Centres

Eligibility For Participation Notes

In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must be legal entities (public or private bodies) established in EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs) or listed EEA countries and countries associated to the LIFE Programme (associated countries) or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature.

Proposals may be submitted by a single applicant from a single eligible country.

Call Opening Date

11/05/2023

Call Closing Date

16/11/2023

National Contact Point(s)

Department of Environment

Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment
www.lifecyclamen.com.cy

Contact Persons 
Marilena Papastavrou
Environment Officer, National Contact Point for Environment
Telephone: +357 22 408 926
Email: mpapastavrou@environment.moa.gov.cy

Chrystalla Papastavrou
Environment Officer, National Contact Point for Climate
Telephone: +357 22 408 962
Email: cpapastavrou@environment.moa.gov.cy

EU Contact Point

European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency

https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/life_en

https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/life_en

Contact: https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/contact-0_en