Nord Plus Adult project No. NPAD-2014/10153

“The right skills for vocational training in construction industry sector"

Look to the future, what skills and qualities will be needed in building and construction industry in the future

Author: Kaunas vocational training center of social services and construction business specialists (Lithuania).

2015

Content

Preamble...... 3

Directive 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings (recast) - 19 May 2010...... 4

Lithuanian National Energy Strategy...... 5

RIGA CONCLUSIONS 2015...... 5

Recommendations for vocational training...... 6

BIM (Building Information Modeling)...... 7

Findings...... 9

Recourses ...... 10

PREAMBLE

Lithuania is currently building sector little informed about the energy efficiency requirements of the Directive implementing the commitments, a small demand for energy-efficient buildings, not enough workers paying and ready to build energy-efficient buildings and their engineering systems installed. Lithuanian construction industry discourages innovation, all decisions are usually bought at the lowest prices of the principles, the lack of interaction between science and business.

Given the growing Lithuanian economy and the current construction sector level, relatively low labor productivity (Lithuanian labor productivity average in 2012 was about 62% of the EU27 average), increasing the cost of resources and high-quality human resources potential shortages, other countries, initiatives to boost the construction sector's competitiveness, Lithuanian construction sector requires major changes and a new approach in labor productivity and management. In a world of rapid development and construction of information and communication technologies, Lithuania is necessary to respond to form and implement a unified digital building information model.

Lithuania is just beginning to take the first coordinated steps in this direction. Therefore, the country to become a high-tech country in the field of construction it is necessary to develop e-business requires a digital infrastructure that so far we do not have and without which the objectives mentioned above are just impossible.

The largest positive impact on the Western European economy has been the governments decision to opt for innovation-based economic development direction. Innovation allowed the application to increase employee productivity, automate many labor processes and thus increase the country's economic competitiveness. The main technological innovation is due to expensive labor force in this region, because many processes, including design, intended to automate - so there was a good automated systems and technology demand.

  1. Directive 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings (recast)

On 19 May 2010, a recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive was adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union in order to strengthen the energy performance requirements and to clarify and streamline some of the provisions from the 2002 Directive it replaces.
The recast proposal confirms the importance of effective implementation at the Member State level, the importance of Community-wide co-operation and the strong long-term commitment and role of the Commission itself to support such effective implementation.

As the November 2008 Commission Communication for the original proposal states, buildings have significant untapped potential for cost effective energy savings “which, if realized, would mean that in 2020 the EU will consume 11 % less final energy.” The magnitude of the potential savings is such that every effort must be made to achieve it.

Major points of the Recast Directive include:

  • As of 31 December 2020 new buildings in the EU will have to consume 'nearly zero-energy'.
  • Public authorities that own or occupy a new building should set an example by building, buying or renting such 'nearly zero-energy building' as of 31 December 2018.
  • The definition of nearly zero-energy building was agreed as: ¨nearly zero-energy buildingmeans a building that has a very high energy performance, as determined in accordance with Annex I. The nearly zero or very low amount of energy required should be covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources, including energy from renewable sources produced on-site or nearby.¨
  • Member States shall draw up national plans for increasing the number of nearly zero-energy buildings.
  • Member States shall furthermore, following the leading example of the public sector, develop policies and take measures; i.e. the setting of targets, in order to stimulate the transformation of buildings that are refurbished into nearly zero-energy buildings, and inform the Commission thereof in their national plans.
  • The Commission shall, by 31 December 2012 and every three years thereafter, publish a report on the progress of Member States in increasing the number of nearly zero-energy buildings. On the basis of that report the Commission shall develop an action plan and, if necessary, propose measures to increase the number of those buildings and encourage best practices as regards the cost-effective transformation of existing buildings into nearly zero-energy buildings.
  • The 1000m²threshold for major renovation has been deleted and this will take effect when the national regulations have been implemented and applied, probably at the beginning of 2014.
  • Minimum requirements for components are introduced for all replacements and renovations, although for major renovations, the holistic calculation methodology is the preferred method with performance calculations based on component requirements allowed as a complement or alternatively.
  • A harmonised calculation methodology to push-up MS minimum energy performance requirements towards a cost-optimal level is set out in the Directive.
  • MS will have to justify to the Commission if the gap between current requirements and cost optimal requirements is more than 15 %.
  • A more detailed and rigorous procedure for issuing energy performance certificates will be required in MS.
  • Control systems will be required by MS to check the correctness of performance certification.
  • MS will be required to introduce penalties for non-compliance. Member States shall lay down the rules on penalties applicable to infringements of the national provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive and shall take all measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented. The penalties provided for must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. Member States shall communicate those provisions to the Commission by 9 January 2013.
  1. Lithuanian National Energy strategy

Lithuanian National Energy Strategy states that, by 2020. the development of sustainable energy will be implemented in the following strategic initiatives:

• implementation of renewable energy resources development strategy aims to 2020, the increase in final energy consumption of energy from renewable sources to at least 23 percent

• 1.5 percent annually. will improve energy efficiency;

• 2020 years of Lithuania heat energy consumption of buildings, renovation of most of them, will fall by 30-40 percent.

• reduction of CO2 emissions.

  1. RIGA CONCLUSIONS 2015

Ministers in charge of vocational education and training (VET) met in the Baltic city of

Riga on 22 June 2015 to renew our efforts in raising the overall quality and status of VET in the context of the Copenhagen process, in order to meet the ET 2020 strategic objectives and to reaffirm our support for the wider European growth and jobs agenda.

The Riga Conclusions present the role of vocational education and training (VET) in the context ofthe growth and jobs agenda and the Strategic Framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020). It aims at reaching agreement among the participating countries, EU level social partners and the European Commission on a new set of medium-term deliverables for the period2015 – 2020 in the context of the Bruges Communiqué3 adopted in 2010 as part of the overall Copenhagen process launched in 2002.

  1. Recommendations for vocational training

Recommendations on the narrowing the gap between the supply of and demand for workers in the construction sector

• Based on the analysis carried out, shortage of manpower, especially of skilled workers, poses a primal significant threat on the successful development of economy. Skilled workers are usually trained in vocational education and training institutions. On the other hand while employment in skilled workers job group doubles employment in professionals (including clerks) jobs group in the real labour market, enrolment data presents a reverse picture with number of youth choosing VET being twice lower than those entering higher education. This has impact on share of graduates from VET and higher education. Therefore discrepancy between supply and demand of employees is likely to increase in all sectors and to cause severe problems for the development of business. Taking into account said above it is recommended to change requirements for the admission to higher education institutions, i.e. to define requirements of VET background and work experience for certain study programmes, e.g. business and administration. This measure should help to regulate employees supply, facilitate planning of enrolment to study/ training programmes and should improve quality of studies in general

• Amendment of the Law on Vocational Education and Training (2007) establishes apprenticeship as a new vocational education and training organisation form when training is carried out at the workplace: company, institution, organisation, farm or is executed by a free lance teacher‘s. Theoretical training may be carried out in the VET institution or other school. With regard to the experience of other countries the advantages of apprenticeship are related to lower training costs and work with modern technologies. Therefore, the companies having used these opportunities would train the employees according to their needs and at the same time would increase VET attractiveness. In the long term this would have a positive influence on the workers supply.

• Change of skills in job places groups in the construction sector will be influenced by increase of environmental requirements, need for energy saving and labour market internationalisation. Enterprises wish to increase labour productivity by automation of work process and usage of new construction materials and technologies. In future, works organisation, technological design and construction planning skills as well as competencies of robot management and work with automation programmes and command of foreign languages will be especially relevant for the successful development of the construction sector. Construction enterprises regard the quality of works as the main advantage over competitors. Therefore it is very likely that requirements for study/ training quality will rapidly increase. Lack of practical skills is already emphasised for professionals, technicians and skilled workers. Knowledge on modern technologies and materials as well as skills to work with them, competences of project management and time planning are also relevant. The managers and administration staff are lacking most of all in general skills. Also, there is a shortage of such skills as work organisation, decisionmaking, time planning and flexibility. Therefore in order to ensure relevant qualification of workers it is necessary to update study/ training programmes in accordance with identified skill needs with a special focus on new technologies and practical skills development. It is also recommended to speed up process of improving study/ training quality by designing specific measures (including modernisation of practical training basis) and foreseeing resources for their implementation.

• Based on analysis carried out in construction sector, there is a large demand for continuing training services whisch is caused by staff turnover and factors mentioned above. This demand is supplied by on-the-ob-training or training in education institutions. The basic problems related with the training of construction sector workers are associated with the supply of training courses which does not satisfy the demand as well as costs, the place and facilities for training (they do not meet the nowadays requirements). Therefore qualification of current employees should be improved by organising presentations of new materials, practical seminars, study visits in other enterprises as well as abroad. In addition, offer of qualification development courses should be updated by offering specific training courses. These courses should focus on exclusive, unusual situations, problems and challenges in construction projects and should provide practical solutions. As a consequence, employees qualification would correspond requirements and they would have opportunities for continuous development.

• In the situation of huge lack of construction workers and insufficient training capacities to satisfy needs of the sector both in quantity and quality terms, cooperation between employers and training providers should be strengthened. Cooperation should be facilitated by applying such measures as joint meetings, site visits, career days, curricula development, practical training and etc. Based on opinion of interview respondents a connecting link might be Lithuanian Builders Association. Bilateral information flows should be also improved, e.g. when preparing targeted information about training of employees and changes in the construction market. This would help to detail requirements for curricula content and expand possibilities for training of construction workers.

  1. BIM Building Information Modeling

Lithuania digital construction activities at an early stage. There are no approved BIM requirements for the construction of a unified classification, data exchange standard BIM and other important elements of the system.

Digital construction – is a joint Lithuanian business, science and government initiave with the efforts of Lithuania will be developed and the relevant international networks of integrated unified digital building models for the development of infrastructure, in order that all construction projects in the information used throughout the building life cycle, from conception to demolition, to developed systematically, without duplication of activities in each phase of construction only by supplementing or replacing a centralized database containing links to a variety of construction – related object databases.

BIM development within the country and abroad will improve the constructio‘s sector‘s productivity and reduce costs through the efficient information flow management and better cooperation.

BIM will enable construction sector, taking account the principles of sustainability and life – cycle supply thier products at significantly lower cost – through greater efficiency and higher technology and information sharing using BIM technology. At the same time it will allow to increase investment planing reliability, durability and superior service quality.

What BIM will change for society:

It reduces life – cycle costs;

Stimulates innovation and job creation;

Will form a need to develop new competencies;

Building information model will be sustainable development on the basis of the Digital Cities;

Form the assumptions Lithuania's competitiveness in international markets;

Improve the image of the construction sector.

BIM benefits under construction processes lifecycle

● Improved new spatial planning and design, fewer errors and more rational decisions. Unified information about buildings and engineering networks enables higher quality design of new buildings or existing network environments.

● better quality and more rational design process, that is, the lower the object changes in demand in the future. BIM model visualization of all design components design solutions, so the client more aware of the results, eliminating errors caused by the intersection between the individual parts of the project.

● More economical construction process. Since the creation of BIM static model has everything very precisely designed, there is no design errors, which repair the building site very costly. In addition, avoiding excess material quantity estimates, and thus the cost of growth, as the digital model obtained very precise amounts.

● Faster and cheaper static maintenance, repairs and renovation as a digital model of the building - this is one place in the information that used both in the construction and building repair or renovation work. Eg., Renovations digital information at least 2 times lower prices of the reconstruction project development cost and speed.

In Vilnius in International conference after all presentations and discussion a resolution, promoting regional and international cooperation in developing BIM, was signed. The resolution stated that:

1) It is practicable to establish and implement the BIM methodology in the fields of construction and infrastructure as the joint efforts of countries that accept this resolution in the Baltic Sea region by applying best practices of the leading economies;

2) To encourage regional and international cooperation by exchanging the BIM development experience;

3) To establish and implement the system of training and continuing professional development for BIM specialists, to conduct public education and promotion.

To prepare and implement the regional cooperation project for the fulfilment of the aforementioned objectives through the exchange of the BIM development experience and best practices involving representatives of the region and assistance of partners from leading West European countries.

Findings

  • In order to implement the 2020m. objectives must first be developed to improve the currently-employed workers' skills;
  • Initial vocational training is important to quickly update training programs to improve the skills of teachers that school graduates are prepared for the challenges of the latest technological requirements;
  • Lithuania's strategic objectives: to enhance the construction industry players in connection with energy efficiency knowledge and skills in motivating directives of the European Union, the economic benefits of ecological importance and the energy independence of the country;
  • Update current training system;
  • Lithuania digital construction activities at an early stage. There are no approved BIM requirements for the construction of a unified classification, data exchange standard BIM and other important elements of the system;
  • To get the best experience from „buildingSMART International” „buildingSMART Nordic”;
  • To get the best experience from Nordic Charter;
  • Change of skills in job places groups in the construction sector will be influenced by increase of environmental requirements, need for energy saving and labour market internationalisation. Enterprises wish to increase labour productivity by automation of work process and usage of new construction materials and technologies.
  • In the situation of huge lack of construction workers and insufficient training capacities to satisfy needs of the sector both in quantity and quality terms, cooperation between employers and training providers should be strengthened.
  • With a view to developing high quality and labour market relevant vocational skills and qualifications, based on the learning outcomes approach:

1. Promote work-based learning in all its forms, with special attention to apprenticeships, by involving social partners, companies, chambers and VET providers, as well as by stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship;