Introduction to the course

Buildings in general and residential buildings in particular account for a large proportion of global energy and resource use as well as emissions. Negative impacts result from sourcing and processing of construction material as well as from the construction process and building operation itself. Against this backdrop, green and sustainable building practices are a critical piece in the global response to climate change and the protection of the natural environment. Considering the growing population and urbanisation rates in many parts of the world, urgent action is needed reduce negative impacts and harness the opportunities arising from more sustainable and resourceefficient building practices.

Meanwhile, changes in the design, construction or operation of buildings to reduce or eliminate negative impacts on the environment can create positive impacts on employment. They can also contribute to improving the working conditions for construction workers and the quality of life for residents. Positive effects can extend to the entire local economy inter alia due to the sector’s reliance on local value chains, small and medium sized enterprises and the availability of local technologies and building materials.

Besides new construction, energy efficient building renovations can be a key driver of a fair and sustainable development path and for economic recovery. Building retrofits in fact make up the largest part of today’s recovery spending. The International Energy Agency estimates that buildings efficiency retrofit and the construction of efficient buildings can each generate up to 15 jobs per 1 million US-Dollar invested.

If managed well, greening the building and construction sector can thus be part of a wider strategy towards the creation of green and decent jobs through the promotion of low carbon, climate resilient and resource-efficient growth.

Drawing on the experience of the ILO and key partners this training course will provide participants with a structured approach to identify, understand and apply the various elements in green construction that are particularly linked to employment and to the world of work in a broader sense.

The course provides participants with the basic concepts and the interlinkages between green construction and decent work. Furthermore, it allows participants to learn from concrete experiences and case studies enabling them to understand, develop and shape enabling national/ sectoral strategies and approaches for employment creation through sustainable and greener building practices. It will allow participants to actively contribute and steer the discussion about green construction in their local context.

Who attends this course?

The course is particularly tailored to:

• Representatives of government ministries and agencies (e.g. Labour, Finance, TVET, Economy, Housing, Urban Planning);
• Employers’ and workers’ associations at all stages of the building and construction value chain;
• Private enterprises and business leaders in the sector;
• Development agencies;
• Professionals from universities and civil society organizations.

Course Objective

The objective of this course is to provide participants with the key elements of a conceptual framework for the promotion of more and better jobs for inclusive green growth in the building construction sector. They will acquire both the tools and the technical knowledge to be able to initiate and implement change processes at institutional and policy level.

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Apply the basic concepts of green building and construction including design, building materials and technologies in conjunction with the social, environmental and economic dimensions of green building and construction
• Identify key elements of relevant policy and regulatory frameworks such as green building codes, certification, fiscal measures and incentive schemes, labour regulations and the business environment at large
• Identify and distinguish the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders from government, the private sector, and employers’ and workers’ organizations to shape a conducive environment for the creation of decent jobs in green construction
• Analyse framework conditions to develop and implement policies and strategies in the area of
  • Technical and vocational education and training / skills for green construction
  • Green entrepreneurship and private sector development along the green building and construction value chain
  • Occupational safety and health in green building construction
  • Green building certification and fiscal incentives
  • Network building and advocacy for green construction
  • Access to finance for green construction
  • Social and employment impacts of green building and construction measures.

For more information and to register, please visit here.