REACT - A digital approach to qualifying technicians in Energy Efficiency in Buildings’ project aims at bringing an innovative digital and work-based learning approach to the energy efficiency technical training. The purpose of the project is to contribute for the 2030 climate and energy targets, through the equipment of EU citizens with a quality harmonized qualification on energy efficiency in buildings, developed to be recognised through all European Union. For this, the European Energy Efficiency in Buildings Technician (EEEBT) qualification will be developed. The project comprises a single of interlocked and independent steps which will culminate on the project results:- EEEBT curriculum constituted by the professional profile and competence matrix adopting European tools (EQF and ECVET, using Learning Outcomes oriented vocational curriculum for EQF level 4 and being in line with quality assurance mechanisms (EQAVET). On the curriculum, a detailed description of the training structure will also be present, with theoretical contact hours to be taught face-to-face and online (eLearning) and practical contact hours, which will represent the majority of the workload, to be implemented on working contexts (WBL).- REACT innovative digital training materials, developed through an interactive approach, designed in different formats (videos, interactive presentations, downloadable info sheets, clipart’s, web tools, and others);- REACT real work life Virtual Simulator, to be played throughout the training course as formative assessment, ensuring learners engagement and providing reports on achieved LOs.- REACT formative assessment framework, which will deliver not only a set of single-choice questions but also innovative practical assessment tools such as project assignments to be developed on working context and webquest, which will also help to enhance learner’s digital skills;- REACT RPL scheme and tools which will allow workers who have already achieved the LOs, through informal and/or non-formal learning, but do not have a certification or diploma to prove it, to see their knowledge and competencies recognised. Workers who go through the RPL process will then have the opportunity to take only the CU they have not proven to be knowledgeable and skilled, in order to receive the qualification diploma.- REACT guideline for further exploitation that will provide detailed instructions on how to set an eLearning training course on eLearning platforms, complete with helpful tips on how to administer online training.One of the major innovations on REACT project is the delivery of ready to use materials, ready to be set on any VET provider' eLearning platform. All the digital training materials, Virtual Simulator and formative assessment framework will be delivered on ready to use formats, which will work on any Moodle platform. The guideline will ensure the easy adoption of project results.

The overall aim of this proposal is to set up permanent discussion forums on energy efficiency investment topics gathering government, local and regional authorities, financial sector, ESCOs, homeowners, industry sector, construction sector and SME sector. The focus of the roundtables should include existing private and public buildings, industry and SME’s. The forums will gather and upscale existing best practices from the national and European level, develop strategies, and action plans, propose improvements in the national policy frameworks and measures, and follow their implementation, develop jointly template documents and contracts leading to a better functioning of the market. The roundtables will act as a forum where all stakeholders can learn from successful market initiatives, and can provide input into the policy making process

Climate change is a global problem and to solve it, we need to start on local level. To effectively implement energy and climate policies, concerted and strong action is needed. Municipalities often have ambitious goals and political will, but lack the harmonized, interdepartmental and long-term structures to successfully implement their climate and energy strategies and thus reach their goal. This is the starting point for the project, which focuses on capacity building in municipalities. By introducing the quality management and certification programme European Energy Award (eea) in Belgium, Croatia, Greece and Poland, the project aims at setting up the necessary structures in municipalities. During the project, 30 pilot municipalities will further develop and implement their climate and energy strategy by using the eea standards and criteria catalogue. External advisors will guide and monitor the continuous progress. Its certification will ensure that municipalities implement their climate and energy plans to high quality standards. The certification process is ongoing and ensures that municipal climate action progress. Their experiences and successes will pave the way for more municipalities in the target regions to join the eea. IMPLEMENT’s objective is to set up the necessary structures for a long-term roll-out of the eea in the partner countries. Partners will translate and adapt all eea tools to national context, receive adequate training to become skilled eea advisors, able to advice and guide pilot municipalities through the eea process. The consortium together with regional authorities will develop, based on experience exchange with eea expert regions, feasibility studies and business plans, tailor-made support schemes for the participating countries.

The energy transition causes significant challenges in the building sector, which demand profound changes not only on the economic perspective, such as implementing innovative financial models to overcome financial barriers, but also fostering cooperation between all actors involved, paying particular attention to citizens and communities. It is essential to advance the business cases for energy efficiency measures and to increase support for respective projects, by standardising citizen financing in investment programs. There is therefore a need to consider the role of different actors (public authorities, financial institutions, project developers) and the interactions with innovative citizen models, particularly at the regional/national scale. The main objective of CitizEE is to support European public authorities to scale up investments for energy efficiency in the building sector through attracting citizen private investments. By integrating tailored and widely adopted crowdfunding and cooperative financing schemes with adequate available or to be developed Public Financing Instruments (PFIs), CitizEE will enable to set up large-scale community energy efficiency programs while strengthening know-how of regional/national key stakeholders. The ambition is to put in place a sound enabling legal, financial and operational environment to attract citizen private investments coupled with Public Financing Instruments (PFIs) aimed at: (i)mitigating performance & credit risks, (ii) closing financing gaps, (iii)enlarging citizen access financing, (iv) reducing transaction costs (v) enhancing capacity of local crowdfunding operators and cooperatives and (vi) stimulating the required investment towards higher renovation rates and thus a more efficient building stock.

Although legal obligations are provided at National level by transposing the provisions of the 2010/31/EU Directive, the Nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) concept does not seem to be easily applicable yet in many countries. Previous research showed that defining the cost-feasible optimal integration of the technologies suitable for nZEB and the skills gaps experienced by the building sector are among the most important barriers. Current qualification courses and training schemes are still not satisfactory and underdeveloped to face the challenge of effective nZEB implementation, while the recourse to skilled professionals for renovations and new constructions of buildings is not usual practice. Despite strong political push towards nZEB and deep energy renovation, the traditionally conservative real estate market is still slow in the uptake of the new building standards and practices, especially in the residential sector. To respond to the challenge and use the emerging opportunities, the nZEB Ready project aims to act at market level in order to stimulate the demand for energy-related skills of construction workers and specialists in the involved countries and beyond and to increase the market readiness for an effective nZEB implementation: (1) by addressing the key identified barriers of nZEB implementation in focused markets, (2) by supporting the enhancement of skills framework by new market driven mutual recognition training and certification scheme for nZEB deployment that will facilitate the necessary legislative changes and (3) through development and communication of toolboxes, tailored guidance and practical support to engage home owners and public authorities to reach the nZEB benefits. The project will address the challenges in Bulgaria, Croatia, Portugal, Poland and Romania in order to exploit synergies related to common climatic zones, traditions and opportunities to use the benefit of a larger and easily accessible regional market.