USING ENERGY-EFFICIENCY PEDAGOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES IN PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF FUTURE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS: EU EXPERIENCE
Abstract
Relevance. The construction sector is central to Europe’s climate and energy targets, while skilled workers are essential for delivering energy-efficient buildings. In Ukraine, integrating energy-efficiency pedagogical technologies (EEPT) into vocational education and training (VET) is urgent to support post-war reconstruction, align with EU standards, and strengthen national energy security.
Aim: To examine the use of EEPT in professional training of construction workers in the EU and explore how these approaches can be adapted and implemented in Ukraine’s vocational education system.
Methods: A three-step comparative-adaptive approach was applied, including competence mapping of EU and Ukrainian VET standards, a review of EU teaching methods suitable for Ukrainian vocational schools, and analysis of implementation pathways through pilot projects, partnerships, and curriculum updates.
Results: Competence mapping revealed that EU energy-efficiency standards cover skills in building physics, envelope performance, energy-efficient system installation, diagnostics, and site organisation. Ukrainian VET currently provides limited practical experience in these areas. EU projects, such as MEnS and VET4LEC, demonstrate that combining classroom instruction with hands-on practice and digital tools (BIM, VR, AR) enhances learner competence and engagement. Phased implementation in Ukraine, including teacher training, pilot projects, and curriculum modernisation, is feasible and can progressively align VET outcomes with European standards.
Conclusions: Adopting EU-based EEPT offers a pathway for modernising Ukrainian vocational education, fostering a workforce capable of delivering energy-efficient construction projects, supporting sustainable reconstruction, and promoting alignment with European best practices. Future research should assess the effectiveness of EEPT in Ukrainian schools to inform scalable implementation.
Keywords
energy efficiency, vocational education and training, construction workers, energy-efficiency pedagogical technologies, Ukraine, European Union, curriculum modernisation.
References
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- Переклад і транслітерація
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- Cedefop. (2023). The future of vocational education and training in Europe: Synthesis report (Cedefop reference series No. 125). Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2801/08824, [in English].
- CORDIS. (2018, July 5). Developing energy-efficient competencies of tomorrow’s building professionals. European Commission. https://cordis.europa.eu/article/id/227568-developing-energyefficient-competencies-in-tomorrows-building-manager, [in English].
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- Ertelt, B.-J., Frey, A., Hochmuth, M., Ruppert, J.-J., & Seyffer, S. (2021). Apprenticeships as a unique shaping field for the development of an individual future-oriented “vocationality”. Sustainability, 13(4), Article 2279. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042279, [in English].
- Esangbedo, C. O., Zhang, J., Esangbedo, M. O., Kone, S. D., & Xu, L. (2024). The role of industry-academia collaboration in enhancing educational opportunities and outcomes under the digital driven Industry 4.0. Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(1), Article 2569. https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i1.2569, [in English].
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- European Commission. (2020). Renovation Wave: A new EU strategy to improve the energy performance of buildings. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_1835, [in English].
- European Commission. (2024). Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/energy-efficiency/energy-performance-buildings/energy-performance-buildings-directive_en, [in English].
- Janssen, B. N. (2019). VET4LEC: Inclusive vocational education and training for low energy construction. https://beryljanssen.com/project/vet4lec/, [in English].
- Khan, S., Panuwatwanich, K., & Usanavasin, S. (2024). Integrating building information modeling with augmented reality: Application and empirical assessment in building facility management. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 31(7), 2809–2828. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-12-2021-1146, [in English].
- Kozlovska, M., Petkanic, S., Vranay, F., & Vranay, D. (2023). Enhancing energy efficiency and building performance through BEMS-BIM integration. Energies, 16(17), Article 6327. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16176327, [in English].
- Pilz, M., & Wiemann, K. (2021). Does dual training make the world go round? Training models in German companies in China, India and Mexico. Vocations and Learning, 14, 95–114. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12186-020-09255-z, [in English].
- Schwede, J., Heisler, D., & Harteis, C. (2025). Integrating practice-based learning into formal education: Stakeholder perspectives on the challenges of learning location cooperation (LLC) in Germany’s dual VET system. Social Sciences, 14(3), Article 117. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14030117, [in English].