Driving education for sustainable development potential within professional curricula: Built environment sustainability training and training development for professionals in Wales

Abstract

The Built Environment sector is responsible for 47% of all CO₂ emissions, 90% of all surface mineral extraction and over 25% of all waste sent to landfill. In Wales, 30% of the carbon footprint comes from the built environment sector, a fact exacerbated also by having the highest proportion of pre-1919 building stock in the UK. None of these problems can be dealt with without having an appropriately skilled workforce, able to consider new technologies, applications and processes to deal with the problems of a rapidly changing built environment sector. This paper describes the work carried out by the Built Environment Sustainability Training Programme in Wales, designed to develop and deliver sustainability focussed training to Built Environment professionals, using an evidence-based approach. This involved the development of Skills needs analyses which outlined training needs within the sector for the short, medium and long term. Development of the courses is considered the best methods of delivery to attract the sector, including blended learning approaches. Underpinning course delivery is the consideration of the Education for Sustainable Development agenda, enabling recommendations for modification of existing courses offered by training delivery partners. Short-term results of the Built Environment Sustainability Training Programme include the delivery of new training courses that assist driving sustainability within the sector; whilst longer term results are anticipated as a culture shift in the practices used by the sector. The benefits to Wales are discussed in terms of achievement of policy measures, and recommendations are made for wider use of the methodology.