Training construction trades critical to low-carbon building performance
New strategy identifies learning pathways, recruitment and recognition needed to support demand for low-carbon buildings
- Theme
- Green Building
VANCOUVER, BC – April 3, 2024 – The Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) today unveiled Building Our Future: A Low-Carbon Training Strategy for the Trades, supporting learning, recognition and growth for the trades critical to accelerating low-carbon buildings in British Columbia.
To ensure British Columbia’s workforce is prepared for changing regulations and a focus on decarbonization, effective training for construction tradespeople and growing the workforce are essential. Construction is British Columbia’s fourth-largest industry, with 216,000 workers employed in 2021. Yet, according to BuildForce Canada, the Province is expected to face a shortage of almost 15,000 construction workers by 2028, half of which will be related to retirement. Strategies to prepare the workforce for low-carbon buildings must include recruitment strategies and training to equip workers with skills that will prepare them for low-carbon buildings and future industry trends.
To prepare the workforce to adapt to these changes and innovations in construction, and to realize meaningful climate action in the construction sector, CAGBC engaged a range of stakeholders and worked with experts in education and trades training to develop a comprehensive strategy for the trades.
Building Our Future was supported by the British Columbia Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skill’s Sector Labour Market Partnerships Program with funding from the Canada-BC Labour Market Development Agreement. Based on extensive research and consultation with over 100 industry stakeholders, the strategy provides a training approach for construction trades working on large buildings (Part 3).
In drafting the Strategy, the Zero Emissions Innovation Centre (ZEIC), SkilledTradesBC, BC Building Trades, Trades Training BC and the Ministry of Energy Mines and Low Carbon Innovation (EMLI) provided guidance and feedback on the final strategy. The resulting document includes the following industry-driven recommendations:
- Creating a green building trades recruitment strategy to grow the number and diversity of apprentices entering the skilled trades;
- Consider the introduction of new trades such as BIM modellers to align with market needs;
- Enhance low-carbon knowledge in existing curriculum for apprentices and for existing trades to upskill, with a focus on identified gaps, such as mass timber construction, heat pumps and heat recovery, ventilation installation and commissioning, and embodied carbon materials and products.
- Strengthen continuing education pathways and recognition for practicing journey persons through manufacturer training, micro-credentials and certificates.
The 2018 CleanBC climate plan and CleanBC Roadmap to 2030 highlight the importance of low-carbon building design, construction, and materials to achieve net-zero readiness for all new construction by 2032. Further, the Energy Efficiency Act will require decarbonizing all mechanical systems, including those in existing buildings, and the BC Energy Step Code is driving further investment in energy efficiency skill. As the Province continues pushing toward a low-carbon future, the building sector must move from “business as usual,” to embrace zero-carbon buildings. The skilled trades will be a vital component of the construction sector’s transformation, and the Strategy demonstrates that more can be done to prepare them for the future. Industry must invest in initiatives encompassing all aspects of workforce development, from recruitment campaigns to curriculum enhancements, and use industry partnerships, apprenticeship programs, and continuous learning opportunities to share low-carbon knowledge and training.
The Building Our Future strategy provides a pathway to ensure skilled workers are prepared to meet the growing demand for low-carbon buildings and help build a new future for the construction sector.
You can read Building Our Future here.
About CAGBC
The Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) supports and champions Canada’s green building sector. CAGBC training, services and products such as LEED and the Zero Carbon Building standards help the building sector design, construct and operate buildings that eliminate environmental impacts, increase asset value and improve human health. By working collaboratively with our members, industry, and government stakeholders, we are building our way forward to a sustainable and low-carbon future. Learn more at cagbc.org.
