Digital training material equips future craftsmen with key skills in sustainable construction
In collaboration with the Knowledge Centre for Craftsmanship and Sustainability, we have developed a digital teaching resource for vocational schools on the reuse of building materials—called Skills4Reuse. The material was developed for Nordic Sustainable Construction and is tailored to vocational schools across the Nordic region.
The project responds to the growing demand for skills to support the green transition within the Nordic construction and civil engineering sector. It forms part of the Nordic Sustainable Construction programme, which aims to establish the Nordic region as a leader in sustainable and competitive building practices.
An initial study revealed a clear gap in practice-oriented teaching on the reuse of building materials, as well as a general lack of integrated education on reuse within vocational training. The aim of the project was therefore to equip future generations of tradespeople with key competencies in sustainable practices and reuse, through a specially designed digital teaching resource. In this context, Nordic Sustainable Construction chose to collaborate with Norion, recognising our expertise and experience in circular economy, sustainable construction, and knowledge dissemination.
About the project
Client: Nordic Sustainable Construction
Project leader: Rikke Fischer-Bogason
Time period: 2023-2024
Project partners: Knowledge Centre for Craftsmanship and Sustainability, with support from Trap Rose & Ekblad Consulting Engineers and Biologists, Environice, and Kathart. The material was tested at Herningsholm Vocational School and Uddannelsescenter Holstebro.
Area: Educational materials, reuse and recycling, vocational education
Development of the material in collaboration with actors from the construction industry, vocational teachers, and apprentices.
In developing the new teaching resource, the first step was to gain an overview of existing educational materials across the five Nordic countries—Iceland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark. This revealed a significant lack of practice-oriented teaching materials focused on the reuse of building materials.
The material was developed in close collaboration with the Knowledge Centre for Craftsmanship and Sustainability, as well as with stakeholders from the construction industry, who contributed real-life experiences from the field. To ensure the resource resonated with its target audience, it includes a variety of exercises such as debates and quizzes, and delivers subject knowledge through both text and video formats.
It was especially important that the material was tailored to students, apprentices, and the teachers responsible for delivering it. As such, the teaching resource was tested with both apprentices and educators.
Henrik Rørby Pedersen, a teacher at Uddannelsescenter Holstebro, responded positively to the material: "I felt very well equipped with the teacher's guide included in the material. It worked really well and was very easy to use. The teaching resource provides an excellent fundamental understanding of sustainable know-how and the perspective on sustainability, reuse, and recycling."
Finally, we developed a communication strategy and plan to ensure targeted dissemination—raising awareness of the new material among the media, construction sector stakeholders, and especially vocational teachers.
“Det nye undervisningsmateriale vil være en værdifuld ressource for erhvervsskoler i hele Norden. Ved at integrere bæredygtighed og genbrug af byggematerialer i uddannelses programmerne håber vi på at bidrage til en generation af fagfolk, der er engagerede i og rustet til at skabe en mere bæredygtig fremtid for byggebranchen”
Everything About Reusing Building Materials – All in One Place!
The project culminated in the launch of the freely accessible digital platform Skills4Reuse, which includes the following key components:
- Teaching materials available in five Nordic languages and English
- Content suitable for all levels of vocational training in the construction trades
- Separate teaching modules on, an introduction to sustainability in construction, reuse of timber, reuse of brick. Together, these modules comprise 42 standalone teaching elements, which can be used either as a full course or individually.
- Easy-to-follow teacher guides that walk instructors through each lesson element
- A help desk that provides quick support for any questions or uncertainties about the material
- Easily accessible digital content, including online exercises and downloadable materials for flexible use