Climate
Challenges
Canada’s construction sector is facing significant challenges in the coming years regarding its commitments to climate change due to a gap in ability, capacity and adaptability of the industry to respond to the emerging – and pressing – needs of climate change. The construction sector needs a skills development strategy that ensures its workforce can successfully deliver low-carbon infrastructure projects. Enter Building It Green.
Finding The Way Forward
Funded by The Government of Canada’s Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP), the Building It Green project aims to collect and analyze the global industry’s best practices that will improve skilled trades workers’ education and understanding of their role in constructing and maintaining net-zero projects and to help Canada meet its climate goals.
Phase 1
Environmental Scan & Literature Review
Reviewed 36 materials and programs
Interviewed Subject Matter Experts in Canada, USA, and Europe
Facilitated discussions with the Advisory Committee
Phase 2
Needs Analysis
Ongoing interviews with Supergreens*
Ongoing virtual Focus Groups with various trades
Ongoing development of curriculum framework
*Supergreens are individuals who serve as exemplars in climate literacy: knowledgable, committed, and practicing green building and zero carbon emissions.
Phase 3
Curriculum
Development
Climate literacy modules for apprentice & journeyworkers
Generic climate awareness module & Jobsite literacy orientation
Train the trainers
Phase 4
Training and Evaluation
Pilot run orientation, implementation and evaluation
Program roll out and refinement
Digital repository
Driving Our
Climate Goals
We believe the project will become a key driver in supporting the movement to ‘green’ Canada’s construction sector and achieve Canada’s climate objectives.
Our Advisory Committee
Krista Kelly-Cox
BAC Education & Training Fund
Adam Melnick
Heat & Frost Insulators & Allied Workers (IAHFIAW)
Walter MacDonald
International Painters and Trades Union (IUPAT DC39)
Lorna Harnum
International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)
Jeffrey Norris
Iron Workers International
John Mandarino
LIUNA Canadian Tri-Fund
Chris Swick
NetCo (Nat’l Electrical Council)
Ronald Adamson
Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons Local 919
Jud Martell
Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART)
Mike Gordon
United Association Canada
Our Partners
The Climate and Industry Research Team (CIRT)
The team is composed of a small group of academic researchers with expertise in climate science, labour relations, apprenticeship, trades training and a variety of low carbon construction issues. The team –which include academics from Europe, the United States, English Canada and Quebec– have a lengthy track record in researching the issues the project will be addressing, as well as bringing to the project an extensive network of academic, government, employer and labour contacts on which to build the research program.
SkillPlan
SkillPlan was formed in 1991 to address skills challenges in the construction industry. SkillPlan has been considered one of the leaders in Canada for pinpointing foundational skills’ problems and designing curriculum and training programs to address these challenges. SkillPlan serves 14 international building trades and their affiliated contractors and works with over 1,500 apprentices yearly to ensure they succeed in their Red Seal programs.
Social Research And Demonstration Corporation Canada (SRDC)
SRDC has been involved in over 25 projects touching upon every aspect of the design, delivery and evaluation of literacy and essential skills programs and adult learning initiatives more broadly. These have included large-scale pan-Canadian demonstration projects with designs of similar scale and scope such as the groundbreaking UPSKILL study. SRDC’s experience includes sector-specific projects, skill-specific projects, evaluations of skills testing and training programs, consultations with and surveys of literacy and essential skills workers, and the development of analytical frameworks.
Collaborate
With Us
If you’re interested in being a champion in making Canada a greener place – we want to hear from you! For more information on how to participate in various stages of the project as outlined above, please email us at lamundsen@buildingtrades.ca
