With the BAUWANDEL project, the Bildungswerkstatt für nachhaltige Entwicklung e.V. and the Verein zur Berufsförderung der Bauwirtschaft Nord e.V. are sending a strong signal for the future viability of the construction industry. The aim is to establish sustainability as a fixed element in inter-company training and at the same time to actively involve companies in the mainstream construction industry in the transformation process.
The focus is on the structural integration of participatory sustainability concepts with practice in training centres and companies. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) should not only be taught in theory, but also practised in practice – and this is being done at one of the largest training centres in the construction industry: BAU ABC.
Real change needs strong players
BAUWANDEL is aimed at key people in training and company practice. They are specifically strengthened to actively carry sustainability goals into their organisations as ‘agents of change’. The pressing challenges – from climate protection and resource conservation to the energy transition – demand concrete answers. Many small and medium-sized companies are often overwhelmed by these requirements. This is where the project comes in: with well-founded strategies, practical tools and jointly developed solutions.
From perspective to practice
In workshops, working groups and moderated World Cafés, representatives from construction companies develop concrete strategies for decarbonisation. This not only results in new approaches, but also in practical recommendations for action, which are disseminated digitally via micro-learning modules. The aim is to ensure that sustainability is not seen as an additional task, but as an integral part of vocational training and corporate strategy.
Education as the key to transformation
BAUWANDEL is more than just a project – it is a trailblazer for structural change. The BAU ABC educational centre and the Bildungswerkstatt für nachhaltige Entwicklung (Educational Workshop for Sustainable Development) are combining their many years of expertise to create synergies between the construction industry, education and society. Successful practical examples from companies are highlighted to motivate other companies to follow suit.
A toolbox for the future
The project develops flexible, modular micro-certificates that can be used not only in the BAU ABC, but also in other educational centres as a basis for sustainable qualification. Suppliers and manufacturers are included, as are training companies, in order to integrate innovative materials and technologies into the value chain in a resource-saving way.
Shaping the future together
BAUWANDEL impressively demonstrates that a transition to a sustainable construction industry is possible – if education, companies and society work together. The project provides a platform for exchange, innovation and concrete implementation. A concluding conference will summarise the results, promote new networks and initiate further steps towards sustainability.
Sustainability begins with education – and BAUWANDEL is leading the way.
In 2015, the international community adopted the 2030 Agenda, setting 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for socially, economically and ecologically sustainable development. The Agenda is a roadmap for the future that will enable people around the world to live in dignity while preserving the natural foundations of life in the long term.
Picture: Federal Government