Manual for trainings and dual study courses of the sector skills alliance “Skills Energy BSR” E-Book

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• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 336

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

The lack of skilled workforce is one of the biggest challenges for small- and medium sized enterprises in the Baltic Sea Region to fully exploit the potential of market for sustainable construction and renewable energies. The manual presents the results of the project "Skills Alliance Energy Saving and Sustainable Construction in Baltic Sea Region (Skill Energy BSR)". There have been three major activities in the project, that are described in this manual: - new initial education training in a dual vocational education system for young people, especially for those who have strong practical skills but difficulties in theory classes. - 5 advanced training courses for the professionals in SMEs and trainers in the area: energy efficiency, energy-saving and sustainable construction. - dual bachelor’s degree modules in the dual degree program “Technology and Management of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency – TMEE”. This book also provides all materials of the developed measures with recommendations for further implementations as well as a strategy for the Skills Alliance Energy Saving and Sustainable Construction.

Leseprobe

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Foreword

1. Introduction

1.1. Promoting dual systems of vocational training in the energy sector

1.2. Building stock and modernisation dynamics of buildings in the countries of the Baltic Sea Region

1.3. Dual vocational education in Baltic Sea Region

1.3.1. Work-based learning

1.3.2. Dual Vocational Education in Germany

2. Country analyses of education systems

3. “Skills Alliance Energy Saving and Sustainable Construction in Baltic Sea Region (Skill Energy BSR)”

3.1. Main objectives, tasks and results of the project

3.2. Main results

3.2.1. Country concept of Lithuania

3.2.2. Country concept Poland

3.2.3. Vocational education „Specialist for Building Insulation“ for young people with good practical skills

3.2.4. Implementations

3.2.4.1. Implementations in Lithuania and Poland

3.2.4.2. Recommendations for future implementations in the Baltic Sea Region

3.3. Advanced training „Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies“

3.3.1. Overview on the trainings

3.3.2. Curricula of the advanced trainings

3.3.3. Evaluation and recommendations for future implementations

3.4. Dual Bachelor’s degree modules „Renewable Energy“

3.4.1. Introduction: Dual Bachelor’s degree program „Management and Technique Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies“

3.4.2. Concept of the Dual Bachelor Degree program "Technology and Management of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency - TMEE"

3.4.3. Selected Study Modules for the use in the Baltic Sea Region

3.4.4. Concept of integration of modules into other education programs and recommendations for future implementations

4. Extension and further work of the Skills Alliance

4.1. Baltic Sea Region wide strategy program of the extension of the alliance and “business model”

4.2. Education conferences in Lublin and Vilnius

4.2.1. Skills Alliance Energy for Poland and the Baltic Sea Region

4.2.2 Resolution “Skills Alliance Energy for Lithuania”

Foreword

The manual presents the results of the project "Skills Alliance Energy Saving and Sustainable Construction in Baltic Sea Region (Skill Energy BSR)". There have been three major activities in the project:

development of a new initial education training in dual vocational education system for young people, especially for those who have strong practical skills but difficulties in theory classes. By analyzing the needs in labour and education markets and the needs in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the education training in the profession “Specialist for Building Insulation” was developed.

development and testing of 5 advanced training courses for the professionals in SMEs and trainers in the area: energy efficiency, energy-saving and sustainable construction.

development and testing of dual bachelor’s degree modules in the dual degree program “Technology and Management of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency – TMEE”.

Moreover, the book incorporates comprehensive macroeconomic analyses of the status quo of the countries in the Baltic Sea Region, all materials of the three developed measures with recommendations for further implementations as well as a strategy to Skills Alliance Energy Saving and Sustainable Construction.

The project has been conducted with the following partners:

Hanse Parlament (Lead Partner), Germany

Baltic Sea Academy, Germany

University of Corporate Education (Berufsakademie) Hamburg, Germany

Vilnius Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, Lithuania

Vilnius Builder Trainings Center, Lithuania

National Center for Education, Latvia

Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, Finland

Bialystok Foundation of Professional Training, Poland

Handicraft and Small Business Chamber Lublin, Poland

State Departement of Education of the Voivodship Lubelskie, Poland

All materials developed in the project and presented in the book as well as additional ones are downloadable on the project website: http://www.skillsenergy.eu/.

1. Introduction

1.1. Promoting dual systems of vocational training in the energy sector1

„Integration of young people into the labour market is an issue of critically high priority in the entire European Union (EU)”2, in the course of this “the youth unemployment problem has explicit links to the vocational education and training (VET) system within which lower and medium qualification specialists are prepared for the labour market”3.

Vocational education has lost much of its appeal. Especially in the new EU countries (e.g. in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) with predominantly schoolbased vocational training participation is low, it has even dropped to an alarming low level and is perceived by many young people as a dead end. Training must be improved in order to reduce the European youth unemployment from the current (2013) 7.5 million young people and to get rid of the term "lost youth"4.

In some countries (e.g. in Lithuania) the classroom training provides often only one- or two-year programs which indeed facilitate young people a faster entry into the labour market with higher earning potential, but not with the proper qualification. In consequence, the unemployment rate for 15-24 year olds in Lithuania, Latvia and Poland is 28-30 percent. Insufficient professional qualification leads to long-term unemployment, which is for example 20 percent in Poland, 28 percent in Latvia and 40 percent in Lithuania for people with only primary and lower secondary education5.

In some countries, up to 15 percent of school leavers cannot start vocational training, are stuck in a holding pattern or do not receive professional training and eventually end up in unemployment. Up to 30 percent of youth who start vocational training, quit or change careers.

At the same time, companies complain about the lack of qualification of graduates. Vocational training can match labour market conditions only in a limited way and takes insufficiently the qualification requirements of a company into account. Thus, the students learn too little about the workplace reality and the increasingly important personal and social skills may be insufficiently transferred in the classroom. According to a company survey of the Hanseatic Parliament in Lithuania 70 percent of SMEs need additional skilled workers whom they cannot win or who are very difficult to win. 96 percent of SMEs want better practical and 74 percent better theoretical training.

As a result of demographic change, the number of school leavers is falling significantly in all Baltic countries, with the exception of Sweden. By 2030, the number of 15-44 year olds labour force will decrease by up to 25 percent6. There is already now a shortage of skilled workers in most countries, a trend that will increasingly affect the future and strikingly limit the development. At the same time shockingly high youth unemployment, particularly due to lack or poor professional qualification is observed.

In the contest for young qualified workers SMEs threaten to be the loser. Due to the lack of qualified staff, innovation at SMEs is already much lower than it might or should actually be. The shortage of young entrepreneurs, managers and professionals limits most the growth of SMEs. Improvement in qualification, accompanied by elimination of shortage of skilled labour is the most important supportive task and the central key to sustainable promotion of innovation, competitiveness and growth of SMEs in the Baltic Sea Region.

Against this background it is crucial to assure

Integration of young people and to achieve reduction of youth unemployment

Providing qualified staff for SMEs and significantly reducing the shortage of skilled workers.

The German dual system of vocational training, which leads to a comparably low youth unemployment, integrates companies into the process of assuring a new working generation and which combines vocational training much better with labour market and the company needs can render a substantial contribution with a lasting impact on the achievement of objectives. However, the German system must not be misunderstood as a "patent model", easy to transfer. An adjustment to the respective regional / national conditions remains indispensable. However, as far as possible, the basic principles of the dual model should be retained; a "work-based learning", which consists only of more or less short placements in enterprises is by no means sufficient. Therefore, it is an outstanding primary goal for most regions and countries of the Baltic Sea Region:

To support on a long-term basis the realization of customized systems of dual vocational training as well as dual bachelor's degree programs that combine vocational training or work with a study,

To support the implementation of dual education systems with greatly improved integration of young people in vocational training and to achieve permanent reduction of youth unemployment,

To provide qualified employees and at the same time promote innovation and competitiveness in SMEs.

These important main objectives can be excellently achieved through greater use of renewable energies in the “green economy”, especially in the area of improved energy efficiency. Prosperity growth and protection requires smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. This means that the challenges of climate change and security of energy supply largely depend upon energy saving, resource-friendly construction and an active use of renewable energies. This is also strongly stated in the report of CEDEFOP on skills for green jobs: “Renewable energy is the primary focus of recent environmental priorities, together with energy efficiency in buildings, in all Member States. This reflects the importance of the Sector for reducing greenhouse gases as well as having the potential to increase national energy security and generate employment”7.

Renewable energy and energy saving have the highest priority. Large reserves are located in residential construction. New buildings are easily possible as zeroenergy houses as well as energy-plus houses that produce more energy than they consume. In existing buildings 40 to 70 percent of today's energy consumption can be saved by proper insulation, by use of solar energy, by controlled ventilation systems and with co-generation plants, etc., depending on the age and condition of the building.

Industrial production accounts for about 30 percent of energy consumption. There are innovative concepts to increase energy efficiency, both on the equipment level and at the process level, which reduce energy consumption in a company by up to 75 percent. Thus, efficiency and competitiveness of enterprises increase and an important contribution to climate protection is achieved. Some companies report for example that € 95,000 per year can be saved in energy costs alone by optimizing the lighting system.

In the area of energy saving and renewable energies additional jobs can be created in considerable numbers. These are also outstanding market fields for crafts and SMEs. To make use of these opportunities, however, the expertise of professionals of the SME sector in the Baltic Sea Region must be significantly increased through comprehensive training programs.

The conclusion of the “BUILD UP Skills” national report within the program “Intelligent Energy”8 states: without enough qualified workers, the EU 2020 objectives set for the energy sector cannot be achieved. In the energy sector SMEs generally perceive a pronounced need for market-oriented education, which, however, in each country is very different. To date, there is still a lack of a multi-stage program:

to affect all levels of vocational education and training,

which takes fully into account country-specific requirements,

that is differentiated by target groups (e.g. for entrepreneurs, professionals, trainers, consultants),

which completes each learning step with recognized certificates in order to promote mobility and international exchange.

The situation is exacerbated by an increasing shortage of skilled labour, especially in the energy sector, which would require specific training measures to mobilize the overall potential.

SMEs from various sectors, especially crafts, are predestined to make significant contributions in the green economy as this is their business content and as they perform important functions of information, advice and implementation in direct contact with consumers of energy. At the same time these growth areas offer excellent national and international market opportunities for SMEs.

The need for energy saving and for the use of renewable energy is particularly high in some Baltic countries, given the very high proportion of old buildings in need of renovation; e.g. 99 percent of residential buildings in Latvia were built until 1993 (only 1 percent after 1993), the majority of the current housing have served their time and are energy-inefficient9. At the same time there is an excellent capacity in research and teaching in various BSR-countries, in particular on energy technologies, as well as an already well developed SME potential, so that in addition to covering the regional market needs very good opportunities for global sales and for development of the BSR as a leading region for energy efficiency and renewable energy exist.

One of the European Union programs to promote skills development in various economic areas is the “Sector Skills Alliance Program”, das shall aim at tackling skills gaps, enhancing the responsiveness of initial and continuing VET systems to sector-specific labour market needs and demand for new skills with regard to one or more occupational profiles. These objectives will be achieved by:

Modernising VET and exploiting its potential to drive economic development and innovation, notably at local and regional levels, increasing the competitiveness of the sectors concerned.

Strengthening the exchange of knowledge and practice between vocational education and training institutions and the labour market integrating work-based learning.

Facilitating labour mobility, mutual trust and increased recognition of qualifications at European level within the sectors concerned.

Within this program, the project “Skills Alliance Energy Saving and Sustainable Construction in Baltic Sea Region (Skill Energy BSR)” with the Grant Agreement No. EAC-2012-0626 was selected by the European Commission as one of four pilot projects in 2012.

This manual describes the main findings, actions, reports and recommendations of the project. Beginning with brief introduction into the topic and the project, the further chapters contain macroeconomic framework data of the countries in the Baltic Sea Region focusing especially on the construction and energy sector, and the education systems. These are then examined in detail in the second chapter.

The main chapter – chapter three – describes the project objectives, tasks and results. All the results developed in the project, which are transferable to any region or country, take the most part of this chapter as well as the manual. It includes all materials like curricula, modules descriptions, implementation concepts or recommendations for further implementations of the initial and advanced training, and of the dual bachelor’s degree program.

Not less important is the last – fourth chapter – that deals with the extension of the Skills Alliance aiming at continuing and sustainable work together in the Baltic Sea Region.

1.2. Building stock and modernisation dynamics of buildings in the countries of the Baltic Sea Region10

For the most of the countries in the BSR not only the construction of the near to zero energy buildings but also the renovation of the existing buildings pose a big challenge to reach the EU 2020 Energy objectives.

In the following part, information has been summarised on the building stock and modernisation dynamic in the countries involved in the project: Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Finland and Poland.

The information is taken from the comprehensive national reports elaborated during the BUILD UP Skills Initiative within EU INTELLIGENT ENERGY – EUROPE (IEE) PROGRAMME: http://www.buildupskills.eu since these reports contain the most current facts and figures which are based on comprehensive and depth-in analyses of very different sources in the respective countries.

In Latvia

Disregarding various efforts that have been taking place over recent years, the housing fund is rapidly becoming out of date and its technical condition is deteriorating11. According to the data of the Central Statistical Bureau “most of residential buildings in Latvia (68%) were built in the period between 1958 and 1992. 22% of buildings were built until 1940, 9% in the period between 1940 and 1957, however, since 1993 only about 1% of buildings have been constructed12.

There are multiform buildings in Latvia – not only residential and non-residential buildings which have been built over the last century, but also a big number of historic masonry and wooden buildings, which require energy efficiency improvement measures. Overall, in Latvia there is no statistics on the kinds of the existing buildings and their need for energy efficiency measures. Information is available about the number and kinds of buildings constructed over recent years. The information on the kinds of buildings constructed between 2003 and 2011 is presented in the following table:13

Buildings by their type

200320042005200620072008200920102011TotalOne-apartment buildings, summer cottages, sarden houses105714251667207519141502103581588384.099Two or more apartment buildings13512814196748867751285343Co-residential buildings of various social groups15182016171716110290Hotels and similar purpose buildings7580997052393033462555Office buildings2913042602511751439170804415Wholesale and retail buildings5403893702491901369692926742

Transport and communications buildings413047402115914161323Industrial manufacturing buildings and warehouses214181213178176111951161776856Mass entertainment, educational or health care institution buildings2992502722092221722692682675837Other non-residential buildings54434738850347338446226438530,756Sports and recreation buildings1181316101719721Total322231603490370333242624218917582074149,541

Modernisation dynamic14

As most of renovation projects have been implemented within various European Union, state or municipal support programmes, the number of the supported projects to a large extent depicts the overall renovation statistics in Latvia. The data, however, are not complete as there are also bank loans which have provided for many renovation projects over recent years. Support programmes are also implemented by municipalities within the buildings in their ownership.

As the municipal funding is small for the projects already funded by ERDF, CCFI or bank loans, the summarizing table includes only the projects where the municipality has funded a significant proportion of renovation works. The data on the implemented building renovations can also be acquired by summarizing the information on the issued construction permits. In Latvia the construction permits issued for renovation are not singled out. There are data available only about the total number of the issued construction permits and the number of construction permits issued for constructing new buildings. Assuming that the rest of permits are mostly for overhaul and reconstruction, which include renovation, the acquired difference shows the number of construction permits issued for renovations.

It should be considered that not all construction work has been completed, consequently, the number of issued construction permits does not reflect the number of renovated buildings, but rather the trend as well as initiative to carry out renovation.15

Construction work in recent years

In Lithuania

Building stock16

European buildings consume about 40 per cent of energy, one-third of this amount is used by industrial, commercial and public buildings (offices, schools, hospitals, hotels, etc.), the rest – in residential homes. Specific values of Lithuanian building heat demand vary widely, depending on the age and size of the building, building materials, heating systems, and other factors. In 2006 in Lithuania the total area of dwellings amounted to 81.4 million m2 and about 70 per cent of the housing was built in 1960-1990 – mostly large-panel concrete and brick apartment houses. After 1990, housing construction declined significantly and in 2007 was below the level of 1993 (based on the number of constructed apartments). In 2008 there was more than 511,320 residential buildings in Lithuania, of which 39 790 were apartment houses, 18 500 of them large-panel houses. The values of heat transfer coefficients applied in the building codes for buildings before 1992 are: for the walls – 0.5 to 1.4 W/ (m2K), roofing – 0.5 to 0.8 W/ (m2K), windows – 2.2 to 2.7 W/ (m2K). On average 160-180 kWh/m2 per year is used in the apartment buildings, so they need to be thermally insulated.

Apartment blocks by the year of construction, data of 2010 (Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania, 2012)

Year of construtionNumber of dwellingsTotal floor areain units%m2%Up to 194010 3622E3 790 0247,41941–19603 740102 259 1074,41961–199221 09056.539 244 45076.41993 and later2 0755.54 092 63411.8Total37 26710051 386 305100

As can be seen from the table, about 60 per cent of apartment blocks were built in the last century, over the last four decades of it, when brick and panel-typical apartment buildings prevailed. Exterior envelope thermal resistance characteristics of those houses are poor, not corresponding to the current regulatory requirements and the practices of our close neighbours in the north (Scandinavian countries). Thermal energy power consumption, expressed in kilowatt-hours per square meter of room floor space, of these houses range from 160 to 180 kWh/m2 per year, while in newly constructed homes after 1993 they are from 80 to 90 kWh/m2 per year. Fossil fuel energy consumption in apartment buildings constructed in accordance with construction technical standards and legislation in force before 1993 is about 5,000 GWh per year (calculated for the thermal energy consumption statistics over the past three years).

According to the study of the situation in the housing in 2008, 60 per cent of households in apartment buildings are unhappy with the home heating efficiency and feel the need to improve the condition of the house (house upgrade).

Over the past decade, at the initiative and expense of residents in apartment blocks, home owners associations they replaced about 60 per cent of apartments windows, about 60 per cent of front doors, and glazed about 30 per cent of balconies. In addition, at the initiative of these home administration companies, energy service companies and municipal initiatives more than 80 per cent of heat units were modernized (automated). This led to the reduction of actual thermal energy consumption for almost 80 per cent of the apartment houses by 10-15 per cent compared with project costs, i.e. up to 150 kWh/m2.

Wall materials in apartment blocks

Wall mateliaisNumber of housesIn unitsper centBrick and block masonry24 33165Ferro-concrete slabs5 50215Monolithic concrete3121Logs and other structures7 12119

Energy consumption in buildings is analysed based on three energy classes (EPBD document CEN/BT EPBD 2006):

Primary energy: energy, which has not undergone any processing or modification process;

Final energy: energy supplied to the building and the last vendor (fossil fuels, electricity etc.)

Additional energy: energy required for harvesting energy from the environment, as well as the energy required for the distribution of heat in the and allocation in separate rooms.

Most of the energy consumed in the transport sector, 34 per cent of final energy consumption in this sector, and 31 per cent in households. The industry consumes 18 per cent of total final energy. Final energy consumption is presented in figure below.

Fig. 5.1. Final energy consumption in Lithuania, per cent

(Source: Lithuanian Energy Institute, 2012)

Conclusion: About 60 per cent of apartment blocks in Lithuania were built over the last four decades of the last century; they were mainly brick and typical panel apartment buildings. Thermal characteristics of exterior envelopes in these houses are poor. Heating energy consumption in apartment buildings constructed in accordance with construction technical standards and legislation in force before 1993 are about 5,000 GWh per year. Lithuania has a big potential for building modernization, but because of unfavourable political support for people, buildings are upgraded slowly. Therefore, it must be concluded that the process of modernization will not have significant impact on the demand for labour in the construction sector in the future.

Modernisation dynamic17

The objective of apartment building modernization program is to reduce the thermal energy consumption in apartments until the end of 2020, built according to the construction technical standards came in force before in 1993, by no less than 20 per cent, i.e. the calculated annual heating energy costs in these houses until the end of 2020 should be reduced by at least 1,000 GWh per year, and carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere should be reduced by no less than 230 thousand tons per year, compared to 2005.

A total 375 apartment blocks were renovated (modernized), more than 325 million litas were invested according to the program in 2005-2010. The renovated house savings were up to 40 per cent of thermal energy.

Over the past year in Lithuania, according to the apartment building and public building rehabilitation programs, 477 apartment blocks (see Fig. Modernisation of apartment blocks) and 689 public buildings (see Fig. Modernisation of public blocks) were renovated and upgraded – a total of 1166 public buildings and apartment houses were modernized. Society saved nearly 70 million litas per year for heating; the costs for the purchase of natural gas were reduced by this amount. Investments to the renovation of public buildings were in total 1 billion litas.

The modernization of public buildings allowed for total savings of 187.09 GWh of thermal energy per year comprising about 54.3 million litas in annual cost.

Over the past year in Lithuania, according to the apartment building and public building rehabilitation programs, 477 apartment blocks (see Fig. 5.8) and 689 public buildings (see Fig. 5.7) were renovated and upgraded – a total of 1166 public buildings and apartment houses were modernized. Society saved nearly 70 million litas per year for heating; the costs for the purchase of natural gas were reduced by this amount.

Modernisation of apartment blocks

Source: http://www.lrv.lt/

Modernization of public buildings

In view of the Lithuanian state budget restrictions, the country's financial and economic situation, in early 2009, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania adopted a decision on the creation of a new funding mechanism by using the EU structural support funds for the implementation of the Cohesion Promotion Action Programme according to the European Commission JESSICA initiative.

The conditions and procedures for state support for dwelling renovation (modernization) are set in the Law on the state support of the Republic of Lithuania for purchase or rent of housing renovation (modernization) of apartment buildings (Official Gazette, 1992, No 14-378; 2002, No 116-5188) (hereinafter referred to as the Law on State Support). The state support is granted for low income families and single persons – a credit for the renovation (modernization) of the apartment block of flats and interest are covered according to the procedures of the Law on Financial Social Assistance to Low Income Families of the Republic of Lithuania (Official Gazette, 2003, No 73-3352; 2011, No 155-7353) (hereinafter referred to as the Law on Financial Social Assistance) and its implementing legislation.

Renovation of apartment houses is funded also under the funding mechanism VP3-1.1-VRM-03-R „Renovation of apartment blocks primarily by increasing their energy efficiency” of Priority 1 of the Cohesion promotion action programme “Local and urban development, cultural heritage and nature conservation and dictation for tourism development” (responsible entity – Ministry of the Interior).

This funding mechanism is financed with 163.471 million litas. The funds are allocated to municipalities which, according to Resolution No 112 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania of 31 January 2007 “On problem areas” (Official Gazette, 2007, No 15-555) are assigned to problem areas. About 150 apartment buildings should be renewed by the year 2013.

Conclusion: It is obvious that Lithuania is currently experiencing problems in implementing the Energy Efficiency Action Plan. The main problems related to energy-saving purposes originate in the household sector, which failed to implement the apartment block modernisation program. Despite recent positive trend and the previous growth of the number of renovated buildings, it is not realistic to achieve the expected results by 2020. Only the growing motivation of apartment block residents in participation of the dwelling renovation could radically change the course of events. You can still see cautiousness to initiate such projects, and there is not enough good experience. Residents are most wary of long-term liabilities to banks (taking loans for housing renovation), therefore it is necessary to consider additional project funding models where apartment dwellers might avoid such obligations.

In Germany

Building stock – numbers and sizes of buildings18

There are a total of 20.48 million buildings in Germany. This total is the sum of two figures: the 18 million residential buildings with a total of 40 million residential units found in the German Energy Agency's Building Report (dena 2011a p. 4) and based on figures of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis); and the 2.48 million non- residential buildings stated in a BMVBS publication (2011, p.102). Figures on non-residential buildings vary somewhat in the available literature, frequently dependent on whether a building is heated (i.e. in accordance with the EnEV). The BMVBS report for instance gives a figure of 1.258 million heated non-residential buildings (2011, p. 103). Total floorspace of all buildings residential and non-residential amounts to around 5.9 billion m2, with some 58% 3.4 billion m2 belonging to residential buildings and 42% 2.5 billion m2 to non-residential buildings (dena 2011a p.4, BMVBS 2011 p.102).

Type of building - residential or non-residential19

Residential buildings are either detached or semi-detached houses (14.49 million buildings in Germany or apartment blocks (3.06 million buildings). Apartment blocks are classified according to the size 3-12 apartments />12 apartments, as seen in Figure below.

Source: The dena building report.

Non-residential buildings

Non-residential buildings are classified according to their use (BMVBS 2011, p. 102):

44,000 care institutions (all buildings in which people are cared for and which have a central management e.g. hospitals, homes for senior citizens and children.

189,000 office buildings

665,000 agricultural buildings

311,000 non-agricultural commercial buildings

355,000 factory buildings and workshops

634,000 retail buildings and warehouses

49,000 hotels and restaurants/pubs

233,000 other non-residential buildings (incl. schools, universities, nurseries)

Building modernisation since 199120

Over the last two decades the German building industry has been through major adaptation. Following the boom it experienced in the early 1990's, when German reunification saw the Industry exploding to an extent only comparable with Germany's post-war reconstruction period. Following the 3 October 1990 reunification, the ex RGDR's infrastructure had to be quickly and comprehensively modernised, the neglected building stock in the inner cities refurbished, and private homes modernised or built from scratch. Both the building industry itself and the numerous skilled craft companies associated with this work thus made a major contribution to East German reconstruction, helping to upgrade living conditions to West German standards.

After just a few years in which an enormous amount of effort was put into carrying out the most urgent modernisation and refurbishment projects, the first signs of market saturation started appearing, with the market going into decline from 1995 onwards. Apart from a short-lived upturn in 1999, demand for building services decreased steadily for the next ten years, with overall building investment sinking by EUR 67.7 billion in real terms (25.4%) by 2005, the worst year. This also had a major impact on employment levels in the industry, with the number of building workers dropping by 1.034 million from its reunification peak in 1995 to 2.324 million in 2006.

Sinking demand hit all sectors of the building market, though the two sectors worst hit were the housing and commercial sectors. As a result of this drop in demand, the building trade went through a steady restructuring process between 1995 and 2005, with building companies forced to adapt their capacities to the lower demand. Employment levels dropped sharply, with those remaining employed becoming much more productive.

2006 saw the 10-year downturn come to an end, with overall building investment rising sharply for the first time since 1994, even if at a much lower level. There were two reasons for this upturn. Firstly a major boost was provided by energyrelated building refurbishment measures. As a result of a sharp rise in energy prices, more people started investing in energy-saving measures, supported by very low-interest loans offered in the context of the KfW building refurbishment programme. Secondly, the point - VAT increase announced for 1.1.2007 boosted demand in 2006, with people wanting to get their building projects completed at the lower VAT rate. This incipient recovery was however interrupted in 2008 by the world economic crisis, with investment levels in both the housing and commercial sector again on the downturn.

2010 however saw the crisis ending in Germany, with swift recovery and growth returning to the industry. And it was not just companies which, in the face of the country’s good economic development and an improved market outlook, started investing in maintaining and extending their commercial premises. It was also the housing sector, which after years of downturn, finally picked up again and started growing fast. Against the background of the Euro crisis, people are tending to invest their money in long-term assets instead of dubious short-term financial products, thereby favouring investments in new buildings and the refurbishment of existing ones. Historically low mortgage rates, the positive situation on the German labour market and rising incomes are providing a further boost to property Investment in Germany (cf. ZDH 2012, p. 7).

Looking at the market in the spring of 2012, there is no sign as yet of this recovery in the Building industry coming to an end in the near future, with the early economic indicators pointing at least for 2012 to growth continuing at a high rate. Taking into account the continuing uncertainty on international financial markets, the resulting trend towards property investment and the major energy-related modernisation backlog in Germany's existing building stock, the outlook is good for a "renaissance" in Germany's building industry.

In Finland21

Finland has long been a thinly populated country. The buildings of the 1800s were for the most part log cabins or otherwise made of wood. Other traditional building materials are brick, particularly in cities, naturale stone, used in agricultural buildings, as well as clay, now nearly extinct as a building materials. The industrialisation andd urbanisation taking place in Finland of the early 1990s required a great deal of new construction. At that time, new concrete technology and a developing steel industry began to increase the popularity of concrete construction. The Funcionalist architectural style representing a „new age“ became highly fashionable, particularly in public buildings and growing suburban areas.

Rapid economic growth followed the Second World War. Populations displaced from areas lost in the war were resettled in different parts of the country, and the results was the creation of a new type of detached dwelling, the timber-framed war veteran‘s house that, it was assumed, every man could build for his familiy. Wood continues to be the most important building material in Finland, mainly due to the prevalence of detached houses.

During the 1960s, the countryside began to empty as a result of the structural changes taking placce in Finnish society, and the Helsinki Metropolitan Area exhibited strong growth. A substantial number of large. scale apartment building complexes were built, many rapidly and with a concrete element technology that subsequently proves problematic. The renovatin of these suburban areas has become one of the main problems requiring solutions in the 2000s. Parallel to the urbanisation trend, the quantity of Finnish summer cottages and leisure-time houses has incresead.

Nothern location

Finland‘s nothern location poses challenges for energy-efficient construction. The heating of dwellings is a significant cost fator with repsect to other living expences, an the building regulations aiming at passive construction require thick insulation layers and a detailed knowledge of structural physics. Climate conditions fluctuate widely within the country because the distance between the country‘s southernmost and northernmost municipalities is 1, 157 km. In Nothern Finland the average daily temperature is on average less than 0 °C for half of year; the equivalent figure in Southern Finland is approximately 3 months, The ground‘s permament snow cover ranges from 3 months in Southern Finland to 7 months in Northern Finland.

Frost is a significant stress factor for structures, particularly facades. The maximum forst stress occurs when water penetrating into the structure freezes and melts repeatedly. Temperature fluctuations resulting from climate change are also increasing the frequency of the freezing and melting cycles. Snow also poses its own challenges for building design, when it is necessary to take into account the stresses placed by snow loads on roof structures, as well as the building up of snow against the loser sections of exterior walls.

In winter, snow and rain, as well as fluctuating frost conditions during the building period, hinder many constrution work stages, and require shielding and heating measures. Excavatinion works, concrete casting, and masonry works are particularly demanding tasks in winter conditions. Structural components and materials must be kept dry to avoid moisture and quality problems, and this has become even more challenging when new buidling regualtions have increased the thicknesses of strucutres.

The real estate and building sector employs 20 % of the worksforce, or every fifth Finn.

In Finland there are approximately 2.8 million dwellings, 1.6 million of which are owner-occupied, and the number of rental units exceeeds 800,000. There alre also approximately half of million leisure-time dwellings and approximately 80,000 housing corporations. Other influent owners of the built environment are companies and various organisations. The roles played by municipalities and provinces in town planning, and their consequential effect on the placement and construction of the building stock, are also substantial in Finland.

Building stock22

Finland‘s building stock is one of the youngest in Europe; most buildings were constructed during the 1970s and 1980s.

The most of Finland‘s buildings, housing areas, and infrastructure network need basic repairs and improvements. Increasing emphasis is being placed on the importance of preventive real estate management and maintenance. The repair debt will be a significant factor in the future.

At the end of 2010 there were 1.446,000 buildings in Finland (excluding free-time residences and agriculture buildings). Residental buildings, most of which are detached houses, accounted for 85% if the entire building stock. Of the residental buildings, nearly 60% were cosntructed in 1970 or afterwards; detached houses 54% and apartment buildings 64%; only 5% of building stock was completed before 1921(Statistics Finland 2011a).

Number of buildings by intended use

200820092010BuildingsPer cent of total buildings (%)BuildingsPer cent of total buildings (%)BuildingsPer cent of total buildings (%)BUILDINGS TOTAL1 421 188100,01 433 980100,01 446 096100,0Residential buildings1 213 54585,41 224 20985,4123460285,4Detached houses1 082 51176,21 092 36376,2110170776,2Attached houses75 1095,375 6185,3762415,3Blocks of flats55 9253,956 2283,9566543,9Other buildings207 64314,6209 77114,621149414,6Commercial buildings41 4192,941 6972,9419612,9Office buildings10 7320,810 7480,7108350,7Traffic buildings54 1343,854 5353,8547163,8Institutional buildings7 8350,67 9930,680580,6Buildings for assembly134180,913 4320,9135090,9Educational buildings8 8850,68 8680,689030,6

200820092010BuildingsPer cent of total buildings (%)BuildingsPer cent of total buildings (%)BuildingsPer cent of total buildings (%)Industrial buildings39 5812,840 1732,8406292,8Warehouses25 9641,826 7121,9271701,9Other buildings5 6750,45 6130,457130,4(Statistics Finland 2009a, 2010a and 2011a).

Buildings 2011 by year of construction

Number of buildingsGross floor area, m2Total1 459 705441 801 608-192077 18917 460 4541921-193977 89919 209 3061940-1359264 49350 998 1721960-1969139 99450 742 8491970-1379203 46281 856 7871980-1989271 77086 989 7041990-1999181 94357 104 319200-2009176 63558 875 6452010-201128 6349 925 039Unknown37 6283 639 333(Statistics Finland 2012a).

Modernisation dynamic23

The dwellings‘ repair needed is weighted towards the suburbs, built at the time, where pipe and facade renovations will be inevitable during the coming years and decades. No renovations have been carried out at most of the properties. The expert group estimated the building stock‘s repair debt in 2009 as EUR 30-50 billion. The ageing of the population will also mean the construction of additional lifts in buildings.

Compared to the current situation, in which 10,000 pipe renovations are carried annualy at dwellings, the need will increase during the next few decades to 25,000-30,000 dwellings per year. Especially, one the one hand due to aging of the population and other one due to stringent energy efficiency regulations.

The need to build new housing in Finalnd fairly substantial compared to the other Nordic countries, at least 30,000 new dwellings per year. The residental construction need will continue at this level in Finland for another 10-20 years.

Altough, by international standards, considerable investements have been made in business premises in Finland, approximately 10-15% of the country‘s office space is vacant. The main reason is that working methods have been changed rapidly to the point that the facilities no more meet the relevant technical requirements.