<< Background >>NaturBuild project seeks to create a comprehensive, module-based training course to skill construction blue-collar workers in the installation, maintenance, and deconstruction of nature-based solutions (NBS) for urban and building sustainability, improving education, awareness and institutional capacity on buildings and cities impact mitigation.The European Commission defines Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) as “solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience; such solutions bring more diverse nature and natural features and processes into cities, landscapes and seascapes”.Some of the proven effects of NBS are the improvement of buildings’ sound and thermal insulation (reducing their energy consumption), the reduction of the Urban Heat Island Effect (caused by a higher temperature in metropolitan areas than in suburban ones), improvement of air quality, and to serve as refuges for wildlife in urban areas, thus supporting in conserving the biodiversity.Nature-Based Solutions training and implementation (and green roofs as one of the most efficient, popular, and easy-to-install solution) respond to the needs collected in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Some of them are Quality Education (SDG4), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG11), Climate Action (SDG13), and Life on Land (SDG15). EU’s strategies are aligned with UNO’s SDGs. NATURBUILD project is supported by three main UE pillars: *European Education Area (especially its ‘green and digital transitions’); *European Skills Agenda (with one of its focus on construction, stating that ‘skills gaps are visible in green design, technologies and materials. As recovery starts, upskilling needs to focus on energy- and resource efficiency’);*European Green Deal (concretely ‘sustainable industry’ and ‘building and renovating’ areas).According to the UN, the world’s cities occupy just 3% of the Earth’s land, but account for 60-80% of energy consumption and 75% of carbon emissions. Slowing and reversing the growth rate of GHG emissions is crucial to address climate change. One key way to reduce and, ultimately, phase out the greenhouse gases produced by the construction industry is transforming the way buildings are designed, built, and operated. To reach this goal the need to improve skills of construction workers in relation to energy efficient and environmentally-friendly processes, materials and technologies is widely acknowledged. However, the high rate of innovation in construction industry shapes the speed of skills obsolescence in the sector workforce. Therefore, in order to make VET more innovative and meaningful for the sector it is necessary to ensure long term structural alignment between EU policies, market and VET. Skilling construction workforce according to the mentioned pillars (SDG and EU policies), ensures core green skills are embedded in sector’s procedures, allowing the transition to a greener and more sustainable future, due to the potential of their work performance to impact in quality and green execution of buildings.Giving this, NATURBUILD training course is outlined with the aim to provide with green skills for blue-collars from the construction industry in South Europe, for an adequate perform in the installation, maintenance and deconstruction of green roofs. And this is another central value of the NATURBUILD project: the transnational cooperation, as the share and exchange process and the harmonisation among countries, permits cross-fertilization and facilitates personal development, employability and mobility in the European labour market.<< Objectives >>The project aims to develop a training course to address the skills gap on nature-based solutions, more concretely on green roofs, and their digitalisation. These results go in line with the previously identified needs, United Nations’ SDGs, and European Union’s strategies, channelled in the following project objectives:-Providing workers with the required skills to meet market trends and European objectives on green construction and sustainability. The European Education Area has set, as one of its objectives, assuring that individuals possess the skills needed to thrive in the green economy of the future. Additionally, there is a market trend of higher demand on sustainable construction and NBS with the Renovation Wave for Europe strategy aiming at renovating up to 35 million public and private buildings over the next decade to improve their energy efficiency and reduce their ecological footprint. The skills gap needs to be covered through high quality VET training material that will be developed during the project lifetime.-Digitalising construction VET with innovative training curricula and resources. VET offer and trainers in general, construction VET in particular, have still a long path towards digitisation. The digitisation of the developed training modules seeks to support this, also by including professionals and trainers in the development process with a twofold objective: (1) to ease the learning process of certain concepts and phases by adding digital and more visual resources (such as 3D objects or recreations), and (2) moving towards more innovative VET provision, trainers and, finally, learners with improved digital skills. The digitalisation of the modules will support the achievement of this objective.-Preparing VET centres and trainers with updated training materials on green roofs. There are two main reasons behind this objective: The already mentioned need to align VET training offer with market trends, and aligning VET training offer with UN’s SDGs and European Union’s strategies and goals. The creation of the training material will mean VET centres and trainers have available updated training materials on nature-based solutions and green roof.-Raising construction workers', trainers’, and companies’ awareness on the importance and benefits of NBS. As the ‘Education for Climate Coalition’ initiative shows, awareness is a key element towards fighting climate change. Buildings in the EU generate 40% of energy consumption – NBS highly reduces it and the pollution, for which awareness raising is crucial to achieve any objective for the environment and against climate change. A whole module will be dedicated on raising awareness on the NBS’ benefits.<< Implementation >>The activities to be implemented are divided in 4 main areas: Project management, Dissemination and Communication, Project Results, and Other Activities.PROJECT MANAGEMENT:* Management and monitoring of the project. This includes the project coordination activities, implementation of the Quality Plan, risk assessment and control, communication mechanisms, financial management, reporting etc. * Project meetings and other management actions will set the framework for cooperative work and efficient management between partners.DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION:* Dissemination, valorisation and sustainability. Dissemination Plan, visual identity of the project, project dissemination products and materials, Memorandum of Understanding development, etc.* Multiplier events. As part of the dissemination strategy, 5 multiplier events are planned, involving all partner countries. The timing of the events are expected when the project has obtained partially the project results (4 of them). A final multiplier events is envisaged once all project results are available.PROJECT RESULTS:For PROJECT RESULTS 1-4 (modules on global awareness, installation, maintenance, and deconstruction), the activities that will be followed are similar, with some specificities that will also be detailed:1. Documentary analysis to gather the latest legislation, documentation, and practices at EU & national levels. For project results 2&3, concrete occupations that take part in those phases (installation and maintenance) will also be identified.2. Experts’ consultation to deepen the results of the previous task. This task will be validated with a fine-tuning of the preliminary results and a second round of surveys through Delphi methodology. This expert’s group will be maintained throughout the project for validation purposes.3. Development of the content based on the new curricula and needs identified in previous tasks.4. A final fine-tuning of the module and its translation once experts' feedback is collected through a digital pilot with trainers and experts.PROJECT RESULT 5 (online training platform) have different activities to accomplish it:1. Decision on the most suitable digital solution, considering the target, the content, etc.2. The structure of the digital solution and the main elements it needs to include.3. The adaptation of the developed training material to the digital media.4. Development of digital educational resources, such as 3D objects, videos and/or AR.5. Fine-tuning the digital solution based on the feedback received.6. Replication of the complete course into the languages of the consortium (ES, GR, IT, PT)OTHER ACTIVITIES (results-related):* Digital pilot testing. A focus group with researchers, trainers, and experts will be created to test the created modules and the digital platform. * Translation of the project materials, the created modules and digital training platform. Activity to be carried out by all project partners to translate the materials from English to their languages.<< Results >>Expected PROJECT RESULTS are:RESULT 1.Global awareness module. A training module to establish a common background for all occupations involved on the building process of nature-based solutions, providing an overview of the state of art. At the same time, it will raise awareness on nature-based solutions and the benefits it brings to the building performance, urban climate, and biodiversity.RESULT 2.Installation module. Module to provide clear instructions on the steps to be followed in each phase of the installation process, divided by occupations so that the module is specialised according to professional profiles involved in the installation of green roofs.RESULT 3.Maintenance module. The main objective of this module is to provide instructions on the steps to be followed in the different maintenance tasks. This module will potentially cover also the more appropriate vegetation to be used within the Mediterranean climate in each of the covered green roof type.RESULT 4.Deconstruction module. Module with two main objectives: (1) How to deconstruct a green roof to install a new one. This may happen for cases in which the green roof was not properly installed or for those green roofs that are not sustainable (for example, due to the type of vegetation used or improper installation) and thus a more appropriate one should be installed. (2) How to deconstruct a (normal) roof. For those cases in which the green roof is to be installed in a building where a common roof is installed.RESULT 5.Online training platform. To improve not only the digitalisation of the training in the construction sector, but also of its workers' skills, the developed modules will go through a digitalisation to include them as part of the training offer of the VET centres that are part of the consortium.Besides project results, further OUTCOMES that this project intends to achieve are:1.Research and analysis of green roofs skills demand (labour market and EU policies) and related skills gaps (occupational profiles involved) and definition of skills perimeter.2.Sound training structure and learning outcomes by means of the contribution and endorsement of key experts in education, construction labour market, innovation, and sustainability.3.Design and development a modular training course following the EQF methodology- learning-outcome oriented- and underpinned with EQAVET principles. (R 1-4)4.Analysis of the adaptation of the training course to the priorities identified (online pilot testing and validation)5.Enhancing VET innovation by offering an updated green training for blue-collars by means of e-learning and Open Educational Resources, in EN, GR, IT, ES and PT. (R 5)6.Paving the way for the uptake of training course and its recognition.7.Better meet common challenges, such as energy efficiency and climate change, by common approaches and harmonisation among countries.8.Improvement of the construction VET providers' and trainers’ activity to include an appealing training offer for the current and potential construction sector workers.9.Building mutual trust, and facilitating cross-border recognition with the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the sustainability of the course and its endorsement.10.Dissemination of key information of the project at regional, national and European level, paving the way for the uptake of project outcomes, generating interest, raising awareness and attracting attention of key actors, target groups and industry in general.11.Contribute to urban and building sustainability by providing construction workers with the needed training for the installation, maintenance and deconstruction of green roofs.12.Spread the word, share solutions and know-how, enabling a wider community to benefit from EU funding.