A recap of SHERLOCK three co-creation workshops

The first three co-creation workshops were organised in February and March in Slovakia, Greece, and Spain, coordinated by our respective partners: the Department of Building Services, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (STUBA), the European Education and Learning Institute in Crete, and INCOMA.  

These workshops aim to engage professionals (technical/financial) from industries in the energy and building sectors, financial institutions, HEIs, VET centres, public institutions, and associations to identify their training needs, learning gaps, and potential educational opportunities for upskilling/ reskilling. These workshops provided valuable insights and engagement with these experts.

Slovakia 

On February 28, the STUBA team kicked off the first co-creation workshop with the participation of 13 attendees coming from public and private sector. Participants engaged in discussions and group activities, delving into topics such as energy certification of buildings, proposal and financial evaluation of energy efficiency renovation, and energy performance contracting. The workshop concluded with a consensus on the preference for a hybrid form of teaching, combining online and face-to-face courses, to cater to the diverse needs of participants.  

Overall, the workshop underscored the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing in advancing energy efficiency strategies, with participants expressing enthusiasm for future educational programs and initiatives in the field.

Spain

On March 6, INCOMA organised the online co-creation workshop of the Spanish Knowledge Centre. 15 participants attended the workshop from different sectors; financial, energy sector and building. During the workshop, there was a presentation for  the project objectives, the European and Spanish Knowledge Centre and the co-designing process of the SHERLOCK micro-courses.  

Participants discussed integrating heat pumps into building retrofitting, advocating for electrification of demand and streamlined bureaucratic processes for collective self-consumption installations. They emphasised raising social awareness about benefits amid the climate emergency and strategies for incorporating renewables while meeting heritage requirements. Additionally, they addressed challenges like understanding the Energy Saving Certificates System and inconsistencies in energy certificate registration.  

Prioritising publicly funded rehabilitation for low-certified buildings and improving energy certificates were highlighted, along with proposed incentives for better certification.

Greece

Our Greek partner, EELI in Rethymno, in collaboration with the Technical University of Crete in Chania, co-organised the third co-creation workshop which was held  on the 16th of March in Chania. 9  participants joined, including regional policymakers and representatives from the energy and financial sectors.  

Attendees at the event emphasised the importance of training programmes tailored to local conditions and passive design fundamentals, integrating passive systems into energy calculations and software. They advocated for the development of a database showcasing regional best practices and the establishment of a technician’s certification curriculum. Understanding renewable energy sources (RES) for various building types and locations, considering microclimate, was deemed essential, along with the often-overlooked aspect of aesthetic integration over technical metrics. The need for improved communication between architects and engineers was highlighted, alongside the necessity of databases outlining RES best practices, costs, and environmental impacts. Compliance with technical standards was emphasized for effective RES implementation.  

Moreover, there was a call for training on updated methodologies and certification software, complemented by expertise in modern technologies. Separate certification for contractors and technicians, encompassing construction processes, was considered necessary, as was a thorough understanding of the legal framework, especially in anticipation of updates in Greece.

What comes next?

Until the end of June, four co-creation workshops will be organised in different locations; Portugal, Italy, Ireland and Lithuania. After the completion of the workshops, SHERLOCK partners will analyse carefully the outcomes so to build our case studies and the courses.  

‍