Deadline Date: September 16, 2026
The European Commission is now accepting grant applications to enhance energy efficiency skills and advance the clean energy transition in Europe’s construction sector.
The focus areas of this programme include energy efficiency skills development, workforce upskilling and reskilling, construction and renovation value chains, renewable energy integration in buildings, stakeholder coordination, skills gap analysis, and national roadmap development for education and training systems.
This initiative is designed to address the shortage of skilled professionals in the clean energy transition by strengthening cooperation between public authorities, industry stakeholders, training institutions, and professional organisations. It builds on the BUILD UP Skills framework established to support energy-efficient construction and nearly-zero energy buildings across Europe.
The programme supports the establishment and updating of national skills platforms that bring together key stakeholders to coordinate efforts in addressing workforce challenges. These platforms serve as permanent structures to improve awareness, cooperation, and policy alignment related to energy efficiency skills development.
A key component of the initiative is the analysis of national skills gaps through data collection, labour market assessment, and stakeholder consultations. This includes evaluating existing training systems, identifying missing competencies, and mapping workforce needs across education, vocational training, and higher education sectors.
Based on this analysis, participating projects are expected to develop national roadmaps that outline priority measures, implementation timelines, resource needs, and monitoring indicators. These roadmaps also aim to improve coordination between national policies and support mechanisms that increase demand for skilled professionals in the energy efficiency sector.
The programme also requires strong dissemination and awareness activities, including the promotion of roadmap results and securing endorsement from relevant national stakeholders. In addition, it includes large-scale communication campaigns aimed at promoting energy efficiency professions, encouraging upskilling, and attracting new talent to the sector.
The initiative is aligned with key EU policy frameworks, including the Energy Efficiency Directive, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, and the Renewable Energy Directive, as well as broader strategies such as the EU Pact for Skills and the EU Affordable Housing Plan.
The funding available for this programme is €3,000,000. Eligible participants include legal entities established in EU Member States, overseas countries and territories, EEA countries, and countries associated with the LIFE Programme. The coordinating organisation must be based in an eligible country.
For more information, visit European Commission.
