Tánaiste announces detail of new green construction courses

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan today announced details of new training programmes for those who have lost their jobs in the construction sector.  The new FÁS courses are aimed at helping those in construction to upgrade their skills to take advantage of the growing demand for home energy upgrades and other green technology opportunities.

“The Government is committed to providing assistance to those workers who have lost their jobs through increasing their skills levels and, in some cases, helping them develop new skills sets that will allow them take advantage of opportunities in new emerging growth areas within the construction sector," Coughlan said. "These include the installation of energy efficient and renewable technologies, together with compliance and energy rating work.”

The new courses are as follows:

Gas safety and installation courses:
GIS Gas Installer – Safety: to upgrade the skills and knowledge of persons in gas safety features so as to enable them to work safely on domestic installations and non-domestic gas pipe work.

GID. Gas Installer – Domestic: to provide the necessary skills and knowledge to install, maintain and service domestic gas installations and equipment in accordance with current standards and regulations.

Sustainable Energy courses:
Solar Thermal Installer
Heat-pump Installer
Bio-mass boiler Installer
These courses aim to develop the necessary skills, knowledge and competence of plumbers, electricians, fitters and other suitably qualified construction workers to design, install and commission domestic solar hot water heating, bio-mass and heat-pump systems in a safe and competent manner.

Building Energy Rating:
This course provides the necessary skills, knowledge and competencies to suitably qualified participants to produce Building Energy Rating Assessor (BER) labels and advisory reports for new and existing dwellings in accordance with current standards and regulations.

Smart/Intelligent Building Systems:
This course provides qualified electricians or suitably qualified applicants with the skills, knowledge and competence to install, configure and test an intelligent building control system using KNX/EIB technology.

Insulation technologies and techniques:
This course provides general construction trades persons with skills and knowledge in the areas of insulation materials, techniques and technologies, and provides plasterers with external wall rendering techniques for existing and new buildings.

The Tánaiste said plans were well advanced to further expand this initial offering of green and clean-tech construction sector courses with additional courses in micro-generation and passive house building.