We develop and deliver tailor-made education and training on energy efficiency in buildings, sustainable energy and the built environment, designing projects for people and the environment, and ensuring ethical and responsible research in European projects, tailored to the client and the target groups.
Practices
Training for energy managers and home technicians
IRI UL experts provide training for energy managers, maintenance and housekeeping technicians in buildings on operational energy efficiency, system maintenance and energy efficiency. Our training follows the guidelines of the ISO 50.001 standard, which in clause 4.5.2 requires organisations to provide their employees with adequate training in energy efficiency and energy use. The training has been developed in the TRAP-EE project and is delivered to maintenance and housekeeping technicians of buildings of the University of Ljubljana and kindergartens in the Municipality of Ljubljana.
Designing and evaluating people-centred projects
Innovative solutions are developed with people, not for people. This is a central tenet of the people-centred, people-environment approach to innovation and development, which emphasises that people, often passivised by the term “end-users”, must be actively involved in the development and improvement of products and services. The main purpose of the training is to show participants, through practical examples, how they can involve different stakeholders in innovation and evaluation processes, transforming them from passive users into active participants in the creation and evaluation of new services, products and solutions. In this way, we make the leap from expert thinking, which leads to the design of narrow and specific solutions, to taking into account individuals and social groups in all their diversity in the development of innovative and breakthrough solutions that are tailored to people and relevant to the community. The training was carried out for the Competence Centers for Human Resources Development (Public Scholarship, Development, Disability and Maintenance Fund of the Republic of Slovenia) and the Administrative Academy of the Ministry of Public Administration of the Republic of Slovenia.
Energy saving for teachers
The “Energy Saving – A Sustainable Way of Life Starts at School” training was initiated by the Ministry of Infrastructure of the Republic of Slovenia in cooperation with Focus, an association for sustainable development. The training is aimed at primary school teachers and other staff who work with children on a daily basis. By their example and good practices, they can make a significant contribution to increasing energy efficiency at school and at home, as they can also influence changes in the habits of the children’s families and beyond.
Development of tailor-made training for the green transition
Education for development of skills and competencies in adults is a relatively new field in which team IRI UL is gaining experience, expanding our knowledge, and building a range of professional services. In the context of the BUSLeague project, we collaborated on the development of digital tools for upgrading and certifying the competencies of individuals working in the construction and renovation sectors. In the REMARKABLE project, we support the development of knowledge and competencies of climate leaders – key individuals active at the local level whose actions determine the fulfilment of the European Union’s commitments regarding climate change. In both cases, IRI UL’s task was to guide the project partners towards a collective understanding of the needs and perspectives of all involved individuals and communities, which is fundamental in development of solutions to complex problems. Whether our goal is to improve the situation in the construction-workforce market, or to translate climate-policy theory into the practice of everyday life, involving people in processes for development of key competencies and personnel is absolutely essential. After all, knowledge is transmitted not only through textbooks, articles, and digital applications, but also through sharing of experiences and collaboration among people.
Developing training for composites manufacturing
The composites industry is characterised by high added value and by the extreme complexity of the work, which requires, above all, work habits and already developed manual skills. In the CompoHUB project, in cooperation with Aereform and the Zasavska People’s University, we have designed vocational training for retraining people for composite manufacturing, based on the model of “development tailored to people”, which takes into account the needs of companies in the sector and builds on the existing qualifications and experience of the target learning groups. We have translated the job areas, key tasks, skills and knowledge into a vocational standard and a national vocational qualification, “Plastic composite product manufacturer“. The results of the project have been recognised as an example of good practice by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia, mainly due to the close cooperation of different actors in the field of education and the consideration of people’s real needs. At the same time, the Slovenian Centre for Mobility and European Education and Training Programmes (CMEPIUS) awarded the project the Golden Apple of Quality in Vocational Education.