Training Programme

These three workshops, spread across three weeks, will look at bridging the green skills agenda gap in Northern Ireland, with discussion on climate change, sustainability, global and local case studies on sustainable practices in design, and implementation of these ideas into Belfast as an ambitious “green” city. Attendees will focus on next steps for implementing these skills into their respective organisations.

It will be a timely opportunity to discuss the development of sustainability in Belfast, what our strengths and weaknesses are, what we can improve on from learning from other countries at the forefront of climate mitigation, and learn from the younger generation on ways new ideas and concepts can spring forth.

Attendees will receive a certificate upon completion of workshop.

Teas and refreshments will be provided on each workshop day.

Workshop Content

Day 1

• First session: What is the project, its aims and objectives, what are the UN SDGs, climate change introduction.
• Second session: Introduction to UK & Ireland regulations, Nearly Zero Energy Legislation, Voluntary Initiatives, e.g., LETI; RIBA; UKGBC.
• Third session: Belfast Resilience Strategy and local and international case studies.
• Fourth session: Group breakout discussion and activity.

Day 2

• First session: Introduction to Lessons Learned from Norway: Net Zero Emission Buildings, ZEB ambition levels and '10 Steps to ZEB'.
• Second session: Introduction to Zero Emission Neighbourhoods and ZEN KPIs.
• Third session: ZEB and ZEN Pilots - Key strategies used.
• Fourth session: Introduction to Mobility, Transport and Spatial Quality.
• Fifth session: Reducing Building Related Emissions Through Retrofit in Northern Ireland.
• Sixth session: Sustainable Insight through Visualisation and Digital Twins.
• Final session: Group breakout discussion and activity.

Day 3

• First session: Pathways to ZEB: Reducing Material Emissions e.g. showcasing role of timber/embodied emissions – UK examples, case studies, benefits.
• Second session: Retrofitting – benefits, case studies.
• Third session: Renewables – active systems –  benefits, case studies.
• Fourth session: Interactive/group activity and breakout discussion on Sustainable practices and Future Climate Resilience.
• Fifth session: Understanding Whole Life Carbon - Awareness Webinar

What you will learn

Participants will discuss climate change, nearly zero energy building legislation and current UK & Ireland legislation, carbon emissions and regional and urban sustainability. They will also learn about local and global case studies — from Norway, Austria, China — on sustainable practices in design, and discover ways they can implement this knowledge into their own companies.

Each workshop, spread across three weeks, will teach the participants how they can adopt international success stories into their own organisations to drive the change they wish to see in the world.

Objectives

To address and build upon green skills, introduce net zero carbon agenda into organisations, and to combat climate change and emergency.

Contents

This course will cover the following topics:

• Introduction to programme: aims and objectives, context and relevance.
• Global Context & Mitigation Pathways: Climate change, climate emergency, Global GHG Emissions, Climate Adaptation & Resilience.
• Local Context & Mitigation Pathways: Introduction to UK and Ireland regulations, Nearly Zero Building Legislation, Belfast Resilience Strategy.
• Lesson Learned from Norway: Introduction to Net Zero Emission Buildings & ZEB ambition  levels, 10 Steps to ZEB: Trias Energetica, Mobility, Spatial Quality and Transport, Introduction to Net Zero Emission Neighbourhoods & ZEN KPIs, Introduction to ZEB and ZEN pilots – key strategies used.
• Pathways to ZEB: 1. Reducing Material Emissions, 2. Architectural Reuse, 3. Renewables – active systems.
• Sustainable Practices – Future Climate Resilience.
• Outcomes and Conclusions – next steps.

Expected Outcome

To gain an updated understanding of current green skills and ways organisations can mitigate climate change by implementing sustainable practices i.e., reducing carbon emissions, sustainable transport, retrofitting, etc.

How you will Learn

• In person lectures; instructor-led training — 3 MArch students.
• eLearning – the training manual on the Architects of Change website.
• Group discussion and activities.
• Networking.

Suggested Reading

• LETI Climate Emergency Design Guide.
• RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge.
• RIBA Sustainable Outcomes Guide.
• A Net-Zero Carbon Roadmap for Belfast.

Required Preparation

• The training manual will be handed out alongside presentation, in smaller booklet form.
• E-manual available on Architects of Change website.

People

• Professor Raffaella Folli (Principal Investigator)
• Professor Aoife Houlihan Wiberg (Co-Principal Investigator)
• Dr Jayanta Mondol (Co-Principal Investigator)
• Jenny Jackson (Project Lead)
• Ryan Johnston
• Ben James
• Cathal Mc Kenna
• Rory Magee
• Caolán McCaughley

Three 6th Year MArch students from ZEN SuperStudio and two leading academics from Ulster University, School of Architecture and the Built Environment, Research Assistant — Architects of Change project and two PhD Researchers.