Accelerating Climate Literacy in Higher Education in the Built Environment

AARON GILLICH
BENG, MSC, PHD, CENG, MEI BSRIA LSBU Net Zero Building Centre gillicha@lsbu.ac.uk

Abstract

There is a significant gap in the green skills needed to respond to climate change this decade. The Construction Industry Council (CIC) Climate Action Plan calls for a rapid and significant reshaping of how we teach climate change across professions in the built environment. It outlines vital new standards of climate literacy for both new and existing members of professional institutions. However, the Action Plan was hesitant to enforce a timeline, and following typical accreditation cycles in higher education, it could take the better part of this decade before the CIC changes find their way into most curricula and begin to impact new graduates. In parallel, creating and enforcing CPD requirements to upskill existing members will be equally challenging. This opinion paper will consider the question of climate literacy and how higher education, CPD, and short course provisions can most rapidly and realistically implement the vision outlined in the CIC Climate Action Plan. The paper will discuss initiatives such as the Climate Framework, and how they are partnering with universities and training providers in driving rapid change solutions.

Keywords climate change, education, training, built environment