The dual digital and green transition is one of the European Union’s priorities. In the construction sector, this transformation presents both a challenge and an opportunity to adapt buildings, jobs and skills to European objectives.
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive requires Member States, in particular, to take measures to reduce the average primary energy consumption of residential buildings by 16 per cent by 2030 and by 20 to 22 per cent by 2035. Against this backdrop, Eurofound has published the study *Building on growth potential: Preparing the construction sector for the twin transitions*, which examines how the digital and green transitions are transforming the construction sector. IR Share’s contribution as a national correspondent has enriched this analysis and helped to facilitate comparisons with the other European countries participating in the study.
Growing skills needs
The study highlights several challenges facing the sector, notably the need to provide better training for workers and to address labour shortages. The sector’s transformation does indeed require new skills. According to the study, at least 25 per cent of workers will need to upgrade or acquire new skills over the next two to five years in order to meet the demands of the digital and green transitions.
Social dialogue and the involvement of the social partners play a vital role in meeting these needs. Where the social partners are involved, particular emphasis is placed on training workers and adapting training programmes to the sector’s new requirements. However, several obstacles still limit the development of effective social dialogue.
In particular, the high level of fragmentation within the sector, as well as often long and complex supply chains, can limit the social partners’ ability to work together in a coordinated manner.
A particularly significant issue in France
In the French context, this issue is particularly sensitive. After Germany, France is the country hosting the largest number of posted workers. The fragmentation of supply chains can contribute to weakening social dialogue within the sector. It can also complicate coordination between the various stakeholders and the consideration of their needs regarding the digital and green transitions. This situation highlights the importance of mechanisms to better coordinate businesses, workers and their representatives in the face of the transformations ahead.
Training at the heart of the transition
Training is therefore an essential lever for supporting the transformations in the construction sector. More than a quarter of construction workers will need to upskill in order to meet the demands associated with digitalisation and the adoption of more sustainable construction methods. This shift is accompanied, in particular, by a growing demand for roles such as renewable energy system installers, BIM modellers and recycling specialists.
In France, this trend could lead to the creation of between 170,000 and 250,000 jobs between 2019 and 2030. Training in BIM (Building Information Modelling) tools is also a key priority, with 27,000 workers trained in this field each year. Digital transformation is also of particular relevance to health and safety at work. New technological tools can help to reduce certain physical risks and improve working conditions. These developments may also make careers in the construction sector more attractive to workers.
Public procurement in need of adaptation
Public procurement can also pose a challenge to the sector’s transition. In some cases, tender processes place significant emphasis on the lowest price, at the expense of giving sufficient consideration to environmental concerns. This situation may discourage companies from investing in the necessary transformations, particularly when such investments represent a significant short-term cost. Incorporating environmental criteria into public procurement can therefore help to create better conditions to support companies in their transition.
What role can social dialogue play?
The Eurofound study shows that the success of the dual transition in the construction sector does not depend solely on new technologies or investment. It also depends on the sector’s ability to support workers as their jobs and skills evolve. Social dialogue can play a central role in this transformation by helping to identify training needs, adapt programmes to changes in the sector and better anticipate their impact on jobs and working conditions.
To support the dual transition in the construction sector, several key priorities therefore emerge: strengthening training, improving working conditions and providing financial support to businesses, particularly small firms with more limited resources to invest in innovation. These measures can help align the sector’s transformations with Europe’s ambitions for the digital and energy transitions, whilst ensuring that workers are fully involved in this process.
