Cross-Border GRASP Initiative Targets 2,000 Workers for Green Construction and Retrofit Skills

A €9.8 million cross-border initiative has set out plans to train more than 2,000 participants in accredited sustainable building skills.

The GRASP project, led by South West College and backed by PEACEPLUS funding, brought together education and construction industry representatives at its Building Net Zero symposium to address workforce capacity for sustainable building and retrofit delivery.

The initiative encompasses 50 accredited programmes developed alongside industry partners, including training for Passive House designers. Speaking at the event, Gary Kelly of Kelly Studio Architects noted that the transition toward low-energy buildings requires practitioners who understand how high-performance principles apply on site.

Dr Barry McCarron of KORE Retrofit highlighted that expanding the skilled workforce remains essential for the sector to meet the scale of upcoming retrofit demand across the island.