Webinar review: Circular construction as a pioneer of the construction industry of the future

On October 22-25, 2024, vocational school teachers from all over Switzerland came together virtually to get to know the new "Future Perfect" project and its teaching content for sustainable and circular construction. Schools such as BBZH, GIBB, BBZ Olten, IDM Thun, GB Chur and GBSsG were represented. The focus of the webinar was on the introduction to the course content, the didactic concept and the skills that are to be taught to learners in the future. Another practical highlight was the joint exploration of the Moodle platform, where teachers were able to test the content directly.

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Starting signal for the "Sustainable building" foundation course

The webinar focused on the presentation of the "Sustainable construction" foundation course, which will be tested by pilot schools from November. This course teaches the principles of sustainable construction and provides practical content that sheds light on current challenges in the construction industry - such as the use of resources, minimizing greenhouse gases and reducing construction waste. The aim is to provide learners with a critical and solution-oriented approach and to show them how sustainable practices can be translated into reality. Instead of direct application in the classroom, the aim is to develop a deeper understanding of the problems and sustainable solutions.

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Why circular construction is so important

Circular construction, a central component of the course, promotes a fundamental paradigm shift in the construction industry - away from a linear approach and towards a resource-conserving approach in which materials and products are kept in circulation over the long term. The course not only provides a theoretical foundation, but also the motivation to see themselves as future designers of the building world, who show new ways of sustainability and emphasize the relevance of innovative thinking.

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Future Perfect - The six courses at a glance

The Future Perfect project comprises six courses that gradually address the various aspects of the circular economy in construction, based on real-life requirements from vocational training.

Course overview:

1. Sustainable building: Introduction to the circular economy
2. Circular building strategies: linear vs. circular construction methods
3. 3D calculation tool: Ecological calculations in the construction industry
4. Reuse of components: Keeping materials in the cycle
5. Circular constructions: Planning for the future
6. Project support: Circular timber construction project in practice

All courses contain interactive components and a learning product that participants work on and reflect on throughout the course. The courses will be accessible on the Moodle platform for vocational schools in Switzerland from summer 2025 and offer practical tasks to apply what has been learned in current construction industry contexts.

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Didactic orientation: Networked, practical and future-oriented

The didactic concept of the Future Perfect courses builds on the skills anchored in the curriculum and is geared towards current and future challenges in the construction industry in a practical way. With the help of digital tools such as the 3D calculation tool, learners are given a new perspective on the construction industry and given the opportunity to learn about innovative solutions and critically reflect on current trends.

Further information and access to the courses can be found on the official Future Perfectwebsite: Future Perfect - Circular Building

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