Green Gown Awards 2021: Next Generation Learning and Skills - UWE - Highly Commended

The UWE Zero Carbon Framework: Enhancement short courses for built environment students and professionals

A tiered framework of extra-curricular short courses to develop zero-carbon champions across all the disciplines of the built environment, offering exit points at the level of “Aware”, “Skilled” or “Expert”. Level-Aware (8-hours) explores the environmental, social, and economic aspects of zero carbon buildings and how they relate to wider sustainability. A taster course, that generates enthusiasm and empowers participants to plan their personal development.

In Spring 2020, with many professionals on furlough, Level-Aware was delivered as a free online MOOC, giving back to hard-hit communities. An outstanding success with 1,616 participants from around the world, a completion rate of 72% and a 94% approval rating despite being targeted at all disciplines and all levels of experience. In Autumn 2020, Level-Aware was completed by 1,301 students as an induction to online learning, critical preparation for the year ahead and resulting in wide ranging impact on student activities.

Development continues on Level-Skilled, aimed at those developing a brief for a zero carbon building, and Level-Expert aimed at those undertaking calculation and verification activities.

Top 3 learnings:

1. An enthusiastic tone often leads to action, a fatalistic tone usually leads to disempowerment.
2. We should harness the next generation’s hunger to learn these issues and use it to change the culture of teaching.
3. Achieving Zero Carbon means moving from an adversarial culture of siloed-disciplines to a collaborative culture with a shared lexicon of terms.

Videos

• UWE Zero Carbon Framework (click to hide)
  https://uwe.cloud.panopto.eu/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=78594863-7187-4ef5-bbc7-ad9e00ae442f