FE Leaders Invited to Showcase Success of ‘Not Business As Usual’ Sustainable Construction Project
Further Education leaders from across Wales were invited to a showcase event at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) celebrating the success of the Not Business As Usual project – a pioneering initiative that brought Further Education (FE), Higher Education (HE) and industry together to transform the way sustainable construction skills are taught and applied.
Delivered over an 18-month period and now successfully concluded, the project exceeded its original targets, training 557 beneficiaries against an initial target of 420. Participants included secondary school pupils, construction professionals, FE lecturers, and FE students, demonstrating the project’s broad reach across the education and construction skills pipeline.
A wide range of organisations across Wales have benefited from the programme, reflecting strong collaboration between education providers and industry partners.
Led by the Construction Wales Innovation Centre (CWIC) in collaboration with staff from UWTSD’s School of Architecture, Construction and the Environment (ACE), the project began with the development of 10 new practical, hands-on, and interactive short training sessions. These sessions explored key topics related to improving buildings and the wider built environment, aligning directly with the three core subject areas taught within the School.
Topics included Building Envelope Design, Digital Technologies for Construction, Sustainable Urban Drainage and Catchment Hydrology, and the use of sustainable construction materials. The approach was deliberately practical and immersive, helping to demystify complex subjects that are often difficult to teach without specialist facilities, learning resources and bespoke teaching materials – all of which were developed as part of the project.
The showcase event highlighted how the Not Business As Usual initiative, funded through the Swansea Bay City Deal as part of the Construct Net Zero Cymru programme, has helped to address skills gaps by equipping educators, learners and construction professionals with the knowledge and practical experience required to deliver low-carbon, high-performance and net-zero buildings.
A key strand of the project focused on supporting FE staff through Continuing Professional Development (CPD). CWIC hosted a series of CPD sessions for FE lecturers from Coleg Ceredigion, Coleg Menai, Pembrokeshire College and The College Merthyr Tydfil. Delivered in collaboration with CSG’s Inspiring Skills Team, the programme engaged lecturers from across Wales and strengthened links between FE and HE, helping to ensure more consistent delivery of sustainable construction education.
Sessions were delivered by UWTSD’s Ian Brown, Matthew Drummond and Brandon Roberts, alongside other practical workshops making use of CWIC’s specialist facilities and resources.
The project also had a direct impact on learners. Through the Not Business As Usual initiative, students from Gower College Swansea, Ysgol Bae Baglan, Dylan Thomas Community School, Ysgol Ystalyfera, Queen Elizabeth High School, Neath Port Talbot, and Pembrokeshire Colleges, amongst others, took part in hands-on learning experiences at UWTSD’s SA1 Waterfront campus. Using eco-friendly materials such as locally sourced timber and sustainable insulation, students gained practical insight into best-practice installation techniques and the role these play in reducing the environmental impact of buildings.
Designed collaboratively by CWIC and the School of Architecture, Construction and the Environment, the project aimed to inspire environmentally responsible builders, architects, and construction professionals, while providing a strong foundation of skills to support progression into a sector facing urgent climate and net-zero challenges.
Gareth Evans, Head of the Construction Wales Innovation Centre (CWIC), said:
“The Not Business As Usual showcase was a powerful opportunity to bring Further and Higher Education together with industry and demonstrate what sustainable construction looks like in practice. By sharing the outcomes of this project, we are supporting educators and learners to embed low-carbon thinking, fabric-first design and innovative building techniques into teaching and training. Hands-on learning is essential if we are to equip the next generation with the skills needed to deliver net-zero buildings and drive real change across the sector.”
Recognising that construction can no longer continue as “business as usual,” the project has played an important role in promoting environmentally responsible practices across Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire. Its success demonstrates the value of close collaboration between FE, HE, and industry in responding to Wales’s skills needs and climate ambitions.
Further Information
Rebecca Davies
Executive Press and Media Relations Officer
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: rebecca.davies@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 07384 467071