Commercial building energy upgrades workforce mapping report
In October 2023, the EEC and NSW Government released a new report Commercial building energy upgrades workforce mapping, which seeks to clarify the professional development pathways for trades and professionals that are involved in decarbonising Australia’s commercial buildings.
The report highlights the key roles that are required to perform energy upgrades on, and support the decarbonisation of, Australia’s existing commercial building stock. There is significant work required to improve thermal envelopes, reduce heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) and lighting loads, as well as optimising commercial building operations and performance where possible.
The report identifies 14 key roles that are critical to the decarbonisation of Australia’s commercial buildings. Yet it also highlights that many of the individuals in these key roles do not generally have adequate knowledge and skills regarding energy management as it relates to their roles. Similarly, the current workforce is not ready to electrify Australia’s commercial building stock, which is necessary to support Australia’s decarbonisation efforts.
The report recommends building a toolkit for workforce development to deliver commercial building energy upgrades. This involves six key activities:
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Utilise procurement and regulatory levers to create demand;
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Unlock scale through integrated policy drivers;
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Attract workers to the sector with clear entry and upskilling pathways;
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Catalyse development of systemic education and training;
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Build strong industry links and communities of practice; and
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Create confidence, expertise and awareness through initial investment.
Career profiles that were developed as part of this report – see Appendix 1 – have been included on the new Careers for Net Zero website, where you can find more information about the professional development pathways into these roles, as well as upskilling opportunities. Browse these roles now:
The Commercial building energy upgrades workforce mapping report was proudly funded by the
