EuropeOn is the forum for European electrical contractors to meet (albeit virtually yet again) and exchange on their latest developments, bridging gaps across borders and languages. While, for the second time in our 67 years of existence, we’ll have to meet online, we are please to bring you another conference packed with interesting speakers and debates.
This Friday 8 October from 13:30 to 17:00, join us for our traditional Installers’ Summit. As the name suggests, we’ll once more get together with our colleagues from GCP Europe, representing mechanical contractors, to have broader outlook on the installation sector. Indeed, some key issues affecting electrical contractors can be translated to the entire installation sector. Whether it is skills, digitalisation or economic recovery, there are many topics where we can learn from each other and defend similar asks.
Our Summit will be split into two sessions.
From 13:30 to 15:00, our first session entitled “Digitalisation, new technologies, smarter buildings: what are the new areas of development for the European installation sector?” looks ahead at a green and digital future and at its implications for installers. We’ll start with a keynote speech from Sean Kelly, Member of the European Parliament, from Ireland, about the key role of installers in the implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) as well as in the deployment of smart and efficient buildings. This is a strategic time to discuss EPBD as this legislation will be revised by the end of 2021.
Then, we’ll have a panel of both EuropeOn and GCP members: Sean Downey, Director at ME&BSCA (Ireland), on digitalisation in his country; Troels Blicher Danielsen, Administrative Director at Tekniq (Denmark) on opportunities arising from the use of data; Bernhard Dürheimer, Vice President at BTGA (Germany) on the importance of sustainability in buildings; Casto Cañavate, Marketing Manager at KNX on the integration of HVAC in energy management systems.
From 15:30 to 17:00, our second session entitled “Enabling the deployment of smart buildings with new skills and jobs” takes on the most pressing issue common to both mechanical and electrical contractors, namely the shortage of workers and especially workers with green and digital skills. The keynote for this session will be delivered by Tim Schreiber from the EU Commission’s Employment Directorate, and will focus on the key to ensure a successful and fair transition with regards to green skills.
Our skills panel discussion will feature experts from both associations to follow with a real-world perspective on this major pre-condition to the green and digital transitions. We’ll host Claudia Reiner, CEO at Caris & Reiner and vice president at Techniek Nederland, and Jan Cromwijk, Project coordinator at the ISSO research institute to present the ongoing work on skills in the Netherlands. Alexander Neuhäuser, Deputy Managing Director at ZVEH (Germany) will present a new apprenticeship scheme especially aimed at electro-technicians seeking to work on building system integration. Pär Lundström, Senior Policy Advisor at Installatörsföretagen (Sweden) will investigate the new skills needs of a circular economy. Finally, we are thrilled to count on Dani Gerber’s presence: this 23-year-old electrical apprentice and ex ski-champion will tell us about his experience in the electrical contracting sector.
There will be plenty of time for Q&As after each session so make sure to tune in in time to get ask yours!
