The overall objective of the project is setting up the Roundtables to implement smart finance for smart buildings initiative (SF4SB) in Slovakia and the Czechia, working out with stakeholders roadmaps and action plans aimed at developing the three pillars that underpin the initiative and launch implementation of the roadmaps with implementing short-term measures agreed in the roadmaps and the action plans before end of the project. The Roundtables dedicated to energy efficiency investment will be permanent multilateral discussion forums gathering the relevant stakeholders such as government, regional authorities and municipalities, financial sector, ESCOs, homeowners, operators throughout the energy efficiency value chain and construction sector. The majority of operators in the construction sector in are SMEs (large proportion are micro enterprises). Moreover, many SMEs in the energy efficiency value chain, particularly in energy performance of buildings, are essential for market disruptive innovations that are making the energy transformation in building sector successful. Therefore, the project will put particular focus on SMEs. An essential aim of the renovation efforts in both countries will be organizing renovations into larger blocks to benefit from better financing conditions and economics of scale. Therefore, the roadmaps will underpin the necessary coordination and support for creating a large-scale pipeline of bankable projects through aggregation of large number of small projects to feed the financial schemes developed by the financial sector with investment packages of a critical size for making the use of the private sources of financing as efficient and effective as possible.

The Project will commence implementation of the Roadmap established and endorsed under Pillar I Build Up Skills project in the Czech Republic. Specifically, the project will implement measures 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9 of the Roadmap. Moreover, the project will continue (as follow up to BUS StavEdu project) in implementing the Roadmap established and endorsed under Pillar I Build Up Skills project in Slovakia. Specifically, the project will focus on measures 1.2, 1.4, 1.6 and 2.6 of the Roadmap. The Project will set up in the Czech Republic the national qualification and training scheme for craftsmen and on-site workers in the field of energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources in buildings. It will also develop the training offer delivered via Slovak national scheme STAVEDU. Capitalising on the language proximity, the project will facilitate transfer of know-how and experience from the STAVEDU and Train-to-NZEB (H2020 GA no. 649810), as well as Fit-to-NZEB (H2020, GA no. 754059 ) projects between Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Particularly the project will lead to: • Development of 7 training programmes for further education and training of craftsmen and on-site workers in the field energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources of buildings. • Development of on-site training course based on the training course developed by CrossCraft project (IEE project BUS Pillar II); • Development of training courses for further education and training of craftsmen and on-site workers in the field energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources of buildings; • Setting up permanent network of trainers delivering the programmes developed under the project; • Training of trainers for delivery of the programmes; • Development of e-learning programme for targeted craftsmen and construction professionals in Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia; • Proposals to governments for incentives boosting demand for highly qualified workers.

The Project will extend the implementation of the Roadmap established and endorsed under Pillar I Build Up Skills project in Slovakia and the Czech Republic to middle and senior level professionals . These Roadmaps identified key measures for setting up a national qualification and training scheme and other measures for ensuring development of skills essential for the field of buildings to contribute to the fulfillment of the Europe 2020 energy targets. The project will particularly focus on key measure 1.3 and facilitate implementation of key measures 1.1, 1.2, 1.5 and 2.2 of the Roadmap endorsed in Slovakia, and on priority 4.3.1 and measures 1,2 and 4 of the Roadmap endorsed in the Czech Republic. This will strengthen the qualification of professionals identified as target group in the Roadmaps . The project will facilitate further investments in the skills anticipated in the EU Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe . Particularly the project will lead to: • Development of 5 education and training programmes for further education and training of middle and senior professionals in the field of buildings; • Setting up permanent network of trainers delivering the training programmes developed under the project; • Training of trainers for delivery of the programmes; • Proposal for financial measures to be established to facilitate and motivate middle and senior level professionals in participating to training programmes and SMEs to invest into further education; • Proposals to Slovak Government for incentives boosting demand for highly qualified professionals; • Reaching financing agreements using ESF for dissemination of training programmes. The project will establish necessary resources and prepare technical, organizational and financial conditions for training and re-training on energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources for middle and senior level professionals in the field of buildings.