As part of the RENOINVEST project, Slovenia has updated its National Action Plan with the introduction of a new vocational standard for Building Maintenance Technician (Vzdrževalec stavb). Developed in 2025 through close cooperation between public institutions, industry stakeholders and the education sector, the new standard represents an important step toward strengthening the skills base needed for energy-efficient and sustainable building renovation.
This development is a concrete outcome of the RENOINVEST stakeholder dialogue process. It translates the needs identified during Thematic Working Groups and national roundtables into practical improvements within Slovenia’s national qualification framework. The new occupational profile directly responds to one of the key challenges highlighted throughout the project: the need for qualified professionals who can support renovation processes not only technically, but also in coordination with financial, regulatory and sustainability-related requirements.
The new standard integrates competences related to energy efficiency and building energy management, staged renovation approaches, cooperation with financial and technical stakeholders, and the principles of sustainable and circular construction. In this way, it contributes to a more holistic understanding of building renovation, where maintenance, energy performance and long-term sustainability are closely connected.
The initiative also builds on broader national efforts to modernise construction-related qualifications in Slovenia. These efforts were highlighted in a professional article published in the 2025 issue of the GZS journal Glas gospodarstva, which emphasises that technical competence and professional qualifications should become key criteria in construction projects, alongside references and experience. The article also underlines the importance of stronger industry involvement in the design of occupational standards to ensure their practical relevance and applicability.
Although Slovenia has a well-established system of National Vocational Qualifications, its use in the construction sector remains underutilised. Strengthening this system through updated standards, such as the Building Maintenance Technician profile, offers an important opportunity to improve workforce quality, reduce project risks and increase the competitiveness of the sector.
By integrating skills development into the RENOINVEST Action Plan, Slovenia addresses a critical dimension of the renovation ecosystem: human capacity. The project has clearly demonstrated that financial instruments, policy frameworks and regulatory improvements must be supported by a skilled workforce capable of implementing renovation measures effectively in practice.
This update confirms that RENOINVEST is not only delivering policy recommendations, but also contributing to long-term structural improvements in the building renovation sector. Slovenian partners will continue to build on this foundation by further aligning training systems with market needs and supporting the green transition of the building sector.
The updated version of the Slovenian RENOINVEST National Action Plan, including the newly introduced Building Maintenance Technician standard, is available here
