Promoting energy efficient and environmentally friendly stoves

The project aimed to promote energy efficient and environmentally friendly stove design by creating a study course curriculum and relative teaching materials for stove builders. The partners in the project are all well established in the field of adult education with a long term experience in providing further training courses to stove builders. All partners bring to the project their unique experiences: the Österreichicher Kacheloffenverband Verein is most experienced in areas of research and new developments in stove design, the Wolfshöcher Tonwerke GMBH is producing high quality refractory clay materials suitable for modern stove building and also has experience in training and product development. MTÜ Kütte- ja Ventilatsioonisüsteemide Teabekeskus has in a short time created the most modern specialised training centre for stove builders in Estonia and has a good cooperation network with Stove Builders Association of Estonia and national vocational schools. As intellectual output of the project a training curriculum that focuses on teaching of energy efficient and environmentally friendly stove design was created. European energy sector is moving towards using more renewable resources and the more strict norms on solid fuel combustion in Europe. Although the norms are in place there are still measures needed to ensure their proper implementation. The implementation can be achieved through raising target group awareness and giving them the skill set necessary to perform their work accordingly. For this purpose the trainers need contemporary methods and materials. The improved training possibilities based on a curriculum with modern and up to date information on stove design and materials help to improve the target groups competitiveness in the labor market. The curriculum created as the result of the project was tested in a training session in Estonia. 15 trainers from different vocational schools took part in the training and now have the resources in study materials to incorporate into their own programs in respective schools. The curriculum is ready to disseminate to other countries through the European Stove Builders Association VEUKO and wider target groups through industry fairs. The project also included short-term training courses for lecturers/trainers of stove builders in order to widen their knowledge and improve skills. The short-term joint staff training events will focused on new research in stove building (Austria) and new materials being developed (Germany) and were hosted by corresponding partner organisations. The short-term joint staff training events also ensured better understanding of the cultural and historical differences between the partners. The training sessions ensured good cooperation during the curriculum creation process.