Energy transition in the building sector: Attracting women professionals

By Llauré BRAUN, Carolina GONÇALVES, Pia Marie KEPLER, Yihong LIU

Abstract

The European Union (EU) is currently navigating its energy transition with the ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, as outlined in the European Green Deal. Additionally, the EU positions itself as a global leader in both gender equality and labor rights. However, the building sector, crucial to achieve energy efficiency and energy demand reduction targets, faces severe labor shortages and is male-dominated. Thus, encouraging greater female participation in this sector could not only alleviate labor and skills shortages necessary to achieve the EU’s ambitious climate agenda, but also enhance gender equality and empower women economically. This paper analyzes the situation of women in the sector, the barriers they face while also providing best practices and policy recommendations to empower women to have a meaningful contribution to the success of the EU’s energy transition.