Saint-Gobain now opens its live Technical Academy portal

 Thursday, December 4, 2025

The construction industry is rapidly transforming, pressuring professionals to stay updated on regulations, digital tools, and sustainable practices. Recognising this challenge, global materials giant Saint-Gobain has announced the relaunch of its enhanced Technical Academy portal, an initiative designed to future-proof the skills of the workforce and accelerate the industry’s transition to higher performance standards.

The refreshed platform aims to directly address the pervasive construction skills gap by providing easily accessible, expert-led training resources for all stakeholders—from seasoned contractors and architects to builders’ merchants and new entrants to the field. Saint-Gobain’s goal, as articulated in its overarching purpose, is to help professionals “build better and make the world a better home.”

The NEW LOOK Technical Academy portal features a clean, highly user-friendly design that makes navigating the wealth of available training resources simpler and faster than ever before. The platform is structured around two key hubs, catering to both digital and hands-on learning preferences:

1. E-learning hub: This dedicated online space hosts a dynamic schedule of virtual training sessions, webinars, and scheduled online events. It allows professionals across the United Kingdom and Ireland to access vital knowledge without leaving their offices or job sites, ensuring minimum disruption to critical project timelines.
2. Build hub: For those requiring practical, hands-on experience and in-person interaction, the Build Hub facilitates bookings for workshops and presentations at Saint-Gobain’s dedicated, purpose-built academies in Kingscourt, County Cavan, and Kilcarbery, Dublin. These facilities are equipped to deliver immersive, practical training in real-world application methods.

Furthermore, acknowledging the specific needs of large firms and trade bodies, the Academy offers bespoke courses for suitable group bookings. This flexibility ensures that training can be tailored to meet unique project specifications or company-wide upskilling requirements, making it a scalable solution for organisations aiming to achieve comprehensive compliance and performance targets.

The training offered through the Saint-Gobain Technical Academy, which is provided free of charge, is delivered by experienced internal professionals and subject matter experts. The curriculum is meticulously crafted to cover the most pressing issues facing the modern construction industry:

• Energy efficiency and sustainability: A primary focus, aligned with global decarbonisation goals and the UK’s commitment to net-zero by 2050. These courses equip professionals with the knowledge to design and install systems that drastically reduce a building’s operational carbon footprint.
• Fire and acoustic performance: Essential training vital for life safety and occupant comfort. Courses cover the latest regulations and best-practice application methods for achieving robust fire-resistance and superior sound insulation using high-performance systems and materials.
• Compliance and regulation: A constant challenge in the built environment. The Academy provides clarity on complex national and international standards, ensuring that contractors and specifiers meet legal and industry requirements from the design phase through to completion.

The commitment to training underscores Saint-Gobain’s recognition that quality construction depends entirely on a competent workforce. At a time when the sector is facing intense pressure to deliver high volumes of housing and infrastructure while meeting rigorous new environmental and safety benchmarks, reducing the skills deficit is paramount.

The courses not only impart the theoretical knowledge necessary for better building performance but also focus on the practical application of the extensive range of Saint-Gobain products and systems, ensuring professionals understand how to correctly specify, install, and certify solutions.

As global bodies and national governments increasingly demand verifiable continuous professional development (CPD), the Technical Academy provides a structured, accessible route for architects, designers, installers, and merchants to maintain their professional currency and competence.

The pathway to utilising the revitalised Academy is streamlined and efficient, requiring only simple steps:

1. Access the dedicated Technical Academy Portal.
2. Log in or complete the quick registration process to create an account.
3. Browse the comprehensive course calendar.
4. Book a place, choosing between a flexible online webinar or a practical, in-person session at the state-of-the-art facilities in Kingscourt or Kilcarbery.

By investing heavily in accessible, high-quality education focused on sustainable construction and mandatory performance standards, Saint-Gobain is demonstrating its leadership role not just as a materials supplier, but as a proactive partner in shaping the future competency and resilience of the entire built environment workforce in Ireland and the UK.

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Tags: Construction Skills Gap, continuous professional development (CPD), energy efficiency training, Irish construction, Saint-Gobain Technical Academy, sustainable building