The Culture Lights primary objective was to shape and enhance the knowledge and skills of both blue-collar and white-collar construction professionals who are currently working - or preparing to work - on the renovation of cultural buildings, with a special focus on the design and installation of sustainable lighting systems that not only meet modern energy efficiency standards but also respect and preserve the cultural and historical value of heritage sites. In parallel, the project sought to foster stronger interaction between renovation professionals and cultural building users and employees in order to create structured opportunities for dialogue and co-creation. Finally, the project aimed to encourage sustainable behaviours and promote a culture of energy-conscious renovation practices by facilitating the exchange of perspectives on conservation strategies and energy efficiency through awareness-raising, participatory workshops, and collaborative training environments to influence professional practice and broader attitudes towards the environmental and cultural responsibilities of building renovation.
The Culture Lights project was developed in response to the growing need to align the renovation of Europe’s building stock with sustainability objectives, while simultaneously respecting and preserving the cultural and architectural value of historic structures. Across partner countries - Italy, Greece, and Poland - there was a clear and documented gap in the availability of specialised training and vocational pathways focused on sustainable lighting systems for cultural buildings. These structures, due to their historical and architectural significance, require careful and often complex renovation approaches that must balance energy efficiency with the preservation of cultural value. National and international assessments further confirmed that both blue-collar (electricians, builders, technicians) and white-collar (architects, designers, engineers) professionals were not sufficiently equipped to address the increasing complexity of renovation practices. In this context, the Culture Lights project was launched to develop targeted, flexible, and inclusive dual-level, modular VET programme for construction and lighting professionals that integrate sustainability, heritage preservation, and innovation in lighting design.