The Specialized Master's® in Sustainable Construction and Housing is full this year with a class of 25 students.
"Since 2018, classes have averaged 12 to 14 students," explains Jean-Marc Meurville, head of the training program. " The class of 2025 has a total of 25 students, including architects, civil engineers, and people changing careers! So the increase is spectacular. " How can this enthusiasm be explained?
Registration with the RNCP
Firstly, the MS has been registered with the RNCP since October 2024, which means it can be funded using Personal Training Accounts for students undergoing retraining.
This was also an opportunity to restructure the program into skill blocks. The aim of this change was to integrate or reinforce topics that had previously been given little attention in the curriculum: BIM (building information modeling in a documented digital twin), renewable energies, new economic models, etc. "Of course, we have retained what makes this program so strong and unique," continues Jean-Marc Meurville, "namely a comprehensive approach to the entire life cycle of a building, from its design to its future demolition."
The possibility of pursuing the MS through a work-study program
Another key to success: the possibility of pursuing the MS on a work-study basis starting this year, which promotes recruitment because companies pay for the training (€14,000) and remunerate the student. The Sustainable Construction Conference, a half-day conference organized every year in March by the students, also contributes to the program's reputation. Finally, the icing on the cake is that the Specialized Master's® in Sustainable Construction and Housing ranked first in the Eduniversal Masters Management ranking for Urban Planning and Sustainable Construction in early 2025.
A rapidly growing industry
" Above all, the MS benefits from the appetite for a rapidly growing topic," concludes Jean-Marc Meurville. Sustainable construction and renovation benefit from the application of various regulations (RE 2020, energy renovation, etc.) and certifications (HQE, BREAM, etc.). The France Relance plan is allocating €6.2 billion to it over two years. What's more, the vast majority of graduates (95%) are in employment after one year, which shows the value of this training program. "
A training program that has evolved since 2008
The Specialized Master® in Sustainable Construction and Housing (MS ECHD) was created in 2008 as a joint initiative betweenArts et Métiers ESTP, spearheaded by Bouygues Construction. It underwent a major overhaul in 2018, when its accreditation by the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles (CGE) was renewed and the Arts et Métiers teaching location was transferred from Aix-en-Provence to Chambéry. The co-accreditation approach has been maintained, with one class at ESTP Paris and the other at the Chambéry institute, and the same training program.
The Chambéry institute, which has specialized in reducing the environmental impact of businesses for 30 years, was perfectly placed to host this construction-focused training course, which complements its Specialized Master's® in Change Management and Sustainable Innovation (MCID), which takes the same approach but for manufactured products.
