CDEC (Conseil pour le Développement Economique de la Construction)

What CDEC (Conseil pour le Développement Economique de la Construction) does

CDEC (Conseil pour le Développement Economique de la Construction) is a Luxembourgish non-profit association (asbl) founded in 2008 by the Groupement des entrepreneurs and the Fédération des entreprises de Construction et de génie civil. The organization operates as the unified sector coordination body for the Luxembourgish construction industry, structured around four strategic pillars: Strategy and Finance, Training, Engineering, and Innovation. Its stated mandate is to drive the sector toward sustainable competitiveness by integrating training, energy efficiency, certification, and innovation services under a single strategic umbrella. CDEC is co-located at its Bettembourg headquarters (Zone d'Activités Economiques Wolser F) with three subsidiary entities.

The group's services are delivered through three core operating subsidiaries. IFSB (Institut de Formation Sectoriel du Bâtiment) provides over 250 vocational training modules covering construction techniques, safety, equipment operation, and sustainable management. Cocert S.A. delivers building energy efficiency consulting, carbon assessments, and communal energy cadasters (solar, thermography, wind, electromagnetic waves). Neobuild GIE functions as the technological innovation pole, providing innovation coaching, technology dissemination, and operating the Neobuild Innovation Center as a living lab demonstrator. CDEC itself manages the Système de Formation Sectorielle Bâtiment, collecting mandatory sectoral training contributions set at 0.65% of each construction company's manual workforce payroll from the previous year, as established by the Collective Contract (Memorial A-No 28, 5 March 2007).

CDEC's revenue model combines a mandatory sectoral contribution mechanism with European project funding. The 0.65% payroll contribution funds qualifying training programs delivered through IFSB, creating a self-financing sector-wide training system. CDEC also leads and participates in INTERREG-funded European projects including GROOF (rooftop greenhouses for CO2 reduction), RE-DIRECT (biochar production from residual biomass), CASCADE (circular carbon management across 7 pilot regions with a €4 million total budget and €2.4 million EU funding), and ECOPIERRE (dry-stone construction across the Greater Region). With only 8 employees, CDEC functions as a lean coordination body that leverages its subsidiaries for service delivery and its European project portfolio to expand R&D and innovation activity across North-West Europe.

Name

CDEC (Conseil pour le Développement Economique de la Construction)

Legal name

Conseil pour le Développement Economique de la Construction S.A.

Website

https://cdec.lu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CDEC is a Luxembourgish non-profit sector coordination body for the construction industry, founded in 2008. It manages mandatory training contributions and coordinates training (IFSB), energy certification (Cocert), and innovation (Neobuild) services through co-located subsidiaries in Bettembourg.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bettembourg

HQ country

Luxembourg

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Sectoral Training Contribution Collection: CDEC collects mandatory sectoral training contributions from construction companies based on their manual workforce payroll (0.65% of the previous year's manual workforce mass). These contributions fund qualifying training programmes delivered by IFSB, creating a sector-wide financing mechanism.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CDEC is a non-profit association coordinating the Luxembourgish construction sector through four pillars: (1) Strategy and Finances — collecting mandatory sectoral training contributions under the Collective Contract (0.65% of manual workforce payroll) and distributing them as subsidised training; (2) Training — via subsidiary IFSB, delivering 250+ vocational modules across construction techniques, safety, equipment, and sustainable management; (3) Engineering — via subsidiary Cocert S.A., providing energy efficiency consulting, building certification, carbon assessments, and energy cadasters for enterprises and communal administrations; and (4) Innovation — via subsidiary Neobuild GIE, coaching sustainable construction innovation projects from feasibility through industrialization and operating a living-lab demonstrator.

Product overview

CDEC is a non-profit association serving the Luxembourgish construction sector, organized around four strategic pillars: Strategy and Finance (managing sectoral training contributions under the Collective Contract), Training (delivered through IFSB offering 250+ vocational modules), Engineering (via Cocert providing energy efficiency and carbon accounting services), and Innovation (through Neobuild GIE as the technological innovation hub). CDEC also coordinates European projects including GROOF (rooftop greenhouses), RE-DIRECT and CASCADE (biochar from residual biomass for construction materials), and ECOPIERRE (dry-stone construction). The group addresses three key societal challenges: construction sector carbon footprint, eco-circular construction, and responsible sustainability management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IFSB Vocational Training Programs Over 250 vocational training modules across four domains — construction techniques (concrete, formwork, masonry), health and safety (scaffolding, working at height), mechanised construction and equipment (CACES, cranes, aerial platforms), and sustainable development/CSR management (BIM, CAD, construction management). Targeted at construction-sector employees and enterprises in Luxembourg.
• Cocert Energy Efficiency Services Energy efficiency consulting, building energy certification and labelling, carbon footprint assessments for enterprises, and tailored communal energy cadasters (solar, aerial thermography, wind, electromagnetic waves). Targeted at Luxembourgish construction companies and communal administrations.
• Neobuild Innovation Coaching Services Innovation coaching, technology dissemination through conferences, studies and workshops, and project support from feasibility through industrialization and IP protection, anchored by a living-lab demonstrator (Neobuild Innovation Center). Targeted at innovative construction-sector projects and enterprises in Luxembourg.
• Sectoral Training Contribution Management (Système de Formation Sectorielle Bâtiment) Administrative management of the mandatory sectoral training contribution set at 0.65% of each construction company's manual workforce payroll from the previous year, channeling collected funds into qualifying professional development programmes delivered through IFSB. Targeted at all Luxembourgish construction companies subject to the Collective Contract.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ m² rooftop greenhouse producing ~10 tonnes of leafy vegetables per year at IFSB
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IFSB (Institut de Formation Sectoriel du Bâtiment) - ECOPIERREcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Financial partner in the ECOPIERRE Interreg Grande Région project focusing on dry stone construction techniques.
• Agence wallonne du Patrimoine (AWaP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Financial partner in ECOPIERRE Interreg Grande Région project on dry stone construction.
• Réseau belge de la pierre sèche (RBPS)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in ECOPIERRE project, contributing to the dry stone construction network in Belgium.
• Pierres et marbres de WallonieminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in ECOPIERRE project focused on stone materials in Wallonia.
• Centre National de Formation Professionnelle Continue – Ettelbruck (CNFPC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Training partner in ECOPIERRE project contributing to professional development in dry stone construction.
• CAUE 54 (Conseil d'Architecture, d'Urbanisme et de l'Environnement de Meurthe-et-Moselle)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in ECOPIERRE project contributing architecture and urban planning expertise for dry stone construction.
• IFSB (Institut de Formation Sectoriel du Bâtiment)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019IFSB is the training pillar of the CDEC group. It delivers over 250 training modules to the construction sector and hosts the SOTA rooftop greenhouse pilot project on its Bettembourg premises. CDEC manages IFSB as a core group entity.
• Autonomous University of Barcelona (ICTA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Visited as part of the GROOF project launch, the ICTA building integrates a rooftop greenhouse as a model for the project's pilot initiatives in Luxembourg.
• Cocert S.A.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCocert is the engineering and energy efficiency pillar of the CDEC group. Specialising in building energy efficiency, carbon assessments, and communal energy cadasters, Cocert operates as a subsidiary created by construction companies.
• Neobuild GIEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeobuild GIE is the technology innovation pole for sustainable construction in Luxembourg. It provides innovation coaching, technology dissemination through conferences and workshops, and operates the Neobuild Innovation Center as a living lab demonstrator.
• INTERREG NWE (North-West Europe)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINTERREG NWE programme provides funding and support for the GROOF project, enabling cross-border collaboration between Luxembourg and other North-West European regions on greenhouse and energy-sharing solutions.
• Karp-kneipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the CASCADE project working on testing biochar in asphalt in collaboration with Ponts & chaussées.
• Ponts & chaussées (Luxembourg)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating with Karp-kneip and CDEC on CASCADE project pilot testing biochar applications in asphalt.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Constructiv: Belgian joint sector body for construction training fund management and workforce development — near-identical business model to CDEC's Finances and Formation pillars in a neighboring market.
• CCCA-BTP: French construction-sector training contribution fund collector financing vocational training for the building trades — the closest functional parallel to CDEC's contribution collection and IFSB training mandate.
• Buildwise: Belgian construction innovation and research center (formerly BBRI) providing technical advice, certification, and innovation support to builders — directly comparable to CDEC's Neobuild and Cocert pillar functions in an adjacent market.

Regional players

• Fédération Française du Bâtiment (FFB): France's principal building trades federation providing sector representation, training coordination, and member services — directly comparable to CDEC's coordinating mission in a larger jurisdiction.
• Construction Industry Federation (CIF) Ireland: Irish representative body for construction employers, providing training, safety, and policy advocacy — operates a similar integrated sector-body model to CDEC, and is a CASCADE/RE-DIRECT project partner.
• Bundesverband der Deutschen Bauindustrie: Germany's central construction industry association representing major building contractors — comparable in its sector-coordination and policy-advocacy role, though at significantly larger national scale.
• Confédération Construction Belgium: Belgian construction sector federation co-defining sector strategy and representing employers — closely mirrors CDEC's strategic-coordination role for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Broad incumbents

• CSTB (Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment): France's national scientific and technical center for construction, providing research, certification, and innovation services — analogous to CDEC's combined Cocert/Neobuild role but at much larger scale and broader scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cdecdotlu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CDEC (Conseil pour le Développement Economique de la Construction)