Applying regenerative design to the built environment in neighbourhoods

The New European Bauhaus (NEB) Facility offers a grant opportunity under the Horizon Europe program, aiming to advance regenerative design in the built environment. The call focuses on creating sustainable, inclusive, and visually appealing neighborhoods through collaborative projects.

Eligible applicants include research institutions, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), public authorities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and consortia involving these entities. The program encourages participation from diverse stakeholders and emphasizes local community engagement.

The funding type is primarily grants, specifically through Horizon Europe’s Innovation Actions. A total budget of €118.4 million is allocated for 2025, with individual project funding ranging from €1 million to €5 million, depending on project scope. Some specific topics provide higher amounts, such as €8 million to €16 million per project for larger scale initiatives. Successful proposals may also provide up to €60,000 to third parties to enhance participation.

A consortium is required for this grant, as projects need to demonstrate solutions across at least three Member States or associated countries. Participants are expected to collaborate across borders and integrate various fields of expertise into their projects.

The target sectors encompass the built environment, circular economy, sustainability, and social innovation. The initiative aims to validate regenerative design principles while enhancing biodiversity and improving community well-being.

The application process is a single-stage open call with a submission deadline set for November 12, 2025. The success rate for these grants is not explicitly stated but typically ranges around 10-20% based on previous Horizon Europe funding patterns.

The call is particularly focused on projects that will test and validate regenerative design principles in real-world settings, enhancing the overall aesthetic, environmental, and social quality of urban, peri-urban, and rural neighborhoods. Proposals should integrate transdisciplinary approaches and regularly share findings with the NEB hub for ongoing results and impact assessment.

Overall, this funding opportunity seeks to promote the transformation of neighborhoods, fostering sustainability, community engagement, and health through innovative design practices under the Horizon Europe framework.

This is a summary of multiple Horizon Europe calls for proposals under the program "A research agenda for a beautiful, inclusive and sustainable transformation of neighbourhoods (HORIZON-NEB-2025-01)". The calls focus on regenerative design in the built environment and related business and participation aspects. The opening date for submissions is May 6, 2025, and the deadline is November 12, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time. All calls are single-stage.

Here's a breakdown of the specific call topics and their respective budgets and indicative number of grants:

HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-BUSINESS-01: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) with a budget of EUR 12,000,000, aiming for around 2 grants, each approximately EUR 6,000,000.

HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-BUSINESS-02: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) with a budget of EUR 12,000,000, aiming for around 3 grants, each approximately EUR 4,000,000.

HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-BUSINESS-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) with a budget of EUR 12,000,000, aiming for around 3 grants, each approximately EUR 4,000,000.

HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-PARTICIPATION-01: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) with a budget of EUR 10,500,000, aiming for around 3 grants, each approximately EUR 3,500,000.

HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-PARTICIPATION-02: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) with a budget of EUR 9,000,000, aiming for around 3 grants, each approximately EUR 3,000,000.

HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-PARTICIPATION-03: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) with a budget of EUR 10,400,000, aiming for around 2 grants, each approximately EUR 5,200,000.

HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-PARTICIPATION-04: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) with a budget of EUR 2,500,000, aiming for 1 grant of approximately EUR 2,500,000.

HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-REGEN-01: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) with a budget of EUR 16,000,000, aiming for around 2 grants, each approximately EUR 8,000,000.

HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-REGEN-02: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) with a budget of EUR 10,000,000, aiming for around 2 grants, each approximately EUR 5,000,000.

HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-REGEN-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) with a budget of EUR 8,000,000, aiming for around 2 grants, each approximately EUR 4,000,000.

HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-REGEN-04: HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) with a budget of EUR 16,000,000, aiming for around 2 grants, each approximately EUR 8,000,000.

The project results are expected to contribute to:

Tested and proven principles of regenerative design in the design, construction, and renovation of the built environment are available to actors from the construction ecosystem.

Improved tools and technologies enable actors from the construction ecosystem to apply regenerative design to the built environment.

The application of regenerative design to the built environment in neighborhoods contributes to the regeneration of natural ecosystems and biodiversity while benefiting human health and well-being.

The scope of the calls includes:

Analyzing success factors, challenges, and impacts of existing regenerative designs.

Measuring environmental restoration and sustainability performance using methods like Level(s), Living Community Challenge, Carbon Removal and Carbon Farming (CRCF) in buildings certification, and other third-party certification schemes.

Developing and demonstrating innovative solutions (tools or technologies) that facilitate the application of regenerative design, transforming construction and renovation processes.

Demonstrating innovative solutions in at least three neighborhoods from urban, peri-urban, and rural areas in at least three Member States or Associated Countries.

Proposals should follow a participatory and transdisciplinary approach, integrating various actors and disciplines. Effective contribution of SSH (Social Sciences and Humanities) disciplines and expertise is required. Proposals are expected to dedicate at least 0.2% of their total budget to share their intermediate and final results and findings with the Coordination and Support Action 'New European Bauhaus hub for results and impact' (HORIZON-MISS-2024-NEB-01-03).

Financial support to third parties is possible, with a maximum of EUR 60,000 per third party.

The general conditions for participation are detailed in Annexes A, B, C, D, F, and G of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme. Application forms are available in the Submission System.

Applicants can find partners through the Partner Search function on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to promote and implement regenerative design principles in the built environment, fostering sustainability, biodiversity, and community well-being. It encourages collaborative, interdisciplinary projects that develop and demonstrate innovative solutions for construction and renovation, with a focus on knowledge sharing and stakeholder engagement. The calls are part of the New European Bauhaus initiative, seeking to transform neighborhoods into thriving, sustainable ecosystems.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated but can be inferred to include a wide range of entities such as public authorities, local actors, civil society organizations, private owners, research institutions, universities, SMEs, and other relevant organizations involved in the construction ecosystem. The call emphasizes a participatory and transdisciplinary approach, suggesting that consortia should include diverse actors and disciplines.

Funding Type: The primary funding mechanism is grants, specifically HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) under the Horizon Europe program. Beneficiaries may also provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants, up to EUR 60,000 per third party.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity encourages a consortium approach, emphasizing the integration of different actors and disciplines. While a single applicant might be technically possible, the nature of the projects and the need for diverse expertise strongly suggest that a consortium is preferred.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. The demonstration of innovative solutions should occur in at least three neighbourhoods located in at least three Member States or Associated Countries. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Target Sector: The program targets the built environment, construction, architecture, urban design, health, energy, environment, climate, circularity, biodiversity, and related sectors. It focuses on applying regenerative design principles to construction and renovation, promoting sustainability, and enhancing the well-being of local communities and ecosystems. Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) are also a key target.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions EU Member States and Associated Countries as the primary geographic focus. It also refers to "third-countries" (non-EU and non-associated countries) that may have specific provisions for funding participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is at the demonstration and implementation stage. Proposals should develop and demonstrate innovative solutions in real-world settings (at least three neighbourhoods). The call also involves analyzing existing examples of regenerative designs, suggesting a need for projects that can build upon and validate existing research and practices.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from EUR 2,500,000 to EUR 16,000,000 per project. The indicative number of grants per topic also varies, typically between 1 and 3.
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-BUSINESS-01: EUR 12,000,000 (around EUR 6,000,000 per grant, 2 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-BUSINESS-02: EUR 12,000,000 (around EUR 4,000,000 per grant, 3 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-BUSINESS-03: EUR 12,000,000 (around EUR 4,000,000 per grant, 3 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-PARTICIPATION-01: EUR 10,500,000 (around EUR 3,500,000 per grant, 3 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-PARTICIPATION-02: EUR 9,000,000 (around EUR 3,000,000 per grant, 3 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-PARTICIPATION-03: EUR 10,400,000 (around EUR 5,200,000 per grant, 2 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-PARTICIPATION-04: EUR 2,500,000 (around EUR 2,500,000 per grant, 1 grant)
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-REGEN-01: EUR 16,000,000 (around EUR 8,000,000 per grant, 2 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-REGEN-02: EUR 10,000,000 (around EUR 5,000,000 per grant, 2 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-REGEN-03: EUR 8,000,000 (around EUR 4,000,000 per grant, 2 grants)
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-REGEN-04: EUR 16,000,000 (around EUR 8,000,000 per grant, 2 grants)

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants. Additionally, there is a requirement for successful proposals to dedicate a portion of their budget (0.2%) to share results with the 'New European Bauhaus hub'. Beneficiaries may also provide financial support to third parties.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage, meaning applicants submit a full proposal by the deadline.

Success Rates: The success rates can be roughly estimated based on the budget and indicative number of grants for each topic. For instance, a topic with EUR 16,000,000 and an indicative number of 2 grants suggests a more competitive environment than a topic with EUR 2,500,000 and 1 grant. However, without knowing the expected number of applications, a precise success rate cannot be determined, so the success rates are other.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement from the applicant. Therefore, the co-funding requirement is no.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, under the New European Bauhaus initiative, focuses on "A research agenda for a beautiful, inclusive and sustainable transformation of neighbourhoods." It seeks to promote regenerative design principles in the built environment, aiming to restore ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and improve human health and well-being. The call encourages projects that analyze existing regenerative designs, develop innovative tools and technologies, and demonstrate these solutions in diverse neighbourhoods across EU Member States and Associated Countries. The projects should be transdisciplinary, involving various actors and disciplines, and contribute to the broader goals of sustainability and community engagement. Funding is provided through Horizon Innovation Actions, Research and Innovation Actions and Coordination and Support Actions, with grants ranging from EUR 2,500,000 to EUR 16,000,000 per project. A key aspect is the possibility to provide financial support to third parties, up to EUR 60,000 per third party, to foster broader participation and impact. The call is a single-stage submission, with a deadline of November 12, 2025.