Combining conventional and innovative construction materials, products and techniques for sustainable and beautiful buildings

The grant opportunity under the New European Bauhaus Facility, designated HORIZON-NEB, is part of a larger initiative focused on revitalizing neighborhoods through sustainable and innovative construction solutions. This funding, amounting to €12 million, is intended to support three research and innovation actions (RIA), each receiving €4 million. Eligible applicants include a broad array of entities under Horizon Europe eligibility guidelines, which encompasses universities, research institutions, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, and public authorities, among others. At least three independent legal entities must form a consortium to apply, fostering collaborative efforts across various sectors. The program emphasizes research and innovation in the construction sector, targeting areas such as building materials, renovation, sustainable architecture, and climate resilience. Projects should focus on developing replicable and scalable hybrid building solutions that combine conventional and innovative materials and techniques. These solutions must adhere to safety and regulatory standards while enhancing sustainability and architectural quality. Applications follow a single-stage submission process, set to open on May 5, 2027, with a deadline of December 1, 2027. Projects must demonstrate both financial and operational capacity and engage in participatory and transdisciplinary approaches, involving social sciences and humanities experts to ensure societal impact. Success rates for grants are not explicitly stated but are expected to be competitive, likely below 10%, given the overall funding climate in Horizon Europe. Co-funding is encouraged, requiring organizations to clarify their financial contributions to the overall project budget. Overall, this call is designed to advance the transition towards sustainable construction methods that can have a tangible impact on communities while integrating beauty and inclusiveness into architectural practices. Proposals will need to allocate a portion of their budget to connect with the New European Bauhaus hub for broader dissemination and impact assessments of project outcomes.

This is a Horizon Europe call focusing on innovative models for neighborhoods that integrate beauty, inclusiveness, and sustainability, specifically targeting the development and validation of hybrid building solutions. The call, titled "Combining conventional and innovative construction materials, products and techniques for sustainable and beautiful buildings," aims to optimize construction and renovation processes by combining innovative and conventional construction methods and materials. The goal is to increase awareness among construction industry stakeholders regarding the advantages and disadvantages of hybrid building solutions. The call falls under the Horizon Europe program and is categorized as a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA). It utilizes a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] and follows a single-stage submission model. The planned opening date for submissions is May 5, 2027, with a deadline of December 1, 2027, at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this call include: More optimized construction or renovation processes and improved building performance thanks to hybrid building solutions combining innovative and conventional construction materials, products or techniques and Increased awareness of the construction ecosystem actors of the positive and negative aspects of hybrid building solutions. The scope of the call emphasizes the transition to a more sustainable built environment through innovative construction materials, products, and techniques that support decarbonization, climate resilience, circularity, durability, and adaptability. Examples include bio-based and circular building materials, 3D-printed building elements, and the adaptation of vernacular and traditional construction methods. The call encourages the development of hybrid building solutions that combine conventional materials with innovative ones to improve sustainability, performance, and architectural quality. Proposals should address the following: Develop at least one replicable and scalable hybrid building solution that combines innovative and conventional construction materials, products and/or techniques that: Is applicable to new construction and renovation projects; Offers potential to optimise the construction or renovation process in terms of time, cost and/or resources used; Complies with relevant regulatory requirements, such as safety and security ones, (e.g. structural and fire safety etc.) and standards; Incorporates circularity principles. Validate the proposed solution and assess the extent to which it supports and/or improves the sustainability, performances, durability, resilience and architectural quality – including beauty – of buildings, by using relevant indicators. If relevant, explore the compatibility and interaction of the different types of materials or products in terms of their long-term performance (e.g., moisture management, adhesion, degradation, etc.). The call promotes a participatory and transdisciplinary approach, integrating various actors and disciplines to co-create solutions with public and private stakeholders in the construction ecosystem. It also requires the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines, involving SSH experts and institutions to enhance the societal impact of the research activities. A minimum of 0.8% of the budget should be allocated for engaging with the Horizon Europe-funded 'New European Bauhaus hub for results and impact' to share findings and contribute to impact assessment. General conditions for admissibility, eligibility, financial and operational capacity, and evaluation are detailed in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Eligible costs will be in the form of a lump sum. Application forms, evaluation templates, model grant agreements, and call-specific instructions are available in the Submission System. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and other guidelines and regulations related to Horizon Europe. The budget overview for the call in 2027 includes several topics: HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-01 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of €10,000,000, aiming for around 2 grants with contributions of around €5,000,000 each. HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-02 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of €10,500,000, aiming for around 3 grants with contributions of around €3,500,000 each. HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-03 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of €7,000,000, aiming for around 2 grants with contributions of around €3,500,000 each. HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-01 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of €10,760,000, aiming for around 2 grants with contributions of around €5,380,000 each. HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-02 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of €10,500,000, aiming for around 2 grants with contributions of around €5,250,000 each. HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-03 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of €14,000,000, aiming for around 4 grants with contributions of around €3,500,000 each. HORIZON-NEB - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of €12,000,000, aiming for around 3 grants with contributions of around €4,000,000 each. HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-REGEN-02 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of €8,000,000, aiming for around 2 grants with contributions of around €4,000,000 each. HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-REGEN-03 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of €11,000,000, aiming for around 2 grants with contributions of around €5,500,000 each. Partner search tools and support services are available through the Funding & Tenders Portal, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, and other helpdesks. In summary, this Horizon Europe call seeks to foster innovation in the construction sector by encouraging the development and validation of hybrid building solutions that combine conventional and innovative materials and techniques. The call emphasizes sustainability, performance, architectural quality, and the involvement of various stakeholders to create a more resilient and environmentally friendly built environment. It provides funding opportunities for research and innovation actions, with specific budget allocations for different topics within the broader theme of sustainable and beautiful buildings.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the Horizon Europe framework, eligible applicants can include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other types of organizations involved in research and innovation. The call emphasizes the need for a transdisciplinary approach, suggesting that a variety of actors from different sectors can participate. Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, as indicated by the Type of MGA (Model Grant Agreement) being HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium of multiple applicants, as it emphasizes a participatory and transdisciplinary approach, necessitating the integration of different actors and disciplines. Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-associated countries that have made funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. Details can be found in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Target Sector: The program targets the construction sector, with a focus on sustainable buildings, innovative construction materials, circular economy, decarbonization, climate resilience, and architectural quality. It also involves social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines. Mentioned Countries: The opportunity is open to EU member states and 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. Project Stage: The project stage is geared towards research and innovation actions (RIA) and innovation actions (IA), suggesting that projects should be in the development, validation, or demonstration phase. The emphasis on replicable and scalable solutions indicates a need for projects that can be widely implemented. Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €7,000,000 to €14,000,000 per topic. The indicative number of grants per topic ranges from 2 to 4. For example: HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-01: €10,000,000, around 2 grants HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-02: €10,500,000, around 3 grants HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-BUSINESS-03: €7,000,000, around 2 grants HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-01: €10,760,000, around 2 grants HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-02: €10,500,000, around 2 grants HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-PARTICIPATION-03: €14,000,000, around 4 grants HORIZON-NEB: €12,000,000, around 3 grants HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-REGEN-02: €8,000,000, around 2 grants HORIZON-NEB-2027-01-REGEN-03: €11,000,000, around 2 grants Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process. Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant to support their research and innovation activities. Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage, as indicated by the "single-stage" model. Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants per topic provides some insight into the potential competitiveness of each call. Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. However, Horizon Europe often encourages or requires some level of co-funding, which would be detailed in the specific call documents. This Horizon Europe call, part of the "Innovative models for neighbourhoods that integrate beauty, inclusiveness and sustainability" initiative, aims to foster the development and adoption of hybrid building solutions that combine conventional and innovative construction materials, products, and techniques. The goal is to enhance the sustainability, performance, and architectural quality of buildings and renovation projects, contributing to a more sustainable built environment. Projects should develop replicable and scalable solutions applicable to both new constructions and renovations, optimizing construction processes, complying with regulatory requirements, and incorporating circularity principles. The call emphasizes a participatory and transdisciplinary approach, requiring the involvement of various stakeholders and the integration of social sciences and humanities. Funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and proposals must allocate a portion of their budget to engage with the New European Bauhaus hub. This initiative seeks to transition the construction sector towards more sustainable, resilient, and aesthetically pleasing building practices, aligning with the broader goals of the Horizon Europe program and the New European Bauhaus initiative.