Energy renovation solutions – Boosting building renovation through effective markets and instruments

LIFE-2026 is a LIFE Clean Energy Transition call funding pilot-based projects to scale high-quality building energy renovations or strengthen EPBD information instruments. The topic has an indicative budget of €6,000,000, an indicative EU contribution up to €2,000,000 per project and funds eligible costs at 95% for Other Action Grants. Proposals must be submitted in a single stage via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal by 16 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time and activities must take place in eligible countries. Consortia must include at least three independent beneficiaries from three different eligible countries and projects must implement pilot actions in real-life buildings and quantify impacts at project end and five years after.

Energy renovation solutions — LIFE Clean Energy Transition (LIFE-2026-CET-BETTERRENO)

What it funds

Grants to scale up high-quality, cost-effective building energy renovations (Scope A) or to strengthen market uptake and use of EPBD information instruments such as EPCs, Renovation Passports, DBLs, SRI and IEQ (Scope B). Projects must include pilot actions in real-life buildings and demonstrate results at project end and 5 years after.

Who can apply:Consortia: at least 3 independent applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 3 different eligible countries. Eligible applicants include public authorities, non-profits, SMEs, research organisations and other entities eligible under LIFE rules.

1. 1Focus on one scope only (A or B) unless clearly justified
2. 2Mandatory pilot actions in real-life buildings/renovation projects
3. 3Coordinate with existing funding, one-stop-shops and national EPBD transposition efforts

Proposal evaluation requires clear quantification of results (end of project and 5 years after) using topic indicators: numbers of renovated units, deep renovations, cost reductions, investments triggered, energy savings, GHG reductions, uptake of Renovation Passports and improved use of building performance data (scope-dependent).

Eligible costs & format:This call uses LIFE Project Grants / LIFE Action Grant Budget-Based (Other Action Grants). Eligible costs follow LIFE rules (personnel, subcontracting, purchases, other direct costs, plus indirect flat-rate) and must be incurred during the project period.

1. 1Prepare technical application using standard LIFE templates in the Funding & Tenders Portal
2. 2Provide participant information, detailed budget table and required annexes
3. 3Demonstrate operational and financial capacity and provide letters of commitment from pilot sites and key partners

Quick facts

Topic code:LIFE-2026. Programme: LIFE Clean Energy Transition. Type of action: Other Action Grants / LIFE-PJG. Deadline: 16 Sep 2026. Submission: single-stage via Funding & Tenders Portal.

Footnotes

1. 1The Commission considers that proposals requesting up to €2 million would allow the specific objectives to be addressed appropriately; other amounts may be submitted and selected.

Energy renovation solutions – Boosting building renovation through effective markets and instruments LIFE-2026 is a topic under the LIFE Clean Energy Transition call for proposals (LIFE-2026-CET). It supports project grants (LIFE Project Grants) implemented as Other Action Grants (OAGs) and aims to scale high-quality, affordable energy renovations in buildings and strengthen information instruments under the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). The call is open for single-stage submissions via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal between 21 April 2026 and 16 September 2026 (deadline 17:00 Brussels time). The topic expects consortia with pilot actions implemented in real-life buildings or renovation projects and requires applicants to demonstrate quantitative and qualitative impacts for the project end and 5 years after project end.

Key administrative facts:Programme: LIFE Clean Energy Transition. Action type: LIFE Project Grants / LIFE Action Grant Budget-Based (LIFE-AG). Topic code: LIFE-2026. Deadline: 16 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Submission: single-stage via Funding & Tenders Portal. Typical requested EU contribution indicated by the Commission: up to €2 000 000 per project; the call budget line for this topic is indicated as €6 000 000 for 2026. The funding rate for Other Action Grants (OAGs) is 95%.

Who can apply and consortium requirements

Eligible applicant types:public authorities, municipalities and regional authorities, non-profit organisations and NGOs, universities and higher education establishments, public and private research institutes, SMEs (including construction SMEs and installers), large enterprises, energy service companies (ESCOs), social housing providers and professional landlords, building owners associations, construction sector representatives, one-stop-shops, financial institutions and investors, industry clusters and industrial actors, distribution system operators, professional organisations, training providers and vocational education institutions. Applications may also involve associated partners, subcontractors, third parties giving in-kind contributions and recipients of financial support to third parties as appropriate.

Consortium requirement: Proposals must be submitted by at least 3 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) established in at least 3 different eligible countries. Single-country submissions are not acceptable for this topic. Proposals addressing multiple scopes or combining activities across scopes must justify the cross-cutting approach.

Eligible countries and geographic scope:Eligibility of participating countries is governed by section 6 of the call document and the LIFE rules for eligible countries. The call references EU Member States and countries associated to LIFE, with explicit mention in the general LIFE CET documentation of associated countries such as Iceland, Moldova, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Ukraine; applicants should consult the call document’s section 6 for the definitive list of eligible countries and confirm national eligibility in the Participant Register on the Portal Funding & Tenders Portal. ¹

What the topic funds and expected activities

This topic targets two alternative scopes; applicants must select one scope and clearly state it in the introduction of the proposal. Scope A focuses on scaling up high-quality and competitive energy renovations across building stocks and markets through demand aggregation, repeatable business models, industrialised processes, digital tools, standardisation, guarantees and upskilling of renovation supply chains. Scope B focuses on strengthening uptake and usability of EPBD information instruments (EPCs, Renovation Passports, Smart Readiness Indicator, Digital Building Logbooks, Indoor Environmental Quality) and increasing the use of building performance data by owners, managers, financial institutions and one-stop-shops. All proposals must implement pilot actions in real-life buildings or renovation projects to demonstrate practical replication and effectiveness.

1. 1Pilot implementation in real-life buildings or renovation projects is mandatory for all proposals.
2. 2Demonstrate qualitative and quantitative impacts for project end and for 5 years after project end, using listed indicators where relevant.
3. 3Coordinate with existing renovation services, one-stop-shops, and national implementation choices for EPBD transposition where relevant.
4. 4Explore synergies with results from previous EU programmes (Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe) where appropriate.

Target sectors and technology themes

Primary sectors:buildings and construction (residential owner-occupied, rental, professional landlords, commercial tertiary), building renovation supply chain, energy efficiency and retrofit services, renewable heating and cooling integration (heat pumps, solar thermal, PV/PVT), building diagnostics, renovation passports and digital building logs. Cross-cutting sectors: finance (private finance mobilisation, guarantees and blended instruments), one-stop-shop services, professional skills and training, digitalisation and DSO data integration, industrial processes for building component manufacture, quality assurance and building performance monitoring. Technologies and tools referenced include industrialised renovation processes, energy performance contracting, Renovation Passports, Energy Performance Certificates, Smart Readiness Indicator, Digital Building Logbooks, indoor environmental quality assessments and digital data repositories (DBL). The call emphasises that technological solutions may be enablers but should not be the sole focus for Scope B.

Project maturity and expected stage

Expected project stage:development through demonstration and replication; projects should be prepared to implement pilot actions and demonstrate real-life application, effectiveness and replicability. Proposals are expected to present a solid analysis of the current situation, clear baselines, realistic assumptions, causal links from activities to results and robust monitoring, evaluation and exploitation strategies. Projects may target demonstration-ready solutions, business model replication, policy and market uptake rather than early-stage research or basic R&D.

Funding characteristics and scale

Funding type:grant (Other Action Grants, LIFE Project Grants, budget-based). Funding rate: 95% (Other Action Grants). Typical targeted EU contribution: the Commission considers that proposals requesting up to €2 000 000 would allow the specific objectives of either scope to be addressed appropriately. The call budget overview shows an indicative overall budget line for LIFE-2026 of €6 000 000 for the 2026 call-year; actual award amounts may vary and proposals requesting other amounts are not precluded.

Nature of the support:Primarily monetary support in the form of direct grants to beneficiaries. Projects are expected to deliver non-monetary outcomes such as capacity building, standardised processes, digital tools, guidelines, Renovation Passports and data repositories. Grant beneficiaries may also subcontract technical implementation, deploy non-financial services and provide financial instruments to third parties where permitted by the call and Annex documentation.

Application and evaluation process

Application type and submission:Single-stage open call. Applicants must prepare and submit the application through the Funding & Tenders Portal Submission System using the specific LIFE application templates provided in the Submission System. The call includes standard administrative forms (Part A) generated in the Portal and a narrative Technical Description (Part B) to be uploaded as PDF using the correct template. Applicants must select the accurate model grant agreement type at submission (LIFE-PJG or LIFE-AG).

• Submission route: EU Funding & Tenders Portal; use the Submission System and the exact application templates provided.
• Deadline model: single-stage only. Opening 21 April 2026; Deadline 16 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.
• Evaluation: defined in the Call document (evaluation criteria, scoring and thresholds in section 9 and section 8). Award decisions follow normal LIFE procedures and Model Grant Agreement rules.

Application stages and timeline:The process is single-stage (one submission). Key steps applicants should budget for and prepare to pass through include proposal submission, admissibility checks, eligibility checks, technical evaluation and ranking, and grant agreement preparation. The Call document provides an indicative timetable for evaluation and grant agreement signature. The submission session for the topic is already available in the Portal as of 21 April 2026.

Budget, co-funding and financial rules

Funding amount and co-funding:the LIFE CET Other Action Grants funding rate is 95% of eligible costs. A beneficiary co-funding share of typically 5% of eligible costs will be required, unless the call or specific beneficiary category provides otherwise. The Commission considers up to €2 000 000 as a reasonable request for this topic; however proposals requesting other amounts may be submitted. Detailed cost eligibility rules, budget categories and calculation methods (personnel rates, subcontracting rules, equipment depreciation, volunteers, unit costs and flat rates) are provided in the Call document, the LIFE MGA and the Standard Application Form guidance. Applicants must complete the detailed budget table templates supplied in the Submission System and the Annex templates (detailed budget table, participant information, complementary funding plan where applicable).

Co-funding requirement:Yes. Co-funding from beneficiaries or other co-financers is required to make up the remaining portion of eligible costs not funded by the grant. The LIFE funding rate for OAGs is 95%, so beneficiaries normally must provide at least 5% co-funding (own resources or complementary funding sources). The call documentation requires submission of a complementary funding plan and, where applicable, complementary funding declarations from managing/competent authorities for SIP/SNAP projects.

Documentation and templates

Application forms and mandatory annexes:Applicants must use the exact templates provided in the Submission System. Standard documentation and templates referred to in the call include: the Standard Application Form (LIFE SAP and OAG) PDF template for Part B; Administrative Form Part A auto-generated in the Portal; Detailed Budget Table (LIFE) spreadsheet; Participant Information template; Complementary Funding Plan template and Complementary Funding Declaration template where relevant; Description of Sites/species/habitats templates for Nature where relevant; Maps and other LIFE annex templates. Model Grant Agreements and annotated versions, the LIFE Multiannual Work Programme, LIFE Regulation and EU Financial Regulation references are provided as guidance. Annex 2, Annex 2a and other budget templates are available for download in the Submission System and Reference Documents.

1. 1Mandatory forms: Part A Administrative Forms in the Portal; Part B Technical Description using the specific LIFE template; Detailed Budget table (Annex 2) in provided spreadsheet format.
2. 2Supporting documents commonly required: Participant information forms per beneficiary, Cofinancing declaration (if applicable), Letters of support from public authorities and local partners for pilot building activities, Pre-existing permits or heritage approvals for works, Complementary funding declaration where relevant.
3. 3Guidance documents: LIFE Model Grant Agreement (LIFE MGA), Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement, rules for legal entity validation and financial capacity assessment, and specific call annexes available on the Portal.

Evaluation, thresholds and performance indicators

Award criteria and scoring:Evaluation and award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in the Call document (section 9 and section 8) and the Online Manual. Applicants must respond fully to relevance, impact, implementation and budget/financial capacity criteria as specified. Projects will be scored against the call’s award criteria and must meet minimum thresholds to be eligible for funding.

Performance indicators and monitoring:Proposals must quantify impacts for the project end and for 5 years after project end using the topic-specific and LIFE Clean Energy Transition horizontal indicators, where applicable. Topic-specific indicators include number of building units renovated, number of deep renovations, percentage reduction in renovation costs, investments triggered, number of Renovation Passports issued and applied, number of stakeholders actively using improved building-related data, primary/final energy savings in GWh/year, renewable generation triggered in GWh/year, greenhouse gas emission reduction in tCO2-eq/year, and investments in sustainable energy (million EUR, cumulative). Projects must input KPIs in the LIFE KPI webtool within the first 9 months after grant signature and at the end of the project.

Risk management, legal and financial set-up

Financial and operational capacity checks:Applicants must demonstrate financial and operational capacity (section 7 of the Call document). Legal entity validation, LEAR appointment and financial capacity assessment procedures in the Portal apply. The LIFE Model Grant Agreement sets out the legal and financial set-up, reporting obligations, record-keeping, audits, certificates, prefinancing guarantees where applicable, reporting timelines, remedies and recovery procedures. Applicants should consult the LIFE MGA and AGA annotated model for full legal and financial obligations.

Application practicalities and support

Submission portal and IT support:Applications must be prepared and submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Submission System. The Online Manual provides step-by-step guidance. Applicants may upload annexes and supporting documents as required. National Contact Points (NCPs), info sessions and recorded webinars are available for guidance. Use the Portal helpdesk for technical queries.

Success rates and competition

Success rates:Not specified in the call documentation. The call provides indicative contribution budgets per topic and an overall pool of funds; competition outcomes depend on the number and quality of proposals submitted and available budget. Applicants should aim for strong relevance, impact, replicability and sound budgets to improve selection chances.

Templates and application structure (what you must prepare)

Mandatory templates to use from the Portal Submission System and Reference Documents:Standard application form (Part B) PDF template for LIFE SAP and OAG; Administrative Part A screens generated in the Portal; Detailed Budget Table (LIFE) spreadsheet; Participant information template; Complementary Funding Plan and Complementary Funding Declaration (if applicable); Maps, Description of sites/species/habitats (for nature where relevant); Model Grant Agreement (LIFE MGA) and annotated MGA. The Portal contains multiple spreadsheet templates for budget variants (OG, NGOs, SIP/SNAP and TA templates). Applicants must comply with page limits, font size and layout rules published in the application templates and the Call document. The Participant Information file must include organisation description, key staff profiles and relevant past projects; the Detailed Budget Table requires person-months, personnel cost splits and justification for purchases/subcontracts and other direct costs. If offering financial support to third parties, the application must include clear rules, selection criteria and maximum amounts per third party as required by the call conditions.

• Part A: Administrative forms are filled via Portal screens (participants, contacts, budget summary, declarations).
• Part B: Technical description uploaded as PDF using the correct template; includes background and objectives, concept and methodology, work plan, pilot activities in real buildings, indicators and exploitation plan.
• Annex 2: Detailed budget table with personnel effort allocation, personnel salary calculations, subcontracting details, other direct costs and the justification of costs.
• Annexes: Participant information, complementary funding documentation (if applicable), letters of support, maps and site descriptions for geolocated pilot actions.

Success factors and what evaluators expect

What the call expects:well-structured pilot actions in real buildings with clear quantified targets (project end and 5-year post-project impacts), solid analysis of current market and baselines, realistic assumptions and causal logic between activities, outputs and impacts, replication and scaling strategies, effective stakeholder engagement (building owners, one-stop-shops, financial institutions, contractors), demonstrable demand aggregation and business models (Scope A) or robust roll-out and market uptake strategies for EPCs, Renovation Passports, DBLs and IEQ (Scope B). Projects should detail monitoring and M&V, data management, quality assurance, procurement/subcontracting rationale, complementary funding mobilisation and policy integration.

1. 1Implement mandatory pilots in real-life buildings and demonstrate replicability and cost-effectiveness.
2. 2Provide quantified impacts and use the LIFE KPI webtool to report KPIs within required timeframes.
3. 3Show strong consortium capacity across all relevant expertise (technical, financial, policy, data, market uptake and stakeholder mobilisation).
4. 4Provide clear plans to coordinate with national and local renovation facilitation services, one-stop-shops and funding schemes, and to leverage complementary funding.

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible applicant types for this topic include public authorities (local, regional, national), municipalities, town councils, non-profit organisations and NGOs, universities and higher education establishments, research institutes, SMEs (construction companies, installers, renovators), large enterprises, energy service companies (ESCOs), professional landlords and social housing providers, building owners associations, construction sector representatives, one-stop-shops, financial institutions and investors, energy agencies, distribution system operators, technology providers, trade associations and training providers. Proposals should be submitted by legal entities as beneficiaries; natural person beneficiaries are possible only when explicitly allowed by the call and templates.

Funding Type

Primary financial mechanism:grant (Other Action Grant, LIFE Project Grant, budget-based). The grant is budget-based and reimburses eligible costs according to LIFE rules, including options for unit costs, flat-rates and specific cost categories as explained in the call and MGA.

Consortium Requirement

A consortium of at least 3 independent beneficiaries from 3 different eligible countries is mandatory for proposals under this topic. Single applicant submissions are not eligible for LIFE-2026. Beneficiaries must not be affiliated entities counted as part of the same legal grouping for the consortium composition requirement.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

Geographic eligibility:EU Member States and countries associated to the LIFE Programme. The call text and the LIFE programme documentation explicitely reference EU Member States and lists associated countries across the LIFE programme guidance (for example Iceland, Moldova, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Ukraine are mentioned in the LIFE CET documentation). Applicants must confirm country eligibility in the call document section 6 and the Participant Register on the Portal.

Target Sector

Primary target sectors:buildings and construction, building renovation supply chains, energy efficiency and retrofitting services, building performance assessment and information instruments (EPCs, RPs, DBLs, IEQ, SRI), one-stop-shops, financial services for renovation, skills and training for the renovation workforce, and related digitalisation and data-management sectors.

Mentioned Countries

Countries explicitly mentioned in the call documentation or related LIFE CET information:The call covers the EU Member States and countries associated to the LIFE Programme. Associated countries referenced in the LIFE CET materials include Iceland, Moldova, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Ukraine. Applicants must consult the call document section 6 for the definitive eligible country list and confirm eligibility in the Portal.

Project Stage

Expected maturity:projects should be at demonstration / validation / deployment or scale-up stage and able to implement pilots in real-life building renovations. Projects focused on policy implementation, business model replication, market uptake, and demonstration of integrated information instruments are within scope. Early-stage research projects or pure R&D technology development are not the focus.

Funding Amount

Typical funding scale:the Commission considers that proposals requesting up to €2 000 000 would allow the specific objectives to be addressed appropriately. The 2026 budget overview indicates an indicative contribution for LIFE-2026 of €6 000 000 distributed across successful projects. Applicants may request other amounts and must justify them in accordance with the objectives and scale of the proposed activities.

Application Type

Application method:open call, single-stage submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Applicants prepare Part A administrative forms in the Portal and upload Part B Technical Description as PDF using the provided LIFE application template in the Submission System. The call is not rolling; it has a single deadline.

Nature of Support

Beneficiaries will receive monetary grants (budget-based), reimbursing eligible costs at the LIFE OAG funding rate (95%). The programme also supports non-financial services embedded in projects such as capacity building, technical assistance, training, piloting and dissemination actions; projects are expected to deliver non-monetary outputs for market transformation.

Application Stages

Number of stages:1 (single-stage call). Applicants prepare a full proposal and submit it by the single deadline; the evaluation includes admissibility and eligibility checks, technical evaluation and award. Following selection, grant agreement preparation and signature follow normal LIFE procedures.

Success Rates

Success rates are not published in the call documentation. Final selection depends on competition, available budget and the number and quality of proposals received. Applicants should assume competitive evaluation and build strong evidence of impact, replicability and cost-effectiveness.

Co-funding Requirement

Co-funding is required. The LIFE CET OAG funding rate is 95% of eligible costs; beneficiaries must provide remaining co-funding (typically 5% of eligible costs) via own resources or third-party contributions. Some project types and beneficiary categories may have specific co-funding rules; applicants should consult the call document and Annex templates for complementary funding plan requirements when applicable.

Templates: Application forms and required annexes:Key templates and documents to prepare and upload via the Portal Submission System: Standard application form Part B (LIFE SAP and OAG template) as PDF; Part A administrative forms (Portal screens auto-generated); Detailed Budget Table (LIFE Excel template); Participant information template; Cofinancing declaration (where relevant); Complementary funding plan and complementary funding declaration templates (for SIP/SNAP projects where applicable); maps and description-of-sites templates when pilot sites are involved. Model Grant Agreement (LIFE MGA) and annotated MGA, Lump Sum and Flat-Rate templates and guidance documents are available in the Portal reference documents. Applicants must follow the page limit, font and layout rules described in the templates.

1. 1Application Part A: fill Portal screens for administrative information, participants, budget summary and declarations.
2. 2Application Part B: use the specific PDF template provided in the Submission System for the Technical Description. Follow page limits and structure.
3. 3Annexes: upload the Detailed Budget Table, Participant Information, Complementary Funding Plan if needed, Letters of support and any required site descriptions, maps and evidence of political commitment for pilot municipalities.

Summary:This LIFE CET call topic seeks high-quality demonstrator and scaling projects that deploy replicable renovation solutions or accelerate the EPBD market uptake of information instruments. Applicants must prepare integrated, pilot-based proposals with at least three independent beneficiaries across three eligible countries, demonstrate clear quantitative and qualitative impacts for project end and 5 years later, provide credible budgets and co-funding, and use the LIFE application templates and submission system. The Commission highlights €2 million as a typical individual request and provides an indicative topic-level budget; the grant funds 95% of eligible costs under the OAG modality. Proposals must implement in-situ pilots, show robust monitoring and exploitation strategies, coordinate with national frameworks and one-stop-shops and ensure replicability and market uptake.

Footnotes

1. 1The Funding & Tenders Portal is the official entry point for submission, call documents, templates and country eligibility lists: ec.europa.eu. Check section 6 of the call document for the definitive list of eligible countries and confirmed policy rules applicable to the topic.

Funding Opportunity Overview

This is a call for proposals under the LIFE Clean Energy Transition sub-programme LIFE-2026 aimed at supporting energy renovation solutions that accelerate building renovation rates while reducing costs and administrative burden. The call contributes to the EU Renovation Wave strategy and supports implementation of the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the European Affordable Housing Plan.

Call Identification and Timeline

Call Reference:LIFE-2026

Opening Date:21 April 2026

Submission Deadline:16 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time (single-stage submission)

Programme:LIFE Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (2021-2027)

Funding Budget and Grant Information

Total Call Budget:€6,000,000

Estimated EU Contribution per Project:Up to €2,000,000 per project (Commission considers this amount appropriate for addressing specific objectives, though other amounts are not precluded)

Funding Rate:95% for Other Action Grants (OAGs)

Type of Action:LIFE Project Grants (LIFE-PJG) with LIFE Action Grant Budget-Based (LIFE-AG) model grant agreement

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Applicants

Proposals must be submitted by at least 3 applicants (beneficiaries, not affiliated entities) from 3 different eligible countries. Eligible countries include all EU Member States and countries associated with the LIFE Programme (Iceland, Moldova, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Ukraine).

Eligible Activities and Geographic Scope

All proposals are required to implement pilot actions in real-life buildings or renovation projects, demonstrating practical application, effectiveness and replicability of proposed solutions and instruments. Activities must take place in eligible countries.

Project Scope and Two Submission Tracks

Proposals must focus on one of two scopes. The scope addressed must be clearly specified in the proposal introduction. If a proposal addresses elements of more than one scope, this must be duly justified.

Scope A: Scaling Up High-Quality and Competitive Energy Renovations

Actions should aim to increase renovation rates and deliver progress towards a fully decarbonised, zero emission building stock by 2050. Proposals should focus on removing market barriers, stimulating demand and scaling up energy renovations. Key activities include deploying strategies and business models for renovation that can be replicated across multiple buildings and markets, increasing current renovation rates, aggregating demand for products and services, and supporting large-scale roll-out of solutions with energy performance guarantees or other business models.

Proposals should support the competitiveness and productivity of construction companies through industrialised and standardised processes, digital tools, improved coordination across the supply chain and uptake of circular and low-carbon solutions. All relevant actors in the renovation value chain should be considered, including building owners, energy solution providers, investors, occupants, public authorities, financial institutions, construction sector representatives and electricity market operators.

Beyond improving energy performance and decarbonising energy use in buildings, proposals can consider reduction of whole lifecycle emissions, addressing materials, or increased resilience against climate risks. Proposals must explain how activities are adapted to specific market contexts and maturity levels and should coordinate with existing support, funding instruments, one-stop shops or existing renovation facilitation services.

Scope B: Strengthening Information Instruments Under the EPBD

Proposals are expected to strengthen the market and policy uptake, usability and effectiveness of key EPBD instruments, notably Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), Renovation Passports (RPs), Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI), Digital Building Logbooks (DBLs) and Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). Proposals should demonstrate the reliability and market relevance of these instruments for their intended users and customers, and strengthen their contribution to achieving EPBD policy objectives.

The roll-out should result in increased and improved use of building energy data for renovation and/or energy management. Proposals should address improved implementation and accelerated market roll-out of existing schemes and tools that improve accuracy, quality, integration and consistency of EPCs, RPs, SRI, DBL and IEQ. Technological and innovative solutions may be employed as enablers but must not be at the centre of the action.

Expected Impacts and Key Performance Indicators

Scope A: Qualitative Impacts

• Increased demand for energy renovation and increased energy renovation rates
• Implementation of demand aggregation strategies
• Viable business models for renovations with reduced costs and time, replicable at large scale
• Improved capacity of companies in the building renovation sector to deliver high quality renovations

Scope A: Quantitative Indicators

• Number of building units renovated and/or increased renovation rates in targeted territories
• Number of building units undergoing deep renovation and/or increased deep renovation rates
• Percentage reduction in renovation costs compared to baseline, potentially detailed by building typology and intervention type
• Investments in building energy renovation triggered
• Number of companies with improved technical, organisational and business capacity to deliver energy renovations through uptake of new products, materials, services and processes

Scope B: Qualitative Impacts

• Enhanced market uptake and effective use of advanced EPCs, SRIs, RPs, DBLs and IEQ
• Roll-out of existing schemes and tools allowing enhanced, integrated, cost-effective building assessments and staged renovation strategies
• Improved use of buildings performance data in actual renovations or building management by financial institutions, service providers and building owners/operators

Scope B: Quantitative Indicators

• Number of Renovation Passports issued and applied to actual renovation projects
• Number of renovations or building management projects making use of enhanced and integrated building assessment schemes (EPCs, SRI and IEQ) and data repositories (DBL)
• Number of relevant stakeholders (e.g. building owners, service providers, financial institutions, one-stop-shops) actively using improved building-related data and services

Common Indicators for Both Scopes

All proposals must quantify impacts related to the following common indicators for the LIFE Clean Energy Transition sub-programme: primary energy savings triggered by the project (GWh/year), final energy savings triggered by the project (GWh/year), renewable energy generation triggered by the project (GWh/year), reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (tCO2-eq/year), and investments in sustainable energy (energy efficiency and renewable energy) triggered by the project (cumulative, in million Euro).

Results and impacts should be quantified for the end of the project and for 5 years after the end of the project. Proposals are not expected to address all listed impacts and indicators but should provide indicators specific to their proposed activities.

Key Requirements and Conditions

Consortium Requirements

• Minimum 3 applicants (beneficiaries, not affiliated entities) from 3 different eligible countries
• Solid consortium with complementary expertise strengthening technical and financial feasibility
• Clear definition of roles and responsibilities for each partner

Mandatory Project Components

• Pilot actions in real-life buildings or renovation projects demonstrating practical application, effectiveness and replicability
• Work package on sustainability, replication and exploitation of project results
• Communication, dissemination and visibility activities including networking with other LIFE projects
• Impact monitoring and evaluation
• Reporting of key performance indicators in the LIFE KPI web tool within first 9 months from grant signature and at project end
• Dedicated project page on beneficiaries' websites
• Exploitation plan including replication component or business plan including replication component

Policy Alignment

Proposals should contribute to the goals of the EU Renovation Wave strategy and help implement current building policies and strategic plans, notably the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and elements of the European Affordable Housing Plan relevant for building renovation. The topic supports the Better Homes partnerships bringing together stakeholders from the fragmented renovation chain.

Energy System Resilience

Given EU energy price increases and dependence on imported fossil fuels, applicants are invited where possible to develop and implement long-term structural sustainable and energy efficiency measures to enhance EU energy system resilience against future crises, in coherence with short-term energy relief measures.

Application Process and Submission

Applications must be submitted online via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal before the deadline of 16 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. This is a single-stage submission process. Applicants should use the standard application form (LIFE SAP and OAG) available in the Submission System.

Part A of the application form contains structured administrative information and is generated by the IT system based on information entered into Portal screens. Part B is a narrative technical description that must be downloaded, completed and uploaded as PDF. The application must include detailed budget tables, participant information, and supporting documents as specified in the call documentation.

Evaluation and Award Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on relevance, impact, implementation quality and resources. Evaluators will assess how well proposals address the call objectives, demonstrate credible and ambitious impacts, present realistic and well-structured work plans, and demonstrate adequate consortium capacity and resources.

Particular attention will be given to the ambition of impacts, credibility of impact calculations based on solid analysis and realistic assumptions, sustainability of project results after EU funding ends, catalytic potential for replication and upscaling, and quality of stakeholder engagement strategies.

Key Contacts and Support

The call is managed by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Applicants should consult the EU Funding and Tenders Portal for detailed call documentation, application forms, model grant agreements and online manuals. National Contact Points (NCPs) provide support to applicants in their respective countries. The IT Helpdesk is available for technical questions regarding portal access and proposal submission.

Important Considerations for Applicants

Applicants must ensure full compliance with eligibility criteria including financial and operational capacity requirements. All project activities must start after proposal submission unless explicitly authorised. Double funding from the EU budget is strictly prohibited. Proposals should clearly identify the scope (A or B) being addressed and justify any cross-scope elements. Pilot actions demonstrating practical application in real buildings are mandatory for all proposals.

Proposals should build on or complement results from other EU-funded projects, particularly Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe initiatives. Where relevant, proposals should explore synergies with the European Energy Efficiency Financing Coalition and other relevant working groups. For Scope B proposals, technological solutions may be employed as enablers but must not be the centre of the action.