Reverse local construction supply chains for the beautiful re-assembly of reclaimed construction products

The Horizon Europe grant opportunity HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-BUSINESS-03 focuses on promoting advanced circular economy principles in the construction industry through innovative reassembly of reclaimed materials. This initiative targets innovative solutions that enhance the aesthetics and environmental value of construction products while aligning with the New European Bauhaus values.

Eligible applicants include a diverse range of actors such as public authorities, local businesses, civil society organizations, NGOs, private companies, universities, and research institutes. Proposals must involve collaborative efforts integrating various sectors and disciplines, emphasizing a participatory, transdisciplinary approach.

The funding type is a grant under the Horizon Europe Lump Sum model, specifically designed to support research and innovation actions. The total indicative budget for this opportunity is €12 million, with individual project contributions likely ranging from €1 million to €5 million.

The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries, with a requirement that projects involve at least three member states or associated countries. The focus areas for projects lie in construction, circular economy practices, urban development, and environmental sustainability, particularly concentrating on topics like modular construction and resource-efficient designs.

Projects are expected to target validation and demonstration stages, aligning with Technology Readiness Levels of 6 to 8. The application process operates on a single-stage open call, with a submission deadline of November 12, 2025. Success rates for such grants are generally competitive, estimated around 10% to 39%.

There are no specified co-funding requirements for this grant, as it is structured to cover 100% of eligible costs through lump sum funding. Proposals should focus on developing innovative approaches to enhance economic, environmental, and aesthetic values while creating new revenue opportunities tied to the reuse of reclaimed construction materials.

The overarching aim of this initiative is to galvanize innovative, sustainable practices within the construction sector, thereby contributing to a circular economy and fostering community engagement through integrated solutions.

This is a summary of the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) call for proposals titled "A research agenda for a beautiful, inclusive and sustainable transformation of neighbourhoods (HORIZON-NEB-2025-01)". The primary focus is on reverse local construction supply chains for the beautiful re-assembly of reclaimed construction products, specifically under topic HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-BUSINESS-03.

The call aims to foster innovative approaches to safely and sustainably re-assemble construction products, enhancing the aesthetic and cultural value of the built environment in line with the New European Bauhaus (NEB) values. It seeks to increase the re-assembly of construction products at neighborhood, local, and regional levels and to provide scientific evidence on the social, cultural, economic, and environmental benefits of this practice.

The scope of the call emphasizes the importance of the re-assembly stage in integrating reclaimed construction products into new applications. It highlights the need for knowledge about the historical uses and characteristics of these products, as well as traceability of their condition and displacement. Digital tools like Digital Product Passports and reverse construction supply chains, following circular economy principles, are considered key for effective management and reuse.

Proposals should explore innovative approaches to re-assemble construction products, increasing their economic, environmental, and aesthetic value. They should consider the environmental footprint of reassembled products and the availability of reclaimed materials at the local or regional level, building upon existing circular construction networks and logistics hubs. Validation of new value, revenue streams, and business opportunities is also expected.

A participatory and transdisciplinary approach is required, involving various actors such as public authorities, local communities, material suppliers, and experts from fields like architecture, urban design, engineering, economics, and arts. Grantees are expected to dedicate 0.2% of their total budget to share their results with the Coordination and Support Action 'New European Bauhaus hub for results and impact' (HORIZON-MISS-2024-NEB-01-03).

The general conditions for participation include admissibility, eligibility of countries, financial and operational capacity, and exclusion criteria, all detailed in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Eligible costs will be reimbursed as a lump sum, as defined by the relevant EU decision.

Application forms, evaluation templates, model grant agreements, and guidance documents are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Additional documents include the Horizon Europe Work Programme, the Framework Programme, Specific Programme Decision, EU Financial Regulation, and rules for legal entity validation.

The budget overview lists several topics under the call, including:

HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-BUSINESS-01 (HORIZON-IA): EUR 12,000,000, indicative grant amount around EUR 6,000,000, 2 grants
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-BUSINESS-02 (HORIZON-IA): EUR 12,000,000, indicative grant amount around EUR 4,000,000, 3 grants
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-BUSINESS-03 (HORIZON-RIA): EUR 12,000,000, indicative grant amount around EUR 4,000,000, 3 grants
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-PARTICIPATION-01 (HORIZON-RIA): EUR 10,500,000, indicative grant amount around EUR 3,500,000, 3 grants
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-PARTICIPATION-02 (HORIZON-RIA): EUR 9,000,000, indicative grant amount around EUR 3,000,000, 3 grants
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-PARTICIPATION-03 (HORIZON-IA): EUR 10,400,000, indicative grant amount around EUR 5,200,000, 2 grants
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-PARTICIPATION-04 (HORIZON-CSA): EUR 2,500,000, indicative grant amount around EUR 2,500,000, 1 grant
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-REGEN-01 (HORIZON-IA): EUR 16,000,000, indicative grant amount around EUR 8,000,000, 2 grants
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-REGEN-02 (HORIZON-RIA): EUR 10,000,000, indicative grant amount around EUR 5,000,000, 2 grants
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-REGEN-03 (HORIZON-RIA): EUR 8,000,000, indicative grant amount around EUR 4,000,000, 2 grants
HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-REGEN-04 (HORIZON-IA): EUR 16,000,000, indicative grant amount around EUR 8,000,000, 2 grants

The opening date for submissions is May 6, 2025, and the deadline is November 12, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call seeks to promote innovative and sustainable practices in the construction sector by encouraging the re-assembly of reclaimed construction products. It aims to create new business models, enhance the aesthetic value of buildings, and contribute to a circular economy, aligning with the goals of the New European Bauhaus initiative. The call requires a transdisciplinary approach and emphasizes the importance of local and regional collaboration.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity is open to a wide range of actors, including public authorities, local actors from targeted neighborhoods, civil society, private owners, material suppliers, architecture firms, urban design firms, design firms, arts organizations, engineering firms, economics experts, finance experts, and businesses. This suggests eligibility for startups, SMEs, large enterprises, universities, research institutes, nonprofits, and governmental bodies.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, under the Horizon Europe Programme. There are different types of actions that can be funded, including HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA).

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to strongly encourage or require a consortium, as it emphasizes a participatory and transdisciplinary approach, involving the integration of different actors and disciplines.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The opportunity is part of the Horizon Europe program, which generally includes EU member states, associated countries, and potentially some non-EU countries, depending on specific provisions. The text mentions that 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 construction sector, with a focus on circular economy principles, sustainable building practices, renovation, reuse of construction products, and the built environment. It also touches on areas like architecture, urban design, arts, engineering, economics, finance, and digital technologies related to product traceability. The New European Bauhaus values of sustainability, inclusion, and beauty are central to the program.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are explicitly mentioned, but the program falls under the Horizon Europe framework, implying eligibility for EU member states and associated countries. The text also mentions non-EU/non-Associated Countries that may have specific provisions for funding.

Project Stage: The opportunity targets a range of project stages, from research and innovation (RIA) to innovation actions (IA) and coordination and support actions (CSA). This suggests that projects can be at the development, validation, demonstration, or even commercialization/scale-up stages, depending on the specific action type.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic and type of action. The budget overview provides the following ranges:
HORIZON-IA: around €4,000,000 to around €8,000,000
HORIZON-RIA: around €3,000,000 to around €5,000,000
HORIZON-CSA: around €2,500,000

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.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the potential competitiveness.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement. However, Horizon Europe projects often encourage or require some level of co-funding, which would be detailed in the specific call documents.

Summary: This Horizon Europe funding opportunity, under the New European Bauhaus initiative, aims to promote innovative and sustainable practices in the construction sector by supporting projects focused on the re-assembly and reuse of reclaimed construction products. The program encourages a transdisciplinary and participatory approach, involving a wide range of stakeholders from public authorities to private companies and research institutions. Projects should explore innovative approaches to increase the economic, environmental, and aesthetic value of buildings and building ensembles, while also creating new business opportunities and revenue streams. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and the application process is a single-stage open call. The geographic scope is primarily EU member states and associated countries, with potential eligibility for some non-EU countries. The opportunity encompasses various project stages, from research and innovation to innovation actions and coordination and support, with funding amounts varying accordingly.