ExpectedOutcome:
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- Increased number of innovative solutions and packages for sustainable construction and renovation.
- Increased number of options for built-environment decarbonisation pathways towards zero-emission buildings considering the whole value chain at local or regional level.
- Increased engagement and participation of the whole value chain in local and regional innovation clusters.
- Reduced time from first demonstration to market of sustainable renovation solutions.
- Increased awareness and improved access at a local or regional level to information on construction products for reuse and circular businesses.
- Creation of new business opportunities with reduced risk for investment in the circular economy.
- Enhanced engagement amongst communities, businesses, local and regional governments, and the extended construction value chain, e.g. materials and equipment, manufacturers, construction companies.
Scope:
To improve the energy efficiency, circularity and sustainability of the built environment there is a need to develop and apply integrated approaches that demonstrate, in practice, achievable pathways for decarbonisation of the building stock through a whole life carbon approach, including temporary carbon storage in built works (e.g. thanks to wood-based products). This means developing and integrating new design techniques allowing for deconstruction and reuse; new products and components that can be dismantled and reused; and new products and components for construction works that incorporate reused and recycled elements and materials. In addition, there is a need to deploy and test through a value chain approach the enabling conditions that facilitate the integration of the innovations outlined above in planning, design, budgeting, procurement, construction practice, insurance, and related administrative and regulatory processes.
Proposals are expected to address all of the following:
- Demonstrate a value chain approach and pilot decarbonisation pathways in at least two deconstruction/re-use/construction demonstrators and supply chain approaches of market-scale renovations.
- Demonstrate low disruptive and simpler construction and retrofitting processes, which facilitate a life cycle-based approach that fosters alignment with EU Level(s) framework indicators.
- Test the enabling conditions (technological, social, and policy) that can boost innovation and reduce time from research to market of sustainable renovation solutions.
- Establish and operate demonstrative regulatory sandboxes that allow to deploy and test innovation pathways for decarbonisation of buildings at a meaningful scale with the involvement of the whole value chain at local level.
- Where relevant, explore fast tracking of cost-effective standardisation of innovative sustainable renovation solutions.
- Where relevant, investigate non-standard contractual relationships within the design-construction-client project team, including ‘as a service’ approaches for the built environment.
- Develop solutions that can stimulate the market for reused construction products at a regional level in support of the Renovation Wave and which can contribute to increased rate and depth of renovation in order to reach climate neutrality by 2050, in particular in critical segments of the building stocks such as e.g. public buildings or social housing.
- Develop design solutions that address inclusion and accessibility and leading to documented improvements in comfort and health aspects, whilst reducing emissions from the built environment and enhancing climate change resilience.
- Contribute to the activities of the Built4People partners and to the Built4People network of innovation clusters.
This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise (including social innovation), in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.
This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘People-centric sustainable built environment’ (Built4People). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on results to the European Partnership ‘People-centric sustainable built environment’ (Built4People) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs.
Specific Topic Conditions:
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-8 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
