Objective:
The European Social Innovation Competition- the Challenge Prize 2022 will focus on ‘the future of living, innovation for affordable, and sustainable housing districts’.
The objective of the New European Bauhaus movement is to re-invent our current way of living to meet the goals of the European Green Deal. By creatively addressing the way we construct and renovate our city buildings, major determinants of greenhouse gas emissions, the EU Bauhaus Initiative aims to engage citizens and all relevant actors to ignite a cultural change leading to more sustainable living. The ‘Renovation Wave for Europe strategy is pivotal to contributing to this aim and to achieving a successful EU post-COVID recovery and long-term green transition. Beyond addressing energy poverty of the current building stock in the EU, the Renovation Wave – and the Affordable Housing Initiative in particular - represents a chance to rethink and restore not only the economic activities linked to renovation of buildings and housing districts, but also the way we live in them.
Social innovation can be a driver to make housing districts not only spaces to live, but also more livable, sustainable, inclusive and closer to the residents’ needs. Social innovation in this case can boost employment and improve energy efficiency, while ensuring cities’ and regions’ sustainability and citizens’ well-being. When approached from an innovative perspective, renovation of buildings shifts from a cost into an opportunity for local creativity and business’ market.
Against this background, the European Social Innovation Competition - the Challenge Prize 2022 will support proposals coming from social innovators and bringing forward innovations expected to generate economic and/or societal benefits (i.e. positive impacts on employment, societal, environmental, scientific, vulnerable groups etc.). Gender-sensitive solutions with regards to energy consumption, mobility patterns, waste management, and other sustainable living aspects should be taken into account, where relevant.[
In addition to non-technological social innovations, the competition will look for projects with a particular focus on breakthrough, market-creating and deep-tech innovations embracing the policy objectives of this year’s editions, which will boost innovation within housing districts and, consequently, will have an impact on local prosperity and sustainability.
Expected results
The European Social Innovation Challenge Prize aims at raising awareness about social innovation across a wide audience, sparking the creation of new socially innovative ideas, creating a network of like-minded practitioners and supporting finalists to transform early-stage ideas into structured businesses.
Indicative time for evaluation and award of prizes
The jury evaluation is planned to take place between May and October 2022. Applicants will be informed of the outcome in the fourth quarter of 2022.
