EU Funds Climate-Resilient Building Projects
The EU's Built4People Partnership is increasing support for low-carbon and climate-resilient building stock through its latest Horizon Europe funding call, which closed on February 17. The partnership expects funded projects to deliver replicable and scalable planning methods that embed circularity and decarbonization. Proposals were required to quantify whole-life carbon performance and actively involve municipalities and citizens in their design.
- The Built4People Partnership is a co-programmed European partnership under Horizon Europe's Cluster 5 for "Climate, Energy and Mobility," running from 2021 to 2027. It plans to channel approximately €380 million in EU funding, matched by private investment, to support innovation in the built environment sector. This initiative is aligned with the European Green Deal, the Renovation Wave strategy, and the New European Bauhaus. - A central pillar of the EU's strategy is the "Renovation Wave," launched in 2020, which aims to at least double the annual energy renovation rate of buildings by 2030, targeting the renovation of 35 million buildings. This is a critical component for achieving the EU's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings by 60% by 2030, as buildings are responsible for 40% of the EU's energy consumption and 36% of its greenhouse gas emissions. - The Netherlands has set a national goal of achieving a fully circular economy by 2050, with a 50% reduction in the use of primary abiotic raw materials by 2030. The construction sector is a key focus area within this transition, with initiatives like the 'Circular Construction 2023' platform and various "Green Deals" aimed at accelerating the adoption of circular practices. - Dutch building regulations, such as the Buildings Decree (Bouwbesluit), mandate minimum energy performance levels for new construction and renovations. Furthermore, the Environmental Performance of Buildings (MPG) provides a score based on a life-cycle assessment of the materials used, with new residential buildings and large offices required to meet a specific threshold. - Digital tools are becoming increasingly important for achieving circularity in the construction sector. The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) anticipates a framework for a 'digital building logbook' to track materials and components throughout a building's lifecycle. This aligns with Dutch efforts to promote tools like Building Information Modelling (BIM) in procurement processes. - Horizon Europe, the EU's key funding program for research and innovation for 2021-2027, has an indicative budget of €93.5 billion to tackle climate change and boost competitiveness. Specific missions under this program, such as the one on Adaptation to Climate Change, aim to support at least 150 European regions and communities in becoming climate-resilient by 2030. - The construction sector is a priority in the EU's Circular Economy Action Plan, as construction and demolition waste is the largest waste stream in the EU. Upcoming legislation, such as the Circular Economy Act expected in 2026, will aim to create a single market for secondary raw materials and further incentivize recycling and reuse.
