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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

This grant, part of the New European Bauhaus initiative under Horizon Europe, aims to fund research and innovation projects focused on bio-fabricated materials for sustainable and beautiful construction. The core objective is to develop and test at least two innovative bio-fabricated construction materials that can be produced at mass-scale, are competitively priced, and meet high sustainability and aesthetic standards. This is a SECTOR-SPECIFIC grant, primarily targeting the construction and materials engineering sectors, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, circularity, and regenerative design in the built environment. While the exact geographic scope is not detailed in the provided text, it refers to Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes for eligible countries, which typically includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. Key filtering criteria for applicants include a focus on cutting-edge bio-fabricated materials, high-tech manufacturing, and a commitment to comprehensive environmental, social, and economic impact assessments. This is a one-time call within the 2025 Work Programme for this specific topic.

Financial Structure

For this specific topic, 'HORIZON-NEB-2025-01-REGEN-02', the total budget available is EUR 10,000,000.0. The funder expects to award 2 grants under this call. Each individual grant will have a minimum contribution of EUR 5,000,000.0 and a maximum contribution of EUR 5,000,000.0. This indicates a fixed grant amount of EUR 5,000,000.0 per awarded project. Eligible and ineligible costs are not specifically itemized in the provided documents but would typically align with research and innovation activities, including personnel, equipment, travel, and other direct costs necessary for developing and testing the materials, conducting assessments (LCA, SLCA, LCC), and engaging in participatory activities. Financial and legal setup of grants, including financial reporting and audit requirements, are described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. The possibility of using lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme is also mentioned.

Eligibility Requirements

The grant is open to entities capable of conducting Research and Innovation Actions (RIA). While specific organization types like 'SME' or 'university' are not explicitly defined, RIAs typically involve a broad range of entities, including:

Research organizations
Universities
Businesses of various sizes (including startups, SMEs, and larger enterprises)
Other organizations with R&D capabilities in relevant fields.

Projects are required to involve a consortium, adopting a 'participatory and transdisciplinary approach'. This means your project must integrate diverse actors such as:

Public authorities
Local actors from targeted neighborhoods
Civil society organizations
Private owners

And bring together various disciplines, including:

Architecture
Design
Arts
(Civil) Engineering

Applicants must have the technical expertise to:

Develop and test innovative bio-fabricated construction materials.
Assess their properties (structural, mechanical, thermal, acoustic, health-related, durability, aesthetic).
Study the feasibility for mass-scale production, potentially utilizing advanced manufacturing techniques (e.g., 3D printing, robotics, BIM, AI).
Conduct rigorous assessments like Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA), and Life Cycle Costing (LCC).

General conditions regarding admissibility, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, and exclusion criteria are outlined in the respective Annexes (A, B, C, E) of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. The specific list of eligible countries is not provided in the grant text but is referenced as being in Annex B.

Application Process

The application process for this grant follows a single-stage submission procedure.

Submission Deadline: The final date and time for submitting your proposal is 2025-11-12 00:00:00+00:00.
Application Procedure: Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Funding & Tenders Portal's Electronic Submission Service. You will need to access the submission system via the specific topic link.
Required Documentation:
- Proposals must adhere to the page limits and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
- The specific layout for Part B of the Application Form is available in the Submission System.
- Applicants will use the standard application form for 'HE RIA, IA' actions.
Supporting Materials: No specific additional supporting materials are explicitly listed beyond the main proposal.
Application Assistance: Extensive support is available through various channels:
- Online Manual: Guides you through the procedures from proposal submission to grant management.
- Horizon Europe Programme Guide: Provides detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities of Horizon Europe.
- Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ: Answers common questions on submission, evaluation, and grant management.
- Research Enquiry Service: For general questions about European research.
- National Contact Points (NCPs): Provide guidance and assistance within participating countries.
- Enterprise Europe Network: Offers advice, particularly for SMEs, including guidance on EU research funding.
- IT Helpdesk: For technical issues with the Funding & Tenders Portal.
- European IPR Helpdesk: For intellectual property issues.
- CEN-CENELEC and ETSI Research Helpdesks: Advise on standardization in project proposals.
- Partner Search: A tool to find partner organizations for your consortium.
Project Implementation Timeline: The grant duration is not specified but is subject to the project plan outlined by applicants and typically spans several years for RIA projects.
Reporting Obligations: These, along with key milestones and deliverables, are part of the legal and financial setup of grants described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on how well they address the grant's objectives and expected outcomes. While the exact scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes (not provided), the grant text highlights several critical areas for evaluation:

Innovation and Technical Excellence:
- Development and testing of at least two innovative sustainable bio-fabricated construction materials.
- Materials must demonstrate novel features (e.g., self-repair, climate adaptation, carbon storage, extended lifespan) and be suitable for interior, exterior, or structural use.
- Thorough assessment of material properties (structural, mechanical, thermal, acoustic, health, durability, aesthetic) considering varying environmental conditions.
- Demonstrated feasibility for mass-scale production and affordability, potentially leveraging high-technological manufacturing (3D printing, robotics, BIM, AI).
Impact and Sustainability:
- Validation of environmental contribution through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to reduce whole life carbon emissions.
- Analysis of social and economic impacts throughout the material's life cycle, using Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC).
- Alignment with broader Horizon Europe impacts, such as contributing to a health-promoting environment, climate-neutrality, circularity, biodiversity recovery, and sustainable urban/rural areas.
Quality of the Participatory and Transdisciplinary Approach:
- Effective integration of diverse actors (public authorities, local communities, civil society, private owners) and disciplines (architecture, design, arts, engineering).
- Solutions must be user-centred and place-based, connecting with local cultural identity and heritage, and addressing the needs of all people, including minorities, vulnerable, and underrepresented groups. This aims to strengthen societal resilience and a sense of belonging.
Compliance and Knowledge Sharing:
- Adherence to relevant EU standards and regulatory frameworks for construction materials.
- Commitment to dedicate at least 0.2% of the total project budget to share intermediate and final results with the 'New European Bauhaus hub for results and impact' (HORIZON-MISS-2024-NEB-01-03) Coordination and Support Action.

Successful proposals will clearly demonstrate their contribution to making bio-fabricated materials better known and accepted by professionals, and how they can be produced sustainably at competitive costs.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Projects funded under this grant must adhere to several compliance and special requirements:

Regulatory Compliance: All developed bio-fabricated construction materials must comply with relevant EU standards and regulatory frameworks.
Data Protection and Privacy: The Funding & Tenders Portal's Privacy Statement applies to the submission process.
Ethical Standards: While not explicitly detailed, the focus on 'user-centred and place-based' solutions, inclusivity (benefiting minorities, vulnerable, and underrepresented groups), and strengthening 'sense of belonging' implies strong ethical considerations in project implementation and outcomes.
Intellectual Property (IP): While specific IP policies are not detailed, the mention of the European IPR Helpdesk as a support resource suggests that IP management will be a crucial aspect of awarded projects, with standard Horizon Europe IP rules likely applying.
Unique Aspects:
- The grant is strongly aligned with the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative, emphasizing projects that are 'beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive'.
- A specific requirement is to dedicate at least 0.2% of the total project budget to share intermediate and final results with the 'New European Bauhaus hub for results and impact' (HORIZON-MISS-2024-NEB-01-03) Coordination and Support Action. This underscores the importance of knowledge dissemination within the NEB ecosystem.
Cross-cutting themes: The grant emphasizes AI (Artificial Intelligence) and the Digital Agenda as cross-cutting priorities, specifically mentioning the use of AI in combination with BIM and digital fabrication. 'Gender in industrial biotechnologies' is also listed as a keyword, indicating gender aspects may be considered.
Legal Framework: Projects must comply with the overarching legal framework of Horizon Europe, including the HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, and EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509.
Risk Management: While not explicitly detailed, risk management would be an expected component of project planning for Research and Innovation Actions.

Grant Details