Assessing the effect of airport operations on air quality and noise in nearby communities

Overview

Funding for research projects assessing the impact of airport operations on air quality, noise, and water bodies in nearby communities, with a focus on real-world measurements, health impact analysis, and scalability. Targets research consortia, universities, and public or private entities with expertise in environmental monitoring, aviation emissions, and urban health.

Who Can Apply

Consortia of legal entities established in eligible countries, including universities, research institutions, public bodies, and private companies. Participation of airports or transport nodes as test sites is encouraged but not mandatory.

Funding Details

• Maximum grant amount: 13,500,000 EUR.
• Funding is provided as a lump sum, with eligible costs determined by the Horizon Europe lump sum model.

What Is Funded

• Real-time and real-world measurement of pollutant and noise emissions from airport operations, including ground activities, landing/take-off, and cruising phases.
• Differentiation of emission sources (e.g., exhaust, non-exhaust, resuspension of dust) and identification of pollutants.
• Pilot testing in two different airports (or complex transport nodes) to assess scalability and replicability.
• Investigation of health and environmental impacts of emissions (e.g., NOx, black carbon, tyre/brake particles) using gender-disaggregated data.
• Assessment of Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) and Ground Power Units (GPUs) on emissions and noise compared to conventional operations.
• Development of methodologies to evaluate health impacts of measured pollutants and noise in urban/rural communities near airports.
• Contribution to improved emission factors for inventories and projections (e.g., EMEP) to support emissions reduction plans.

Technology / Maturity Requirements

Projects must target Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4 to 6.

Key Dates

• Open date: 2026-12-14.
• Deadline: 2027-04-13.

Application Process (High-Level)

Single-stage application process via the Horizon Europe Submission System. Proposals must adhere to page limits and layout requirements outlined in the call documentation.

Geographic Scope & Language

Eligible countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, United Kingdom, Switzerland. Application language: English.

Notes

• Projects must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS for satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation, or timing data if applicable.
• Proposals should build on results from prior EU-funded projects (e.g., AVIATOR, nPETS, TUBE, ANIMA, NEEDED).
• The granting authority may object to transfers of ownership or exclusive licensing of results for up to four years post-project.