Introducing circular economy models in the construction sector, from buildings to city scale

Overview

Funding for projects that develop and demonstrate tools, solutions, and business models to integrate circular economy principles in the construction sector at building, district, and city levels. Targets consortia involving cities, construction stakeholders, and local authorities to reduce material use, GHG emissions, and regulatory barriers.

Who Can Apply

Consortia comprising at least three cities (each from a different EU Member State or Associated Country), with at least one being among the 112 cities in the EU Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities. Eligible applicants include local authorities, public bodies, private entities (e.g., SMEs, construction firms), research institutions, and civil society organizations.

Funding Details

• Maximum grant amount: €10,000,000 per project.
• Funding form: Lump sum.
• Total budget: Not specified.
• Co-funding: Not explicitly stated (assumed 100% funding for eligible costs under lump-sum model).

What Is Funded

• Development and demonstration of tools/solutions for circular construction at district or city level, including:

- Urban mining, reuse/recycling of construction materials, and use of secondary biobased materials. - Innovative building design, renovation, and repurposing aligned with waste prevention and circular economy principles. - Diagnosis and performance characterization of used construction products/demolition waste, including inventories and marketplace tools (e.g., material banks). - Whole life-cycle GHG emissions inventories for buildings to support decision-making under the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).

• Reduction of regulatory barriers and development of standards.
• Integration of value chains and stakeholder engagement (e.g., SMEs, building owners, policy-makers, civil society).
• Demonstration in at least three cities, with cross-border reuse potential.

Technology / Maturity Requirements

• Initial TRL: 4–6 (proposals must target TRL 7–8 by project end).

Key Dates

• Open date: 2026-02-03.
• Deadline: 2026-10-07T22:00:00Z.

Application Process (High-Level)

• Single-stage submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal.
• Proposals must include a detailed budget table (lump-sum format) and adhere to page limits outlined in the Horizon Europe Work Programme.

Post-Award Obligations

• Collaboration: Formalize cooperation with the Cities Mission Platform via a Memorandum of Understanding post-award.
• Dissemination: Dedicated actions to promote results on platforms such as the Cities Mission Platform, New European Bauhaus hub, and Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI).
• Clustering: Engage with relevant Horizon Europe projects for synergies and joint dissemination.

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

• Cities must participate as beneficiaries, with explicit consent from local authorities if not directly represented.
• Projects must align with the EU Missions, New European Bauhaus, and Circular Cities and Regions Initiative.
• Lump-sum funding model applies; costs are pre-defined and not subject to detailed reporting.