Innovative approaches for sustainable, inclusive and beautiful social and affordable housing

An increasing number of new building technologies and construction methods became available on the market in recent years that can make construction and renovation more sustainable¹³⁹. Current policies and regulations set ambitious standards (e.g. in terms of energy efficiency and carbon footprint), which come with higher initial investment costs, making the provision of sustainable, high-quality social and affordable housing in many European neighbourhoods a challenge.

Innovative approaches are necessary to make the best use of available building technologies and construction methods to improve climate adaptability and resilience and reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions and resource use in social and affordable housing while delivering housing that is affordable, inclusive¹⁴³ and improves well-being, in line with the European Commission’s Affordable Housing Initiative¹⁴⁴.

Proposals are expected to address all of the following:

• Develop innovative approaches for the construction of new buildings and the renovation or retrofitting of existing buildings in the social and affordable housing sector. These innovative approaches must relate to how construction and renovation services are defined, procured, delivered, financed and/or managed.
• Define and implement in two social and affordable housing projects two ambitious packages of measures that comprise building technologies and construction methods already on the market. One package of measures must be applied to a new construction and the other to a building renovation or retrofitting. They will address all of the following:
  • Use existing building technologies and construction methods that improve the efficiency and speed of construction and renovation or retrofitting (such as off-site construction, modular building systems, smart meters, big data analysis, sensors, and predictive maintenance).
  • Use environmentally sustainable practices, such as nature-based solutions[[ See definition in the Glossary section of the NEB part of the HE WP25.]] or carbon-storing materials to reduce energy consumption, carbon footprint, pollution, and resource use throughout the building's life cycle while also possibly increasing buildings’ resilience and adaptability to natural, including climate change-induced, and human-made hazards.
  • Ensure that social and affordable housing is aesthetically pleasing and contributes positively to the landscape of the place where it is located, while also respecting local context and the architectural heritage.
  • Improve the well-being, inclusion and general living conditions of all inhabitants.
  • For renovations or retrofitting only: minimise and mitigate, where possible, disruptions for residents and improve accessibility of buildings.

Social care homes, elderly houses, and other forms of inclusive housing with residential function complemented with social welfare are also considered as eligible for development and testing of cross-cutting innovative solutions developed by the projects.

To achieve this, project consortia may provide financial support to SMEs and social housing actors in the form of Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP). The amount to be granted to each third party may be a maximum of EUR 60 000.

Proposals are expected to follow a participatory and transdisciplinary approach[[ See definition on NEB working principles in the Glossary section of the NEB part of the HE WP255.]] through the integration of different actors (such as public authorities, local actors from the targeted neighbourhoods, civil society, private owners, etc.) and disciplines (such as architecture or design, arts, (civil) engineering, health, etc.).

This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.

Proposals are expected to dedicate at least 0.2% of their total budget to share their intermediate and final results and findings with the Coordination and Support Action 'New European Bauhaus hub for results and impact' (HORIZON-MISS-2024-NEB-01-03).