Integrating circularity in LCA-based modelling frameworks for renovation of buildings (Built4People Partnership)

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Demonstration of measurable reductions in material flows, life cycle energy use and GHG emissions in building renovations that integrate circularity strategies to contribute to achieving net-zero whole life carbon buildings;
• More robust approach to current modelling frameworks to comprehensively reflect the complexity of circularity strategies in life cycle assessments at building scale.

Scope:

European buildings are increasingly adopting circularity strategies in renovations to reduce life cycle environmental impacts and improve resource efficiency in response to the requirements based on current frameworks, such as Level(s) and WLC models used by Member States based and EN 15978 standard. The complexity of these circularity strategies, such as material reuse and recycling, and addressing the changing nature of assessed systems with long life cycles are critical for achieving more reliable assessment results. Further work is needed to advance and achieve more detailed modelling frameworks that integrate circularity assessment with life cycle assessment, supporting the delivery of net-zero whole-life carbon buildings. Proposals should address all of the following:

• Develop a comprehensive modelling framework that integrates circularity assessment in life cycle, covering cradle to cradle system boundary;
• Apply the developed modelling framework to at least three real-life buildings in different climatic regions in different Member States or Associated Countries, for which renovation project developers have adopted ambitious circularity strategies to achieve zero whole-life carbon buildings. Circularity strategies should include reuse and/or recycle, as well as at least one of the following: reduce, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, and repurpose;
• Assess the embodied emissions (from materials, products, and construction processes) and operational emissions (from energy use for HVAC, DHW, electrical appliances, lighting) of the real-life buildings subjected to renovations during their entire life cycle, referencing life cycle stages in EN 15978.

This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘People-centric sustainable built environment’ (Built4People). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to contribute to the objectives of Built4People, transfer knowledge to its network of innovation clusters [1] and report on results in support of the monitoring of the Built4People KPIs. Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-8 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Activities may start at any TRL.

[1] https: //built4people.eu/b4pic_network/

Submissions open on 05 May 2027.

Part of call HORIZON-CL5-2027-05

Type of action: HORIZON Innovation Actions

Programme period: 2021 - 2027

Priorities: RePowerEU, PART-COPROGR, DigitalAgenda, AI

"> General conditions

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout

described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

2. Eligible Countries

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide .

3. Other Eligible Conditions

If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion

described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds

are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes

are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual .

5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement

described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexe