Expected outcomes

In line with the objectives of the Circular Economy and Zero Pollution Action Plan, the revision of the Construction Products Regulation112 the Waste Framework Directive87, but also the EU Construction transition pathway113 the successful proposals will facilitate the demonstration and deployment of sustainable bio-based construction materials. Successful proposals will also contribute to the implementation of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy and the updated EU Industrial Strategy.

Project results should contribute to the following expected outcomes:

• Uptake of circular bio-based solutions in construction and renovation of buildings, with
  possible spillovers to other large volume markets (e.g., transport and furniture).
• Bio-based materials performance meeting market and regulatory requirements.
• Improved environmental and health & safety profile compared to current equivalent, conventional products.
• Contribution to improved air quality (including indoor air quality) by preventing air pollution.
• Increased end user/consumer awareness and acceptance of SSbD bio-based solutions.

Scope

Buildings produce about 40% of the world’s CO2 emissions, throughout the phases of material production, construction, useful life of the construction facility and end-of-life of its components, contributing to environmental pollution. To meet the increasing demand for sustainable, circular, energy efficient buildings and construction materials, there is a need to adopt cost effective, environmentally appropriate technologies and upgrade traditional techniques to increase circularity. Bio-based materials and products can often provide more sustainable and circular solutions and at the same time confer useful functional properties. At the same time, their scalability and environmental sustainability needs to be clearly demonstrated compared to conventional building materials.

Proposals under this topic should:

• Demonstrate bio-based products with tailored functional properties for large-scale applications in construction and renovation of buildings. Products in scope are functional elements such as (but not limited to) acoustic and thermal insulation panels, façade elements, interior fittings, foams, membranes, door structures, window frames. Examples of target functionalities include durability; fire retardancy; water barrier, moisture transfer, antimicrobial, antifungal/mould prevention, corrosion prevention among others. While the primary focus should be on construction and building products, proposals can also consider replication of the developed solutions in other large market sectors such as transport and furniture among others.
• Assess the compatibility of the innovative solutions developed with the built environment in terms of materials and of planning, construction, maintenance, renovation and/or demolition practices. Assess the compliance of products with the relevant regulatory framework and provide recommendations to overcome any identified bottleneck. Perform field trials of the newly developed materials and products involving end users (assessment, training and awareness raising). When applicable, test the compatibility with other components relevant to the final application.
• Ensure health and safety requirements of workers and end users/consumers are met, including indoor air quality benefits when applicable.
• Demonstrate improved environmental profiles compared to conventional (fossil or biobased) materials in the production, use phase and end of life (including disassembly for easier recycling where applicable, reduction of waste and sustainable waste management).
• Demonstrate sustainable and resource efficient production routes.
• Include a task to integrate assessment based on the safe-and-sustainable-by-design (SSbD) framework, developed by the European Commission, for assessing the safety and sustainability of chemicals and materials. Under this context, projects are expected to contribute with and develop recommendations that can advance further the application of the SSbD framework.

Proposals should seek for links and complementarities and avoid overlaps with past, ongoing and upcoming EU funded projects, including those funded under H2020, HEU and the BBI JU and CBE JU. Synergies with projects from Processes4Planet and the New European Bauhaus Academy initiative are encouraged. Proposals should also describe their contribution to the Specific CBE JU requirements, presented in section 2.2.3.1.