Deadline: 15-Sep-2026
The European Commission has launched a Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action (RIA) to support research on improving the usability, inclusiveness, and effectiveness of smart and energy-efficient building systems. The initiative has a total funding allocation of €15,750,000 and seeks to generate evidence on how different social and demographic groups interact with smart building technologies while improving energy performance, occupant wellbeing, and sustainability outcomes.
Program Overview
The programme aims to strengthen understanding of how people from different social and demographic backgrounds perceive, interact with, and use smart and energy-efficient building systems. The initiative recognizes that technological performance alone is insufficient and that user behaviour, cultural contexts, social conditions, and accessibility factors play a significant role in determining the success of smart building solutions.
The programme supports research that improves building systems so they become more user-friendly, inclusive, secure, resilient, sustainable, and effective throughout the building lifecycle.
Strong integration of Social Sciences and Humanities disciplines is required to ensure that proposed solutions create meaningful societal impact and address diverse user needs.
Focus Areas and Program Objectives
The programme addresses several research and innovation priorities.
Key focus areas include:
• Smart and integrated energy-efficient building systems
• Physiological factors affecting building use
• Behavioural factors influencing building interaction
• Social influences on technology adoption
• Environmental influences on building performance
• Cultural influences on user preferences
• Occupant satisfaction
• Health and wellbeing outcomes
• Energy savings and performance
• Climate resilience
• Building accessibility
• Sustainability throughout building life cycles
• Security and resilience of smart systems
• Social inclusion and usability
Expected Outcomes
Projects funded through this initiative are expected to contribute to several outcomes.
Expected outcomes include:
• Increased understanding of user interactions with smart buildings
• Improved building usability across different populations
• Better energy efficiency performance
• Enhanced occupant satisfaction
• Improved health and wellbeing outcomes
• Greater accessibility and inclusiveness
• Reduced environmental impacts
• Increased climate resilience
• Improved lifecycle sustainability
Research Priorities
Applicants are expected to investigate multiple dimensions of smart building performance.
Research activities may include:
• Studying how people perceive smart systems
• Assessing behavioural responses to technology
• Examining social and cultural influences
• Measuring energy performance impacts
• Evaluating health and wellbeing outcomes
• Understanding accessibility challenges
• Investigating long-term building lifecycle effects
Role of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH)
The programme requires meaningful involvement of Social Sciences and Humanities expertise.
SSH disciplines are expected to help:
• Understand user behaviour
• Assess social acceptance factors
• Examine cultural influences
• Improve inclusiveness
• Support evidence-based design approaches
• Maximize societal impact
Built4People Partnership Contribution
Funded projects are expected to support the objectives of the Built4People partnership.
Contributions include:
• Supporting people-centric building innovation
• Strengthening sustainable built environments
• Sharing knowledge with innovation clusters
• Reporting outcomes through Built4People Key Performance Indicators
Joint Research Centre Support
Projects may consider involving the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.
Potential support areas include:
• Scientific advice
• Technical analysis
• Research-to-standards support
• Access to research infrastructure
• Full-scale building testing support
Key Concepts Explained
Smart buildings refer to buildings equipped with technologies that automatically monitor, control, and optimize systems such as energy use, lighting, heating, ventilation, and security.
Energy-efficient building systems are technologies and processes designed to reduce energy consumption while maintaining comfort and operational performance.
Building lifecycle performance refers to evaluating a building’s effectiveness throughout planning, construction, operation, maintenance, and end-of-life stages.
Social inclusion in building systems means ensuring that technologies and environments are accessible and usable for people with different abilities, backgrounds, and demographic characteristics.
Funding Information
Funding details include:
• Programme: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA)
• Call identifier: HORIZON-CL5-2026-09-D4-01
• Total funding available: €15,750,000
• Funding framework: Horizon Europe
Who is Eligible?
Participation is open to organizations that meet Horizon Europe eligibility requirements.
Eligible applicants include:
• Legal entities established in EU Member States
• Legal entities established in Horizon Europe Associated Countries
• Research institutions
• Universities
• Public organizations
• Private organizations
• Innovation and technology stakeholders
Restrictions include:
• Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in Research and Innovation Actions or Innovation Actions under this destination.
Why This Opportunity Matters
Buildings account for significant energy use and environmental impacts. However, technological efficiency alone does not guarantee successful outcomes. Human behaviour, accessibility, social contexts, and cultural factors strongly influence how building systems perform in practice.
Potential long-term impacts include:
• Better adoption of smart technologies
• Improved quality of life for occupants
• Reduced energy consumption
• Increased climate resilience
• Stronger sustainability outcomes
• More inclusive built environments
Tips for Applicants
Applicants can strengthen proposals through clear interdisciplinary approaches.
Helpful tips include:
• Include strong Social Sciences and Humanities expertise
• Demonstrate user-centred research methods
• Address multiple demographic groups
• Present measurable impact indicators
• Include lifecycle considerations
• Align activities with Built4People objectives
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Common proposal weaknesses include:
• Limited social science integration
• Overemphasis on technology without user perspectives
• Weak accessibility considerations
• Lack of measurable outcomes
• Poor stakeholder engagement approaches
• Limited explanation of societal impact
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the primary objective of this programme?
The programme aims to improve the usability, inclusiveness, and effectiveness of smart and energy-efficient building systems.
How much funding is available?
The total budget available under the programme is €15,750,000.
What role do Social Sciences and Humanities play?
SSH disciplines help understand human behaviour, social factors, cultural influences, and inclusiveness requirements.
Can projects collaborate with the Joint Research Centre?
Yes. Projects may involve the Joint Research Centre for scientific and technical support.
What outcomes are expected?
Projects should improve energy efficiency, user satisfaction, accessibility, sustainability, and health and wellbeing outcomes.
Who can apply?
Legal entities from EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries may participate.
Can organizations established in China apply?
No. Legal entities established in China are not eligible for Research and Innovation Actions or Innovation Actions under this destination.
Conclusion
This Horizon Europe funding opportunity aims to strengthen understanding of how people interact with smart and energy-efficient buildings while promoting more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable building systems. By integrating technological innovation with social and behavioural insights, the programme seeks to create built environments that improve both environmental performance and human wellbeing.
For more information, visit European Commission.
