Deadline: 23-Sep-21
European Commission calls for proposals for Digital Permits and Compliance Checks for Buildings and Infrastructure.
Scope
Proposals should:
- Develop and demonstrate novel ways of digitalising permitting and compliance processes for construction works;
- Demonstrate new tools and solutions for the storing, processing, analysis and retrieval of administrative and regulatory information related to construction works; and facilitate stakeholders to consult the current status of the process at all times. The new solutions should make use of neutral data formats, addressing rule interpretation and machine-readable information, and supporting analysis and exploitation of relevant digitalised acts, regulations, requirements and standards;
- Ensure that the new solutions are interoperable and integrated, where relevant, with other relevant tools, databases and processes. These can include Building Information Models (BIM), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), public registries, Life Cycle Analysis data, digital twins including those of greater scale (e.g. city, regional or national level) with support for enabling Augmented Reality/Virtual reality and additional novel features, 3D cadastre, digital building logbooks, and models of larger scale of the built environment, including those that are handled by public authorities. Proposals should ensure that spatial information, where relevant, aligns with the aims of the INSPIRE Directive;
- Ensure that the new solutions developed can handle a wide variety of relevant data, for example spatial and location data relating to the buildings or infrastructure and their context; urban height limits and setbacks; visual corridors or protected views; environmental information such as flood risk models and protected trees; cultural heritage rules and protections; utilities and services including energy, water and telecoms infrastructure;
- Develop solutions that harness the potential of digitalisation to accelerate processes and improve productivity, open up new methods of working and business models. For example, proposals should make use of disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, algorithm based checks, Human Aided Design and Compliance;
- Address potential barriers to the use of digital building permits and compliance checks including knowledge gaps, technology deployment, standards, and the regulatory and policy context;
- Take into account the wide range of actors involved in applying for, receiving and using permits and the related compliance (e.g. design, engineering and other construction professionals, researchers, industry especially SMEs, and public authorities), taking into consideration questions of accessibility, inclusivity including gender issues, and user acceptance;
- Take into account the international contexts and developments in construction-related data including BIM and GIS but also the capacities and opportunities presented in different parts of Europe. Proposals should therefore build on previous research, such as the outputs of the DigiPLACE project;
- Address the potential for upskilling and re-skilling of the construction value chain as a result of the innovation;
- Contribute to an EU-wide framework for the digitalisation and automation of machine readable permits and compliance checks for construction works, including by collaborating with similar projects including those funded under this call;
- Develop technical guidelines and semantic models applicable to different EU countries.
Funding Information
The check will normally be done for the coordinator if the requested grant amount is equal to or greater than EUR 500 000, except for:
- public bodies (entities established as a public body under national law, including local, regional or national authorities) or international organisations; and
- cases where the individual requested grant amount is not more than EUR 60 000 (lowvalue grant)
Expected Outcomes
Projects are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:
- Efficiency and productivity gains in design and construction processes;
- Fewer errors in planning, design and construction processes;
- Automated, faster, more accurate and more efficient permitting and compliance for construction works (e.g. regulatory, health and safety, performance);
- Improved build quality and resource efficiency in construction, in line with the aims of the New European Bauhaus initiative.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions;
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States
- eligible non-EU countries:
- countries associated to Horizon Europe;
- At the date of the publication of the work programme, there are no countries associated to Horizon Europe. Considering the Union’s interest to retain, in principle, relations with the countries associated to Horizon 2020, most third countries associated to Horizon 2020 are expected to be associated to Horizon Europe with an intention to secure uninterrupted continuity between Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. In addition, other third countries can also become associated to Horizon Europe during the programme. For the purposes of the eligibility conditions, applicants established in Horizon 2020 Associated Countries or in other third countries negotiating association to Horizon Europe will be treated as entities established in an Associated Country, if the Horizon Europe association agreement with the third country concerned applies at the time of signature of the grant agreement.
- low- and middle-income countries.
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