Grants for Future-Proofing Historical Buildings for the Clean Energy Transition

Deadline: 20-Apr-23

The European Commission (EC) is pleased to announce the proposals for Future-Proofing Historical Buildings for the Clean Energy Transition.

Scope

• Around a quarter of the existing building stock in Europe was built prior to the middle of the last century. Many such buildings not only reflect the unique character and identity of European cities, but also include essential infrastructure for housing, public buildings etc. A significant number of these have a poor energy performance, continue to use conventional and inefficient fossil fuel-based energy systems and are costly to renovate.
• Furthermore, changes in building use and higher indoor comfort expectations than in the past are driving up energy demand, a particular challenge when historical buildings are used or converted for residential, educational, retail, office or other purposes. Many recently developed renovation approaches are not adapted to the specific requirements of historical buildings. The process of future-proofing these buildings for the clean energy transition faces additional challenges compared to newer buildings, as it has to take into account architectural restrictions, as well as the specificities of the materials used in their construction, which does not respond well to renovation techniques used in modern buildings.

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).

Outcomes

• Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
  • Reduction of energy demand by at least 60%, preserving historical and cultural heritage values.
  • Reduction of on-site construction waste.
  • Improved lifetime renovation cost effectiveness compared to conventional renovation.
  • Improved comfort, Indoor Air Quality and Indoor Environmental Quality.
  • Significant reduction in maintenance costs.
  • Where possible, increased potential of successful installation of RES and improvement of smart readiness, in a way that respects the specificities of historical buildings.
  • Increased effectiveness and potential for replicability of the proposed solutions.

Eligibility Criteria

• To become a beneficiary, legal entities must be eligible for funding.
• To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
  • The Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions,
  • The Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States,
  • Countries associated to Horizon Europe,
  • The following low- and middle-income countries.

For more information, visit EC.