Call: EU community of "Integrated Home Renovation Services" practitioners

The specific objectives of the sub-programme "Clean Energy Transition" are the following:

• to develop, demonstrate and promote innovative techniques, methods and approaches for reaching the objectives of Union legislation and policy on the transition to sustainable renewable energy and increased energy efficiency, and to contribute to the knowledge base and to the application of best practice;
• to support the development, implementation, monitoring and enforcement of relevant Union legislation and policy on the transition to sustainable renewable energy or increased energy efficiency, including by improving governance at all levels, in particular through enhancing capacities of public and private actors and the involvement of civil society;
• to catalyse the large-scale deployment of successful technical and policy-related solutions for implementing relevant Union legislation on the transition to renewable energy or increased energy efficiency by replicating results, integrating related objectives into other policies and into public and private sector practices, mobilising investment and improving access to finance.

This sub-programme will fund the activities responding to the specific topics defined in the annual calls for proposals which are based on the list of priority topics. Other activities related to energy efficiency and renewable energy, which do not address the specific requirements of the calls defined under this sub-programme can be submitted to the calls under the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation sub-programme.

The sub-programme will aim at facilitating the transition toward an energy-efficient, renewable energy-based, climate-neutral and -resilient economy by funding coordination and support actions across Europe. These actions aim at breaking market barriers that hamper the socio-economic transition to sustainable energy, typically engaging multiple small and medium-size stakeholders, multiple actors including local and regional public authorities and non-profit organisations, and involving consumers.

The sub-programme will contribute to the implementation of the energy-related actions of the European Green Deal, including the ‘Renovation wave’ initiative for the building sector and will give due consideration to territories not connected to the European grids such as the EU outermost regions. It will contribute to the Just Transition objectives by accompanying the territories and the groups of citizens negatively affected by the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, by building capacity of actors and fostering clean energy investments, mainly in energy efficiency and locally available, sustainable, renewable energy sources. Activities related to technology development will not be included.

A significant part of this budget will be used to finance Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) under OAs grants for the four year period, whereas the possibility to finance SAPs is only foreseen as from 2023.

It will cover the following areas of intervention:

• Building a national, regional and local policy framework supporting the clean energy transition:

Increasing coherence of energy transition governance at different levels by enhancing multi-stakeholder dialogue and building the capacity of public authorities to deliver under the national energy and climate plans and/or other plans and strategies (e.g. just transition plans, long-term renovation strategies, strategies for the electrification of the transport system). Supporting the development and effective implementation of clean energy policies, including the relevant Union legislation on products and energy consumers, in the EU and third countries. Supporting actions that put into practice the enabling provisions included in the European legislation on clean energy.

• Accelerating technology roll-out, digitalisation, new services and business models and enhancement of the related professional skills on the market for the clean energy transition:

Providing support for the decarbonisation of the buildings, industry and tertiary sectors, by fostering market uptake of innovative solutions, including digitalization and circular design in line with the climate neutrality target. Accelerating the clean energy transition by enabling the development of new added-value services and innovative business models. The roll-out of technologies and innovative solutions needs to be accompanied by measures addressing market barriers including support to the development and deployment of new skills and frameworks (labels, certificates, technological and non-technological standards, e.g. for interoperability, etc.).

• Attracting private finance for sustainable energy:

To upscale investments in sustainable energy, different capital flows need to be made available by addressing both supply and demand of finance, and by using public funds effectively. Supply side activities include: data collection, methodology and evidence-based risk management; harmonisation of definition and measuring of sustainable investments; development of innovative financing mechanisms, products, services and practices; standardisation and aggregation of projects and investments; simplification of the process for investors; capacity building and dialogue. Activities should contribute to EU policy and legislation in the field of sustainable finance.

• Supporting the development of local and regional investment projects:

Build capacity of local public authorities and private investors, notably community collective investors. Facilitate dialogue with the financial sector to deliver sustainable energy investments, including tailored actions contributing to a fair society and to a just energy transition in EU regions most dependent on fossil fuels or carbon intensive processes. Promote public procurement of energy and resource efficient works, supplies and services. Support tailored approaches for local actors to develop investment concepts, implement organisational innovations and aggregate projects. Improve market conditions and develop new integrated services offers for sustainable energy in buildings, transport, ports, and SMEs.

• Involving and empowering citizens in the clean energy transition:

Support citizens in taking an active role in the clean energy transition, including targeted support for collective actions, community and citizen-led initiatives and development of new energy services and social innovations. Strengthen collaboration between local authorities and citizen-led initiatives. Support actions that contribute to alleviate energy poverty. Foster energy literacy and sustainable energy behaviour of citizens, in particular younger generations.

Objective:

This topic aims at developing an EU community of skilled practitioners actively involved in the local/regional implementation of "integrated home renovation services" in order to pool efforts, generate economies of scale and encourage convergence towards best practices.

Indeed, the market offer for building renovation in the private residential sector is fragmented, composed of a myriad of micro and small companies, and mostly uncoordinated. Coordinating and simplifying this offer can incentivise homeowners, nurture trust in renovation and ensure that minimum quality requirements are met, thereby increasing the rate of energy renovations across the EU, in line with objectives of the "Renovation Wave" strategy. The EU provides direct support to local implementation of "integrated home renovation services" through the Horizon 2020 and the LIFE Clean Energy Transition programmes, and the ELENA facility.

In addition, the present topic is intended to provide additional support to build bridges between existing and emerging local/regional initiatives. By fostering international collaboration and incremental innovation among "integrated home renovation services" providers, the objectives are to facilitate acceleration and quality uptake of home renovation services across Europe, support convergence towards minimum quality levels and streamlined standards, consolidate findings, debate and present coordinated proposals to policy makers, increase market recognition and strengthen trust of end-users.

Scope:

The community of practice to be established must be transnational and actively involve a variety of representatives of the most relevant implementations of "integrated home renovation services" throughout Europe.

Building on best practices, this community should support collective productions, incremental innovations and joint efforts to promote "integrated home renovation services". It should facilitate dialogue and insight sharing, fostering the emergence of a common culture among participants and beyond. Particular efforts and results are expected on, but not limited to:

• Strategic positioning and business model: assessing local market gaps, attractive offer development to homeowners (in terms of quality and price of services), possible sources of revenue, associated business models, most appropriate combinations of public and private interventions, potential and conditions for dissemination across Europe, etc.
• Methodologies and tools: how to streamline and optimise the processes to deliver "integrated home renovation services"? Which tools exist and which ones could be developed? Etc.
• Skills and training needs: which new skills or new professions are needed for the implementation and effective operation of "integrated home renovation services"? Conversely, how to motivate and secure career opportunities for skilled professionals in that field? Etc.
• Partnerships with market actors: what types of partnerships could be developed? How to secure partners' commitment to deliver quality and competitive services? etc.
• Quality assurance and consumer protection policies: what quality guarantees could be offered to homeowners? How to ensure consumer protection? How should disputes be handled? Etc.

This community of practice should consolidate findings from the various experiences across Europe and propose guidance and support to emerging initiatives. It should foster dialogue within the community and beyond on cross-cutting issues. It should support the development of coordinated proposals to policy makers and actively contribute to regulatory and legislative processes at local, national and European levels, in particular by highlighting concrete situations and difficulties faced when implementing "integrated home renovation services", practical challenges and best practices.

While being specifically focused on "integrated home renovation services" aspects, proposals shall demonstrate knowledge of relevant wider initiatives (e.g. Sustainable Energy Investment Forums, ManagEnergy, BUILD UP Skills, the Blueprint for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills in the Construction sector) and leverage on their results.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of up to EUR 2 million would allow the specific objectives to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected Impact:

• Establishment of a European community of practice gathering relevant stakeholders, deeply rooted in their ecosystem and actively involved in ongoing local implementation of "integrated home renovation services"
• Number, diversity and quality of stakeholders actively involved in the community. This could include, but not be limited to, public authorities, consultants, architects associations, craftsmen associations, homeowners associations, citizens associations, universities, training centres, financial institutions, etc.
• Number, nature and quality of planned collective outputs, distributed between the main categories outlined in the scope section above. In particular, guidance and support proposed to emerging initiatives
• Number, nature and target audience of communication materials
• Data and guidance made publically available in order to facilitate the uptake of "integrated home renovation services" across Europe. Evidence that the value of such integrated services is recognised by the market
• Number and nature of planned contributions to legislative and regulatory processes at local, national and European levels
• Investments in sustainable energy triggered by the project (cumulative, in million Euro)
• Primary energy savings/renewable energy generation triggered by the project (in GWh/year)
• Reduction of greenhouse gases emissions (in tCO2eq/year) and/or air pollutants

In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:

• be legal entities (public or private bodies)
• be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
  • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
  • non-EU countries:
    • listed EEA countries and countries associated to the LIFE Programme (participating countries) or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature
• the coordinator must be established in an eligible country

Proposals must be submitted by at least 3 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 3 different eligible countries.

Entities from other countries are exceptionally eligible, if the granting authority considers their participation essential for the implementation of the action (see work programme).

Natural persons are NOT eligible (with the exception of self-employed persons, i.e. sole traders, where the company does not have legal personality separate from that of the natural person).

International organisations are eligible. The rules on eligible countries do not apply to them.

Entities which do not have legal personality under their national law may exceptionally participate, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf, and offer guarantees for the protection of the EU financial interests equivalent to that offered by legal persons34.

EU bodies (with the exception of the European Commission Joint Research Centre) can NOT be part of the consortium.

Entities composed of members may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality’. Please note that if the action will be implemented by the members, they should also participate (either as beneficiaries or as affiliated entities, otherwise their costs will NOT be eligible).

Beneficiaries from countries with ongoing negotiations may participate in the call and can sign grants if the negotiations are concluded before grant signature (with retroactive effect, if provided in the agreement).

Special rules apply for certain entities (e.g. entities subject to EU restrictive measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) and entities covered by Commission Guidelines No 2013/C 205/0537). Such entities are not eligible to participate in any capacity, including as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any).

Proposal page limits and layout:

Proposals must be complete and contain all the requested information and all required annexes and supporting documents:

• Application Form Part A — contains administrative information about the participants (future coordinator, beneficiaries and affiliated entities) and the summarised budget for the project (to be filled in directly online)
• Application Form Part B — contains the technical description of the project (to be downloaded from the Portal Submission System, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded)
• Part C (to be filled in directly online) containing additional project data
• mandatory annexes and supporting documents (to be uploaded):
  • detailed budget table (mandatory excel template available in the Submission System)
  • participant information (mandatory template available in the Submission System)
• optional annexes: letters of support

Page limit - Part B: 70 pages

Topic budget: EUR 2,000,000.00