Deadline Date: December 01, 2026
The European Commission is seeking grant applications to support innovative and sustainable solutions that use underutilised vertical space to improve housing availability and urban green spaces.
The program focuses on innovative vertical space use, sustainable urban development, efficient use of the built environment, green infrastructure, affordable housing, urban greening, circularity principles, life-cycle environmental and social impact assessment, economic impact assessment, densification management, land-use reduction, urban agriculture, rooftop gardens, vertical extensions, multifunctional structures, regulatory and technical barrier identification, social acceptance, and co-creation with local communities and stakeholders.
The funding available for this initiative is €15,000,000, with an indicative amount of around €5,000,000 per project. Eligible applicants include any legal entity under national, EU, or international law, including organisations from non-associated third countries and international organisations, subject to Horizon Europe conditions.
The initiative addresses the need to balance increasing housing demand with the protection of nature and biodiversity by promoting smarter use of existing urban structures and limiting urban sprawl. It encourages solutions that make use of unused or underused vertical spaces to create sustainable and liveable neighbourhoods.
Projects are expected to develop and demonstrate at least one innovative solution that uses vertical space above buildings or streets in a sustainable and aesthetically positive way, contributing to affordable housing or increased green space. Solutions must integrate circularity principles and assess environmental, social, and economic impacts using appropriate methods.
Proposals should also address potential negative effects such as excessive densification and identify ways to mitigate them. They are expected to evaluate the potential for reducing land use demand and address regulatory, technical, and societal barriers to implementation with practical solutions.
The approach must involve participatory and transdisciplinary methods, engaging local communities and relevant stakeholders, including cultural and creative industries where appropriate. Projects should also contribute, where possible, to urban greening objectives aligned with environmental policy goals.
For more information, visit European Commission.
