IAARC Services – The International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction

The International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction

Invitation for Expressions of Interest for EU Horizon Europe Built4People CFPs

This page provides detailed information for prospective consortia interested in collaborating with IAARC under the EU Horizon Europe Built4People initiative, outlining the process, benefits, and expectations for Expressions of Interest.

General Information/Background
The International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction (IAARC) invites Expressions of Interest (EoIs) for support in bids targeting the following Calls For Proposals (CFPs) under the EU Horizon Europe Built4People initiative. The EoIs will be evaluated by IAARC’s non-profit entity based in Australia.

Eligible CFPs:
1. Industrialisation of sustainable and circular deep renovation workflows (Built4People Partnership) https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-cl5-2024-d4-02-01?keywords=Built4People%20Partnership&isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=relevance

2. Robotics and other automated solutions for construction, renovation and maintenance in a sustainable built environment (Built4People Partnership) https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-cl5-2024-d4-02-02?keywords=Built4People%20Partnership&isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=relevance

3. BIM-based processes and digital twins for facilitating and optimising circular energy renovation (Built4People Partnership) https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-cl5-2024-d4-02-03?keywords=Built4People%20Partnership&isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=relevance

4. Design for adaptability, re-use and deconstruction of buildings, in line with the principles of circular economy (Built4People Partnership) https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-cl5-2024-d4-02-04?keywords=Built4People%20Partnership&isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=relevance

5. Digital solutions to foster participative design, planning and management of buildings, neighborhoods and urban districts (Built4People Partnership) https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-cl5-2024-d4-02-05?keywords=Built4People%20Partnership&isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=relevance

Expressions of Interest
Interested parties are requested to submit no more than two pages of text outlining an overview of the consortium members and their roles/expertise and the fit of their bid to IAARC’s scope. The IAARC ExCom will evaluate all EoIs within two weeks of receipt on a rolling basis, and outcomes will be notified to the applicants shortly afterward. All EoIs will be kept strictly confidential and will only be reviewed by the IAARC ExCom for the evaluation process, after which they will be deleted.

IAARC’s Role
IAARC can provide essential support in shaping policy recommendations and promoting the dissemination of research findings, leveraging its network and platforms to ensure results reach a broad audience, including stakeholders and policymakers in the construction and robotics sectors. IAARC also offers access to a network of experts in automation and robotics in construction, providing insights, advice, and collaborations that enhance the quality and scope of research and project implementations.

Bids supported by IAARC will have the opportunity to publish:
1. Case studies and demonstrations that meet the expected TRL levels of the CFPs.
2. Open-access datasets in IAARC repository.
3. Open-source codebases relevant to the IAARC community.

IAARC will support consortia in running living lab activities such as stakeholder/end-user engagement workshops. Additionally, IAARC will allow supported consortia to conduct workshops or other events alongside the International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC) for intra-and inter-consortia project dissemination. IAARC will also support dissemination through its social media presence. The IAARC Association Manager will represent IAARC in all consortium meetings and events, supported by the IAARC President and Vice Presidents as needed.

Farzad is a Professor of Digital Engineering at the School of Computing, Engineering and Digital Technologies, Teesside University, UK. He is the leader of the Centre for Sustainable Engineering and Open Research and Output Quality Lead, SCEDT, Teesside University. He is Editor in Chief: Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SCI/JCR IF=3.6, CiteScore Tracker: 9.1) and Associate Editor: AUTOMATION IN CONSTRUCTION (SCI/JCR IF=10.3, Citescore: 16.7). Farzad has a robust research track record delivering more than 200 quality publications and more than 3800 citations. Farzad’s research covers various aspects of Construction 5.0, with a strong emphasis on adopting cutting-edge technologies to serve the NetZero and sustainability agenda, including XR for H&S training, AI and deep-learning for sustainable infrastructures and logistics, smart construction, circular construction, energy policies, data-driven digital twins, demand response optimisation, smart energies, DLT and blockchain technologies, and social innovation. Farzad has successfully led several high-profile research projects – from H2021, InnovateUK through to the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), European Regional Development Funds (ERDF), Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC), Scottish Funding Council (SFC), Data Lab, and Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC). Farzad secured research and innovation income of over £2.5m. This expertise and standing are also recognised through several high-profile bodies, including the International Council for Building (CIB) and buildingSMART International. He graduated with 10 PhD students in the topics across the fields above, and some of them are already senior academics at reputable institutions such as the University of Cambridge, the University of Edinburgh, and the University of Salford, and some hold leadership positions in the industry.