Background
In recent years, both in Denmark and internationally, innovative methods and approaches have been developed regarding how our planet and society can endure. Concepts such as 'absolute sustainability,' 'planetary boundaries,' 'doughnut economics,' and 'circular economy' describe various ways we can and should work with available resources to support a regenerative movement for the planet and its inhabitants.
A comprehensive understanding of regenerative construction is still evolving. However, it aims for constructions and the environments they inhabit not only to be sustainable but also to contribute to regeneration by restoring and positively impacting the surrounding ecosystem.
Regenerative thinking is currently confined to a small part of the research community, specialized organizations, and a handful of companies. There is a need for a deeper understanding and, most importantly, broader practical integration for these new approaches and methods to genuinely transform the value creation within the built environment. Additionally, a more holistic focus on how humans, nature, and construction interact is crucial for thoroughly understanding the problems and developing new solutions.
The climate, resource, and sustainability crises are 'wicked problems' without clear or short-term solutions. Addressing and solving such problems requires collaboration across value chains and sectors and the ability to navigate uncertainty and experiment with methods and potential solutions.
Thematic Focus
The thematic focus revolves around promoting a regenerative built environment. Constructing in ways that restore ecosystems and positively contribute to climate and human well-being is necessary. Regenerative thinking is based on the idea of 'living systems,' meaning that what we do in one system directly affects a range of other systems. Thus, the fundamental concept is that humans and nature are interconnected and interdependent, and this interdependence must be restored to secure the future for both people and the planet. Therefore, construction must be considered in conjunction with economics, human behavior, environment, and nature.
Companies and public institutions are encouraged to engage in industrial research projects from various professional perspectives. Through these projects, participants can continuously test and further develop regenerative methods and approaches to promote solutions and value propositions. The thematic focus invites research projects challenging existing paradigms, particularly in terms of new types of collaboration that cut across and bridge different disciplines and industry actors.
It is crucial for applications to demonstrate genuine insight into existing approaches and methods and their application within the built environment. Additionally, understanding the developments and projects already initiated in the sector's businesses, organizations, knowledge, and research institutions is essential.
Applications may unfold within the following themes but are not limited to:
Scaling and Value Chain Innovation
- New platforms fostering systems thinking and collaboration across actors and sectors.
- New approaches to evidence and measurability promoting regenerative value creation.
New Governance and Organizational Models
- New organizational forms and business models for housing development working with a broader concept of value that includes social, environmental, and economic sustainability.
- Financing models promoting regenerative construction.
Material Development
- Biobased materials that can reduce environmental impact and support the transformation of existing building stock while considering natural ecosystems.
- Exploration and development of aesthetics within the planetary boundaries as a creative constraint.
Future Housing and Communities
- Housing communities realizing greater utility on fewer square meters.
- Future urban development contributing to cities in social and ecological balance.
Anthropological and Sociological Perspectives
- Behavior and social organization as the foundation for future regenerative built environments.
- Mobilization, stakeholder involvement, and method development linking social sustainability needs with construction industry value chains.
Integration of Data and Technology in Construction Processes
- Database solutions, platforms, and systems enabling traceability and collaboration across the value chain to promote regenerative construction.
- Use of AI-based solutions and robotics in optimizing processes and integrating new skills in the industry, supporting the path toward regenerative construction.
It will positively contribute to the evaluation of each project if, in addition to the regenerative goal, it incorporates a holistic approach to value creation throughout the value chain, including end-users and society. The project should actively address interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral problem understanding and collaboration.
Special Prerequisites
It is optional which educational background, theoretical approach, or tradition the projects come from, but the applying candidate must meet the general requirements of the Innovation Fund to obtain funding. The applicant must contribute with critical thinking, innovative ideas, research depth, and novelty. Simultaneously, it is an essential parameter that the projects have industrial potential and can unfold on a secure legal basis.
Each project selected for funding by Innovation Fond Denmark and chosen by Realdania to be part of the network commits to engaging in interdisciplinary collaboration across industrial research projects in the network.
This includes:
- Four annual meetings focusing on interdisciplinary knowledge sharing, collaboration, and peer support among other industrial researchers in the network.
- Two annual company visits where network industry partners host workshops focused on the application and implementation of research in the industry.
- Inspiration trips with transdisciplinary themes, including innovation, collaboration, and communication, as well as symposia focusing on transdisciplinary knowledge production.
- Training in presenting one's research at communication events in BLOXHUB's Applied Science Forum.
- Access to meeting rooms and facilities in BLOXHUB, in addition to the workplace in the company and university.
All aspects related to interdisciplinary knowledge sharing, collaboration, and peer support will be facilitated by BLOXHUB.
How to Apply
It is possible to apply for an Industrial PhD and Industrial Postdoc, and both private companies and public organizations can apply. Private companies can apply twice in 2024, with April 4 and September 12 deadlines, while public organizations can only apply for the September deadline.
The application is submitted through the regular application channels for Innovation Fond Denmark’s Industrial Research Program. In the application form, you mark 'Wishes to be part of the network: Towards a Regenerative Built Environment' in the first step after the introduction.
The application will go through the standard assessment process at the Innovation Fond Denmark, where projects will be evaluated by the Industrial Research Committee. The projects will compete with all other applications to the program since Innovation Fond Denmark cannot allocate funds in advance for the thematic focus. Therefore, there is no guarantee of a specific number of grants/projects.
After completing the application review process, Realdania will select from amongst the projects approved by Innovation Fund Denmark those eligible to join the network. The composition of the network aims to support the thematic focus and ensure compatibility within the described professional breadth.
Other Conditions
Applications must follow the guidelines for the type of Industrial Research project applied for – Industrial PhD or Industrial Postdoc. This means that applications must meet all Industrial PhD and Industrial Postdoc requirements, which can be found in the guidelines for Industrial PhD and Industrial Postdoc. Here, you will also find a description of the project structure, participant and project requirements, funding conditions, and the assessment process.
Please note that there are special conditions for Industrial PhD and Industrial Postdoc in the public sector, as outlined in Chapter 7.
Financing
Projects selected by Innovation Fond Denmark will receive the standard funding. Projects chosen by Realdania will, in addition and at no cost, benefit from being part of a facilitated network.
The industrial researcher and the supervisors can use BLOXHUB's meeting rooms free of charge (to a limited extent). Travel expenses and other substantial costs for the inspiration trips are likewise covered for industrial researchers and supervisors, while the company will cover transportation costs for meetings at BLOXHUB's office facilities in Copenhagen.
Especially for SMEs that have not had Industrial researchers attached before
In addition to the Innovation Fund's grant for salary subsidy, it is possible to apply for additional salary support from Realdania. This option only applies to SME companies* which have not previously employed an Industrial researcher and which receive a grant from the Innovation Fund in connection to the application rounds in the spring and autumn of 2024.
Concretely, companies can get DKK 8,000 in extra wage support per month for an Industrial Ph.D. or DKK 10,000 extra in salary support per month for an Industrial post.doc.
Realdania has set aside funds so that a maximum of 10 companies can get the opportunity for this extra salary support. If the Innovation Fund gives a commitment to more than 10 SME companies that have not previously employed an Industrial researcher and that want to be part of the network, Realdania will award the wage support to those that Realdania assesses best fit the intentions of the network. An international advisory board will advise Realdania on this.
The pool for the maximum 10 companies will be cashed out, so that a maximum of 5 companies will receive the extra salary support in connection with the spring application round.
*SME companies is defined by the European Commission’s definition of an SME. This means that the company must have a staff headcount of less than 250 and an annual turnover of no more than EUR 50 million or an annual balance sheet total of no more than EUR 43 million. If the applicant company is part of a company group/affiliated to a larger company, the SME requirements apply for the entire group of companies and not just the company applying for Innobooster funding. See more in the section 1.2 of the guidelines for the Innobooster programme.
