Haptic R&D Consulting SRL, an engineering consultancy specializing in transferring cutting-edge technologies from lab to market, today announced plans to assemble a pan-European consortium to respond to the European Commission’s Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D4-01 on on-site innovative robotic and automated solutions and techniques for more sustainable and less disruptive building renovation and construction.

Background: Horizon Europe Funding Opportunity

The HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D4-01 topic, published three weeks ago by the European Commission’s CORDIS portal, seeks Research & Innovation Actions (RIA) that will modernise the construction sector by integrating novel on-site robotics and automation to accelerate deep renovation rates across Europe CORDIS. According to the official Work Programme document, the call has an indicative budget of € 75 million and foresees projects lasting up to 60 months, with a deadline of February 17, 2026 Research and innovation.

Expected Outcomes

Funded projects under this call must deliver empirical evidence of:

• Time savings: Measurable reduction in overall time spent on site for renovation and construction, compared to current best practices.

• Resource efficiency & accuracy: Demonstrable increase in resource efficiency and improved “designed vs. as-built” accuracy

• Pollution reduction: Quantifiable decreases in noise, air (particulate matter) and other pollution generated on-site.

Scope & Technical Requirements

Proposals must address all of the following core elements:

1. Innovative on-site robotics & automation: Test and validate solutions for both new construction and renovation; at least one prototype must explore 3D printing in building tasks.

2. Comparative research methodology: Rigorously compare the three expected outcomes (time, resources, pollution) against current best practices.

3. Human–robot collaboration & safety: Investigate on-site workers’ safety and human–robot interaction aspects to ensure seamless, secure collaboration.

4. Prototype validation: Develop and validate at least three prototypes across varied building typologies representative of the European stock, using lab or relevant environments for testing (both renovation and construction scenarios).

Selected consortia may also involve the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) to support experimental validation of full-scale prototypes in real or simulated building environments.

Haptic R&D Consulting’s Role & Consortium Invitation

With business experience in R&D project management, technology transfer and business‐tech audits, Haptic R&D Consulting SRL (headquartered in Ariceştii Rahtivani, Prahova, Romania) has supported of Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects in sectors ranging from VR/AR/AI to manufacturing and construction. “We believe this call represents a unique opportunity to revolutionise the built environment through robotics, automation and smart construction techniques,” said Mr. Daniel Chirtes, CEO of Haptic R&D Consulting

Haptic invites research centres, robotics SMEs, building materials manufacturers, digitalisation experts and end-users (construction firms and renovation specialists) across Europe to join its newly forming consortium. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Haptic R&D Consulting by June 30, 2025, to align on work packages, partner roles and proposal structure.

• Contact: info@haptic.ro | +40 769 23 88 76

• More info on the call: Horizon Europe portal (HORIZON-CL5-2026-02-D4-01) CORDIS

Next Steps

Consortium building activities will include:

1. Partner matchmaking webinars (June 2025)

2. Technical scoping workshops (July 2025)

3. Proposal drafting retreats (August–October 2025)

Successful proposals are expected to start Q3 2026, targeting transformative impacts on sustainability, productivity and environmental footprint in Europe’s building sector.