The Built4People (B4P) partnership launched a network of innovation clusters to promote sustainable innovation and help reach European Union climate targets for Europe’s building stock, which is falling behind in the green transition. The B4P Innovation Cluster Network will help the industry to scale up new solutions, products and services aligned with the ambitions of the EU Green Deal and New European Bauhaus. The set-up of this B4PIC network was supported by the Nebula project and will be further expanded through the STAR*track project.

In this context, on 15 September, the STAR*track project organised a webinar on the Affordable Housing Initiative for the B4PIC managers and their members, bringing together 37 participants.

The session opened with a welcome from the STAR*track project, followed by an overview from ECTP on the Affordable Housing Initiative. In its presentation, ECTP provided context on the initiative, shared the results of the SHAPE-EU project, and introduced the second phase: the SHAPE II project. The presentation also detailed SHAPE II’s objectives and learning programme (Accelerator Programme), which includes financial and technical advisory, mentorship, study visits, and joint capacity-building events. Additionally, ECTP informed participants about the upcoming call for lighthouse districts to be launched at the end of the year.

The programme continued with presentations from the EU-funded projects DeCO₂, SINCERE, and FORTESIE, each showcasing innovative solutions to accelerate the sustainable renovation and decarbonisation of Europe’s affordable housing stock. These examples highlighted practical approaches and technologies that can contribute to scalable, inclusive, and climate-resilient housing.

Dedicated Q&A sessions throughout the webinar gave participants the opportunity to engage with the speakers, exchange ideas, and discuss challenges and opportunities for affordable and sustainable housing in Europe. The event closed with an open discussion and concluding remarks, reinforcing the value of collaboration across Built4People projects in advancing the Affordable Housing Initiative.